Juniper Shelley – 2026 Circumnavigator
Please provide a brief summary of what you plan to research over the summer, where you plan to go, and why you chose those locations.
This summer, I will explore how men in different cultural contexts experience loneliness, masculinity, and emotional connection, and how community-based programs can help address the recent uptick in male isolation. I will be working with an international nonprofit called the ManKind Project, which facilitates men’s conversation groups in over two dozen countries. My goal is to create actionable recommendations that will allow the ManKind Project to improve its adaptability across cultural contexts.
My research will take me to Mexico, South Africa, Sweden, Japan, and Australia. I chose these locations because they represent very different cultural models of masculinity, from highly egalitarian societies to more traditional ones. The ManKind Project has thrived in some of these countries, and struggled in others. By making comparisons between these locations, I hope to better understand what kinds of approaches are the most effective at facilitating community around the world.
What made you interested in pursuing interdisciplinary research?
Last year, I joined an on campus research lab studying how Black girls experience discipline in the Chicago Public School system. At the same time, I completed an independent research project assessing how immigration status predicts an individual’s experiences with the health care system. Working on these two projects simultaneously allowed me to appreciate how a variety of research methods can be used to provide nuance to complicated questions. This experience encouraged me to think outside of the box when considering research opportunities, leading me to an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach.
Describe your experiences with research thus far in your career.
This fall, I had the opportunity to present original research at the Midwest Association of Public Opinion Research. For this project, I relied on secondary data to assess how immigration status influences the experiences and perceptions that individuals have with the U.S. healthcare system. I was able to gain quantitative research skills through this experience, which complimented the qualitative skills I was learning in my research lab at Northwestern, examining inequality in public schools through focus-group style interviews.
What made you initially interested in researching your topic in particular?
A few years ago, I read “Boys and Sex” by Peggy Orenstein. In this book, Orenstein uses interviews and focus groups to reveal the immense relational struggle that young men in the United States are facing. The scale of this problem really struck me, and after some research I realized that there was very little existing literature that focused on solutions to this problem. When I began preparing for this grant, I knew I wanted to work on a project that was solution oriented. After speaking with over 20 members of the ManKind Project, I noticed that men from very different countries were describing remarkably similar feelings of isolation and emotional constraint, even though their cultures looked completely different on the surface. Hearing how deeply these patterns affected men’s mental health and relationships made me want to understand not only the problem, but what kinds of community-based solutions actually help.
Any tips or advice you have for students interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
Be open minded to changing your approach as you go. This project is certainly not what I imagined I would be working on when I began doing research for this grant. However, it quickly revealed itself as the most accessible and relevant topic within my general interest area. For other students that are interested in independent research, I recommend that you start with a big idea, and let the resources that are available guide your specific research plan.
Which aspect of your trip are you most excited about?
I am most excited to have conversations with people whose life experiences and cultural frameworks are different from my own. The conversations that I had with members of the ManKind Project in preparation for this grant were some of the most engaging academic conversations I have ever had. I am looking forward to continuing these conversations within member’s own countries, developing a better understanding of how, where, and why the ManKind Project works.
I’m also very excited about the opportunity to travel solo, which I have never done before.
What is something interesting that you’ve learned this week (reading, podcasts, class, living life…)?
This week was my first week studying abroad in Australia, so I learned a lot! One thing that surprised me is that voting is universally mandated here. I also learned that work culture is much more casual in Australia. On my first day at my internship, everyone was drinking beer by 3pm!
Do you collect anything?
Postcards from every place I visit.
What skill would you most like to learn?
I would love to be able to pick up a guitar, and play any song without having to look at sheet music.
What is your favorite dessert?
Homemade apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.