The Research Assistant Program, known as RAP, was created with that mission in mind. Designed to support faculty in advancing social justice research while cultivating the next generation of scholars, RAP creates meaningful partnerships between professors and students who are eager to engage deeply with the world’s most pressing issues.
This year, the Institute for Social Justice Research and Policy received 15 research proposals from faculty across campus and 24 student applications from those seeking hands-on experience. From this competitive pool, ten projects were selected, each representing a unique intersection of scholarship and impact.
One of the selected projects, How Free Trade Protectionism Affects African Economies, brought together assistant professor in the Department of Political Science Dr. Hye Ryeon Jang, Assistant Professor of Political Science, and student researcher Andrew Ratcliff 26'.
Their work reflects the kind of inquiry that defines the Morehouse academic experience. It is globally relevant, analytically rigorous, and grounded in a desire to better understand systems that shape economic and political realities.
The project began with the development of an annotated bibliography, a foundational step that allowed both Dr. Jang and Ratcliff to refine their theoretical framework and align their research direction. From there, their work has evolved into a dynamic collaboration.
Ratcliff 26' has taken the lead in gathering international and Africa-specific data on trade and tariffs, building a dataset that will serve as the backbone of their analysis. At the same time, Dr. Jang is developing spatial work analysis models designed to examine how tariff policies influence broader structural outcomes across African economies.
Together, their work seeks to answer a critical question: How do global trade policies, often shaped far beyond the continent, affect economic development and equity within African nations?
The significance of their research has already extended beyond campus. Recently, Dr. Jang and Ratcliff were invited to present their findings at George Washington University.
The opportunity to present at a leading research institution reflects both the strength of their work and the broader vision of RAP. Students are not only learning how to conduct research. They are contributing to academic conversations that reach national and global audiences.
Programs like RAP embody the Morehouse approach to education. They prioritize not only knowledge acquisition but also application, mentorship, and purpose.
Through this initiative, students gain early exposure to the full research process. They learn how to ask meaningful questions, engage with complex data, and contribute to scholarship that has real-world implications. At the same time, faculty are supported in advancing work that aligns with the College’s commitment to social justice and global engagement.
Each of the ten selected projects tells a story of collaboration and discovery. Together, they form a broader narrative about what it means to prepare students for lives of leadership and consequence.
Tag(s):
Centers, Institutes and Programs