Degree Obtained: Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative and International Education, Concentration: Political Science
Advisor: Dr. Gita Steiner-Khamsi
Current Position: Assistant Professor of International Studies, The University of Oklahoma
Geographical Focus: Africa and Latin America
Bio: Dr. Michelle Morais de Sa e Silva is an assistant professor in International and Area Studies in the Department of International and Area Studies. She is also Co-Director of the Center for Brazil Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Previously, she had been Head of Graduate Programs and Professor at Brazil’s National School of Public Administration (Enap). She had also been Coordinator General for International Cooperation at Brazil’s Ministry of Human Rights (2011-2014). Before that, she was a UNESCO staff member for six years. In addition to Brazil, Dr. Morais has worked in countries like Angola, Colombia, Mozambique and Russia. She received her PhD from Teachers College and her MA in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, The Netherlands. In 2015, she did a year of postdoctoral research at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Her research agenda has been mostly focused on issues of international cooperation for development, policy diffusion, and international comparative education. Dr. Morais is the author of the book Poverty Reduction, Education, and the Global Diffusion of Conditional Cash Transfers (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017).
Research and Scholarly Interests: Policy studies; politics and economics of educational borrowing and lending; South-South cooperation, South-South transfer; conditional cash transfer programs; adult literacy policies, especially in African and Latin American countries.
Something Special About Your TC Experience: TC gave me one of the best scholarly experiences I have ever had. It brings together a very generous, cooperative, and inspiring community, one that I hope to create and emulate for my own students.