Biography
Ananda Squire is a PhD student and graduate digital assistant pursuing her PhD in Public Affairs at the Florida International University. Her research interests focus on project management, community participation and sustainable development with an emphasis on better integrating the community in local government development projects. She holds a BSc in Political Science and International Relations with First Class Honors from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.
While at UWI, Ananda contributed to the prolific text Rethinking Democracy and Governance by Dr. Donavon Johnson as one of the chapter’s co-authors. The chapter, Re-Imagining Liberal Democracies in the Face of COVID-19, focused on how collectivism must supersede individualistic -albeit democratic- values during times of crisis so as to achieve the safety and security of all. The goal of the chapter was to challenge the way in which we think of democracy so as to further the embracing of a more dynamic and nuanced understanding of it.
Outside of school, Ananda’s passion for community development has led to her serving in her community as Vice President of the Orangefield Youth in Action, a community youth group and Junior Youth Mayor of St Catherine (2021-2022).