Will O'Brien

Will O’Brien holds an M.A. in religion in global politics from SOAS, University of London, and a B.A. in religion with a minor in Arabic from the University of Rochester. O’Brien has worked in foreign policy and international development in Washington, D.C., London, and Cairo, Egypt. In his most recent roles, he served as a speech writer, research assistant, and executive assistant to senior leaders at the Atlantic Council and the United States Institute of Peace. During his doctoral studies, O’Brien plans to historicize the influence of Western Christianity’s expansion into North Africa and the Middle East, and interrogate the subsequent wave of secularization on political systems, religious actors, and development theologies in conflict and post-conflict settings. O’Brien is a Notre Dame Presidential Fellow.