Ante Zrile

PhD Candidate in comparative politics, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia

 

When people learn about the subject of my doctoral research, they always follow up with the same question: Where did you get the idea of studying the Indigenous population of Canada and the United States? And honestly, I don’t have an answer to that question. For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in the political systems of the United States and Canada. Two sisters, very similar but very different. During one Wikipedia rabbit-hole session in my undergraduate years, I stumbled upon an article about Indigenous reserves in Canada and the United States. A territorial unit not widely known or studied in political science. This concept piqued my curiosity and opened a whole new universe of research possibilities. With the help of my mentor, I narrowed my research focus to the political participation of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States.

One fundamental thing any researcher studying a foreign country or society must do is visit it in person, not just conduct research from the comfort of home. This allows the researcher to talk to people and hear about their experiences, which can’t be found in the literature. That is why I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time at UAlberta, and in Canada in general, and get the firsthand experience.

Beyond my academic research, I have been a member of NGOs whose goals are to promote democratic principles in Central and Eastern Europe, a region that is still learning the true meaning of democracy. In my free time, I like to rack up miles on my bike, usually on quiet roads or out in nature. If the weather doesn't allow for cycling, I work out at the gym, which is where I’ll probably be working out most of the time during the winter season in Canada.