Social Justice and Human Rights Concentration

Angelina Jarrouj, 2025

Why did you choose George Mason University and the Interdisciplinary Studies Program?

I actually work at George Mason, in the Advancement office, where I support units and colleges across campus in raising funds for really cool initiatives including student-focused programs, faculty research, scholarships, and others. I am also a Mason alum, having graduated from the university in 2010. I always loved the diversity of the campus as a student, and now as an employee, I think it's the biggest strength of Mason. The Interdisciplinary Studies Program appealed to me because it offers flexibility in taking coursework that is of interest to me, as opposed to something that is more prescriptive.

What lead you to choosing your concentration within MAIS? 

I have spent most of my career working in non-profit organizations and now in higher education. I have always been drawn to work around social issues, equity and justice. I think these issues are fundamental to understanding and addressing a lot of problems we face as societies. On a personal level, I am interested in exploring issues at the intersection of food and justice, so I found the Social Justice and Human Rights concentration to be the right program for doing so.

What part of your degree program has had the most impact on you?

The coursework on critical race has had the most impact on me, both on a personal and professional level. Today, there is a tendency to politicize critical studies, which I think is a misreading of what these areas of study are about. Any coursework that invites you to take a critical look at an issue is inviting you to see the world from a larger, more complex lens. Isn't that the whole point of education-to gain a bigger and better understanding of things? Critical studies, especially on race, now inform a lot of the way I look at the world. And shout out to the amazing Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott who taught me these courses.

What are your long-term career goals? How do you hope to use your degree and studies in the future? 

I currently work on fundraising for programs at George Mason. I am not sure where the future may take me, but I don't believe that my degree has to exactly align with whatever future path I take. I am privileged to be able to say this, but I embarked on this degree program as a personal intellectual endeavor more than anything else. My studies have afforded me respite from work and other life responsibilities. They also have made me a more empathetic person and critical thinker, skills which are invaluably relevant to any work I do.

What advice would you give to new or prospective students in interested in your concentration?

You can really take this concentration in any direction you choose. Yes, there is a set of fundamental courses that everyone has to take, but for the remainder of the degree, it really opens up space to explore any topic you like within the framework of justice and rights. Mine, for example, happens to be around food, so I have taken coursework in food studies, sociology, and environmental policy for example. You can get really creative with the combination of coursework you choose.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

All of the faculty I have taken coursework with have been wonderful and have encouraged my personal research interests.

Describe your capstone or thesis project.

My capstone project entails the creation of an undergraduate course syllabus focused on the topic of culinary colonialism. Through various global examples, I intend to show how contemporary forms of food appropriation, that are largely understood under a cultural framework, are actually connected to colonial legacies of power. The project seeks to introduce culinary colonialism as a framework for understanding issues at the intersection of food and power and to contribute to the field of critical food studies.