Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Lecture: Kerry Crawford '07

The Phi Beta Kappa Zeta Chapter of Maryland at St. Mary's College of Maryland is pleased to welcome Kerry Crawford '07 back to campus as part of an alumni scholar visit to give a public lecture in addition to meeting with several classes. She will present "Why Should I Care?”: Empathy and the Power of the Individual to Change Communities through Connection."

This public talk discusses the power of the individual to change communities through connection, with a specific focus on the role of empathy in building community ties and reshaping local, national, and foreign policies. Drawing from Crawford’s articles, books, and public-facing scholarship on gender-based violence, human security, and equitable and just policies in higher education, the talk connects lessons learned from political science to historical and current events. How did the former Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom come to lead to the government’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative? What led United Nations Security Council members’ spouses to lobby for a resolution focused on conflict-related sexual violence? How do perspectives on human rights and governments’ responsibility to protect lead to acceptance or rejection of humanitarian aid? The common thread running through many notable events in international affairs is empathy, or the ability to see and consider the world from another human’s perspective. Recent events, including street protests and mutual aid in Minnesota, transnational handling of wildfires and the climate crisis, humanitarian aid delivery efforts in war zones, and the global response to the 2026 Ebola outbreak point to the capacity of individuals to change communities and shape policies, and the consequences of collective failure to see the world through different perspectives. In an era defined by division, instability, and the rise of artificial intelligence, understanding the importance of empathy and human connection is critical. 

Kerry F. Crawford is a professor of political science at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has served as the academic unit head of the Department of Political Science since 2023. Crawford earned her B.A. in political science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2007 and her Ph.D. in political science from The George Washington University in 2014. She is the author of several books, including Wartime Sexual Violence (2017, Georgetown University Press), Human Security: Theory and Action (with David Andersen-Rodgers, first edition- 2018, second edition- 2023, Rowman & Littlefield), The PhD Parenthood Trap (with Leah Windsor, 2021, Georgetown University Press), and Academic Chutes & Ladders (with Leah Windsor, 2026, Bloomsbury). She teaches and researches subjects related to human security, conflict-related sexual violence, United Nations peacekeeping, public opinion on civilian casualties, gender and bias in peace and security, and the importance of mentorship and leadership development in higher education. Crawford is a 2025 alumna of the HERS Leadership Institute.