I am a PhD Candidate in Comparative World History from GMU. In particular, I study issues of identity and the creation of the "other" using the relationship between the Polish Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire as my case study. In doing so, I analyze textile design, trade, and use to prove how vital material culture is in creating identity. I am in the process of creating a companion database for my research. I am currently a research assistant at CHNM working on the Toynbee Prize Foundation website and Global Perspectives on Digital Media.