MIS Alumni Spotlight: Floor Knoote

How did you end up at NC State and in MIS?

I moved to North Carolina with my partner in 2008 and explored programs in international relations and political science. The MIS program drew my attention due to its interdisciplinary nature and opportunity to combine courses such as International Economy and International Law.

What do you do for work?

I work as a freelance investigator in the human rights field. This means that I conduct field investigations into human rights abuses for court case development or for advocacy of NGOs. A big focus of my work is the accountability of corporations for violations, for example in the garment and extractives industries. Currently, I also work as a researcher for a human rights firm in Amsterdam — Global Justice Association — on civil proceedings against multinational companies. The firm aims to achieve accountability through the representation of victims in several cases against multinationals involved in human rights and environmental violations.

What was your experience in the MIS program like?

It was a great experience. I received the opportunity to focus on topics such as accountability for international crimes in international courts as well as topics such as economic justice while getting to know American student life. I studied there in the year that Obama was elected so I managed to see a lot of speeches of former presidents right on the campus.

What are some skills that you learned at NC State and in MIS that you still use today?

I greatly developed my debating and discussion skills during the program, which at the time, received little focus in similar programs in the Netherlands. In addition, due to the great number of papers we were asked to submit for all courses, I perfected my English writing skills in no time.

What’s something that people might find interesting about you?

During my travels, I spend a lot of time interviewing victims and therefore get to see some of the dark sides of globalization in the form of negative consequences for workers and local communities in international businesses’ supply chains. However, I am generally quite positive about humanity, as I am always impressed with people’s resilience in these situations.

What do you like to do when not at work?

Travel, and people-watching while having a beer outside on the terraces of Amsterdam’s canals (or any terrace for that matter).

What are your goals for the upcoming year?

Contribute more to this field that I work in, which we call “business and human rights,” through meaningful evidence gathering. And visit the U.S. again; it has been a while!