DPRU research students selected as John Robert Lewis Fellows

Earlier this month, Death Penalty Research Unit (DPRU) research students Aimee Clesi and Serene Singh were named as John Robert Lewis Fellows by the U.S.-based Faith and Politics Institute (FPI), among a cohort of 10 Fellows for 2024-25.

Aimee Clesi is an MPhil Criminology candidate whose research examines the legislative and civil society conditions necessary to galvanize U.S. states towards abolition de jure, especially following a period of abolition de facto status.

Serene Singh is a DPhil Criminology candidate whose research focuses on women on death row in the U.S., exploring the gendered pains of capital punishment through interviews with death-sentenced women, their families and professionals who support them.

The FPI’s fellowship programme is designed to support graduate students to engage with the nonviolent philosophy of the late civil rights activist and politician John Robert Lewis (1940-2020), examining the historical context of the philosophy, its principles and strategies, and its applicability to contemporary issues.

The FPI fellowship is a 12-month programme which includes two trips to Washington, D.C. to meet with national representatives and other partners in 2024 and 2025; participation in the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage in March 2025; virtual meetings with thought leaders; and a stipend.

Each John Robert Lewis Fellow will undertake an oral history project, the objective of which is to work with a professional or academic mentor to learn from the experiences of those who have been dedicated to seeking positive societal change.