Sewall Named Director of KSG’s Carr Center After Ignatieff Leaves for New Career in Canadian Politics

Sarah Sewall, a lecturer in public policy, was appointed last week as director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Kennedy School of Government.

She will be replacing Michael Ignatieff, who last week was elected to serve in the Canadian Parliament.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help consolidate the contributions that the Carr Center has already made and build on their accomplishments,” Sewall said.

In a press release, Kennedy School Dean David T. Ellwood ’75 praised Sewall’s previous work in the field of human rights.

“Sarah Sewall has worked thoughtfully and diligently throughout her career to advance the understanding of global humanitarian concerns, especially as they relate to military strategy and execution,” Ellwood said in the release.

The center was founded in 1999 when the former chief of the Internet firm Prodigy, Gregory C. Carr, pledged $18 million to the Kennedy School to facilitate the study of human rights.

Sewall said the center currently focuses on questions surrounding the use of force and the overlap between the interests of the human rights community and the military.

To accomplish her goals, Sewall said that she is looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with other Harvard organizations and centers.

Sewall also addressed the trade-off that the Carr Center faces in selecting research topics.

“The challenge for any human rights organization is defining its area of focus because human rights are so broad and encompassing,” Sewall said. “We have tended to focus on relatively few areas in greater depth.”

In addition, Sewall stressed that the center hosts events for students and assists them in their own research. To present these opportunities and introduce its faculty and fellows, the Carr Center is hosting an open house this afternoon from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Kennedy School’s Rubenstein Building.