Name: Kristine Hart
Email: kh1392@nyu.edu
Program: International Education
Research Interests: Peace & Conflict Studies, Genocide Studies, Trauma-informed Pedagogy, Historical Trauma, and History Education
Principal Advisor(s): Elisabeth King
Research Description/Bio:
Kristine's research is driven by a commitment to understanding how students engage with traumatic content in post-conflict contexts, particularly when learning about their country's difficult history. Indirect exposure to traumatic events or to survivors of trauma can itself be traumatizing and potentially lead to secondary traumatization. While there are accounts of teaching difficult histories, there is a need for more evidence on the effects of such education on students' learning and well-being. Research specifically focused on managing the potential for secondary traumatization among students exposed to traumatic material in educational settings is scarce and predominantly confined to higher education contexts. Kristine aims to address this gap by conducting research in Cambodia, where the history of the Khmer Rouge is taught in secondary schools.
Prior to joining the International Education program at NYU Steinhardt, Kristine served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mesang, Cambodia. Subsequently, she relocated to Shenzhen, China, where she was employed as an English language instructor for three years. Following her tenure in China, Kristine spent three years teaching at the Ross School in East Hampton, New York. With nearly a decade of experience in education, Kristine embarked on her academic journey in international education at NYU, obtaining her MA in 2017. Since then, she has held positions at both NYU Shanghai and NYU Abu Dhabi in New York. Currently, she serves as the Manager of Academic Administration at NYU Abu Dhabi in New York. In addition, Kristine is an adjunct instructor at St. Peter’s University and has delivered professional development courses for NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU Shanghai, and NYU Steinhardt.
Kristine was awarded the Shearwater Grant and the 2023 ASH Professional Development and Research Support Fund to participate in the Genocide & Human Rights University Program at the Zoryan Institute in Toronto during the summer of 2023.
Kristine holds an MA in International Education from NYU, a BA in Psychology from Loyola University Maryland, and a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).