Alumnus Fellow Josiah Kaplan '01

Hopkins was honored by a visit from alumnus Dr. Josiah Kaplan '01 on Friday, May 11. Kaplan has been named a Hopkins Alumnus Fellow for his work with Save the Children International's Global Migration and Displacement Initiative, focusing on children's rights, international humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement.

Kaplan spoke at assembly about the difficult reality facing the world today that there are more displaced populations worldwide than ever before, due to military conflict as well as climate change. Kaplan remarked that his experience on the ground in refugee resettlement camps has opened his eyes to the individual stories of migrants, and most often he has encountered moving stories, not only of hardship, suffering and struggle, but of resilience, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Kaplan urged Hopkins students to think about how they can affect positive change in the world, as the long term solution to the migrant crisis will be something their generation will need to address. “Make no mistake about it,” Kaplan said, “the rest of the 21st century is going to be fundamentally defined and dominated by issues of mass migration and displacement from the global all the way down to the local in this auditorium. And whatever else this century has in store for us, it’s going to involve an increasing number of people moving across borders, often in desperation and promises to seriously overwhelm the global structure that has been in place since the end of WWII.”

Kaplan received a standing ovation for his address, please watch the full video below.

Throughout the day, students eagerly sought Kaplan out to ask questions about current events and his experience in the field. He noted that the level of questions he fielded from Hopkins students was on par with, if not above that of undergrads he has spoken to. It was a remarkable day on campus, one that engaged the entire community in a global debate. Many thanks to Josiah for his generosity, insight and candor.

Josiah Kaplan ’01 is currently Research Adviser for Save the Children International's Global Migration and Displacement Initiative. He holds a BA in International Relations from Dartmouth College, a M.Phil in International Development, and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Oxford. He currently lives in Oxford, UK with his wife and dog.

Introduction:


Josiah Kaplan's Address: