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SIS PhD student Steven Bradford has been awarded the highly selective Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. Research Fellowship, administered by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, to study in their Cold War archives for an important mid-20^th century historical layer of his doctoral project on geopolitical drivers and impacts of the weaponization of food in Syria. 

Bradford’s research proposal examines the historical and contemporary factors influencing Syria's conflict, with a focus on external actors and the use of food as a tool of war. It seeks to explore the Syrian government's mass violence against civilians, hypothesizing that Russia's support—bolstered by its UN Security Council veto power—emboldened such actions. The project will analyze Cold War-era relations to understand the roots of these dynamics, drawing on archival research at the JFK Presidential Library and other archives to study American and Soviet bloc influences.

The proposal highlights the intersection of food studies, geopolitics, and conflict, particularly how the weaponization of food during Syria's war affected civilian life and cultural identity. It aims to bridge top-down policy analysis with bottom-up ethnographic insights, focusing on Syrian refugees' experiences. The research also aims to inform humanitarian organizations about the political origins of food insecurity and the cultural significance of sustenance preparation and consumption. By connecting Cold War-era diplomacy to modern conflicts, the study aspires to contribute to understanding how international relationships influence state behavior during crises.

Bradford will conduct this research during next semester’s spring break.