Elise Rainer

Elise Rainer completed her Ph.D. at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies in 2016. She specializes in Swedish and U.S. politics, human rights foreign policy, and LGBT rights. Her research attempts to examine why and how Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights became incorporated into the foreign policies of Sweden and the United States.  She formerly worked in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

Publications

• Anish Goel and Elise Carlson-Rainer, “India: a Microcosm of Tensions on LGBT Rights,” Foreign Policy; the South Asia Channel. December 10, 2015.
• Elise Carlson-Rainer, “The Foreign Policy of LGBT Rights: Russia’s Reaction and Resistance to U.S. Policy,” Global Studies Journal (peer reviewed journal). 2015.
• Elise Carlson-Rainer, “Grattis till arets SWEA-stipendiater!,” Swedish Women’s Educational Association (SWEA) Magazine. San Francisco, 2015.
• Elise Carlson-Rainer, “LGBT Pride: Marching on the Front Lines,” E-International Relations. July 1, 2015.
• Elise Carlson-Rainer, “Debating Human Rights,” E-International Relations. June 15, 2015.
• Edited over 20 U.S. State Department human rights reports from 2005-2013. Served as senior editor 2012-2013.
• Contributing editor to U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom reports 2009-2011.

Grants & Fellowships

• Swedish Women’s Educational Association (SWEA) Scholarship, 2015.
• The European Union Center of Excellence Graduate Research Grant, 2015.
• Presidential Management Fellow, 2005-2007.
• Fulbright Fellow, 2004-2005.