Raphaël Deberdt

Raphaël grew up in Foix, France and studied Central Africa with an emphasis on civilian-military relationships. He is interested in the historical roots of the conflict in the eastern Congo, and the Rwandan genocide's role in the current war. Prior to joining Stanford, Raphaël interned in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he worked on social and political issues faced by the indigenous communities. He also worked at the Oakland Institute, focusing on the World Bank's policies in Bolivia and land-grabbing in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Raphaël holds a strong interest in the African Great Lakes region, and particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He hopes to pursue a doctoral program in political science focusing on the civil war in the eastern Congo and to travel more throughout the region. He currently holds a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Modern International Relations from Sciences Po Lyon, France.