Rachael Healy

Field of Interest(s)
urban landscapes, historical trauma, (contentious) commemorative practises, collective memory, time and space/place-making, narrative and storytelling, borderlands, post-conflict space.

I am interested in post-conflict Northern Ireland, and the emotional weight of living with memories of the Troubles for the ceasefire generation. Broadly, I am interested in how intergenerational trauma, physical sectarian divisions (by way of Belfast’s peace walls) and navigating the tumultuous post-Brexit political landscape affect and alter teenage life in a West Belfast neighbourhood.

Prior to joining Stanford, I received a First Class Honours degree in Global Health and Social Medicine from King’s College London. I also received a Master of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology from the Graduate Institute Geneva. Prior to attending university, I worked for five years in non-profit human rights and health advocacy roles in Scotland, South Africa and Palestine.

Publications: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09589236.2020.1845628?journalCode=cjgs20