Citizen engagement in politics is a bustling field of study where I am exploring the relationship between social movements and political parties, and its influence on democratic structures. I am especially interested in grassroots environmental initiatives and the political opportunities that stem from their interactions with elected municipal officials. Amidst a global climate crisis, citizen participation in environmental policymaking is essential to drive community-building solutions, which I hope to highlight in my research.
My approach to research is engaged in citizen empowerment, which comes from my professional experience in autonomous community action organizations. Working with community groups dedicated to helping marginalized youth access education has allowed me to discover new frameworks and approaches to civil engagement, which inspired my research activity.
Gaëlle is studying in the Department of Political Science at Concordia University under the supervision of Dr. Amy Poteete. The working title of her thesis is Protecting Montreal's Boisé Steinberg: Can the interactions between activist organizations and political parties in government influence democratic structures?