Benjamin Beegan, CIR’25

After completing his undergraduate work, Benjamin Beegan applied to mainly PhD programs but, ultimately, he decided to enroll in UChicago's MA in International Relations (CIR). CIR outcomes at top PhD programs were a major factor in deciding where to attend, as well as alumni and current student testimonials.

When Beegan started his program, his interests were in the intersectionality of environmental law, policy, and environmental justice and political theory in international relations. He was particularly interested in studying the Paris Climate Agreement and how it relates to atmospheric justice. In addition, he was interested in expanding his research interests through CIR’s interdisciplinary curriculum, which allowed him to craft his schedule from a list of 500+ approved classes not only in the social sciences but also in other divisions and schools, including the Harris School of Public Policy and the Law School.

That interdisciplinarity carried into the thesis project: An Analysis of the Principle of Just Savings and Economic (De)Growth: A Sustainable Median Between Accumulation Stage and Steady State Stage in Relation to Climate Change.  “CIR allows you to pick an advisor for your thesis outside of the immediate CIR faculty,” he says.

At the moment, Beegan is a research fellow at Rise to Peace. At Rise to Peace, he manages independent research to produce op-eds and academic articles to raise awareness and educate readers on international affairs. He also contributes to the teams’ research on projects regarding war, peace, and terrorism. Additionally, Beegan is assisting Professor Diana Boros at St. Mary's College of Maryland with research towards her book on socially engaged artwork. Beegan is doing so by conducting research and writing literature reviews on topics related to art accessibility and political theory.

In the future, Beegan hopes to earn a PhD. “I hope the CIR program has better prepared me for the PhD application process,” he says.