Caring for nature and communities: Meet the 2023-24 Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity

I take a lot of inspiration from history, from the activists, thinkers, and creators that have come before us. Equally, I am inspired by looking back, and seeing that the systems that we take for granted as fixed, were in fact constructed over time. It keeps me going to believe that since the systems that have led to inequalities were created, there’s no reason we can’t change these structures or create new ones to build a fairer world.
Pascale Frazer-Carroll, 2023-24 Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity

The 16 new Fellows joining the International Inequalities Institute at LSE this autumn as Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity are mid-career social-change leaders from 13 different countries who focus on challenging inequalities and work in fields ranging from labour rights to climate justice and legislative theatre.

The mission of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme is to create and support a community of changemakers coming from around the globe and working to address social and economic inequalities. Through research, education, and practice, it supports and encourages dialogue and collaboration between a range of stakeholders, including academics, activists, artists, practitioners, and policymakers to develop new thinking, ideas, and values-led approaches to tackle social and economic inequalities.

This year’s intake spans the globe, with new Fellows from Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Pakistan, Palestine, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zimbabwe. They include a feminist researcher and gender equality specialist from Egypt, a Palestinian educator and youth empowerment advocate, an Indonesian social entrepreneur focused on sustainable fisheries, a child and youth care specialist from Madagascar, a Zimbabwean lawyer working on sustainable and equitable natural resource governance, and a labour rights advocate from Botswana.

Seven of the 16 will be Residential Fellows and will undertake the MSc in Inequalities and Social Science at LSE during the 2023-24 academic year. They and their nine Non-Residential peers will also take part in the four fellowship modules during their active fellowship year, led by the programme’s Executive Director Dr Armine Ishkanian and Programme Lead Dr Sara Camacho Felix, and informed by the International Inequalities Institute’s research-rich environment. The interdisciplinary modules include engagement with researchers and campaigners, leadership training, community-building, and narrative and communications skills work.

We look forward to welcoming our seventh cohort of Fellows to the London School of Economics and Political Science and supporting their professional and personal development as they continue to work towards creating more equitable and just societies and futures.
Dr Armine Ishkanian

This year’s Fellows have been chosen from an impressive worldwide pool of applicants that has grown every year since the funded fellowship was established in 2017 via a record £64 million grant to LSE from Atlantic Philanthropies. When they complete their active fellowship year, the 16 Fellows will join a lifelong community of members from all the seven Atlantic Fellows programmes, who collectively focus on work to advance fairer, healthier, and more inclusive societies.

Applications for the 2024-25 cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity will open in October 2023. If you want to receive updates and information about the AFSEE programme, please register your interest here.

The 2023-24 cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity are:

Ahmad Zeyad Abu Hussien (Jordan)

Lyla Adwan-Kamara (United Kingdom)

Manar Alzraiy (Palestine)

Josephine Chiname (Zimbabwe)

Pascale Frazer-Carroll (United Kingdom)

Mavis A. Koogotsitse (Botswana)

Diana Magdy (Egypt)

Najma Mohamed (South Africa)

Omar Mohammed (Trinidad and Tobago)

Eko Octavianus (Indonesia)

Henintsoa Daniel Rakotoarison (Madagascar)