Grace Bridger

Introduction

Kia ora koutou! My name is Grace. I am a European New Zealander born in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, studying Law and Psychology at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato / The University of Waikato. I am one of fifteen lucky students travelling to Brazil as part of the PMSLA 2023 Indigenous Rights & Histories in Brazil Programme.

I am passionate about Ecological Law. My honours research has focused on developing legal solutions to environmental problems that draw on indigenous rights, knowledge and worldviews. I am particularly passionate about ecological justice for vulnerable communities. I hope to pursue these interests in postgrad research and/or a career in policy development.

I applied for this programme to enrich my understanding of different worldviews and knowledge systems and to develop a more global perspective on the challenges faced by indigenous peoples. I am most looking forward to learning from the indigenous peoples of Brazil and am so grateful for this incredible opportunity!