Current Graduate Students

Education:
BA in Political Science and Contemporary European Studies, UNC-Chapel Hill

Ian is a third year PhD. student in the Department. His research interests include the study of voting behavior, political participation, and partisanship in the United States and Europe. As a student concurrently enrolled in the MS program in Applied Statistics at Indiana, his research employs survey and automated content-analytic data to solve puzzles pertaining to economic voting, voter turnout, and the formation and maintenance of partisan attachments. Ian’s teaching interests include courses in research methods, voting behavior, and the American party system.

In 2010 Alex Badas earned dual bachelor degrees from the University of Toledo in Political Science and Law and Social Thought. In 2012 he completed a master’s degree in Political Science at Wayne State University. Alex’s research interests fall into the Law and the Courts sub-field of Political Science. In his master’s essay he sought to determine to what degree elected and appointed state superior court  judges differed in their willingness to docket civil liberties claims. Currently he is researching an array of questions related to gender and judicial behavior. Alex plans to major in American Politics, while minoring in research methods. 

Read about Nichole's research

André is a German graduate student of Political Science at Free University Berlin and will join us as an exchange student for 2012-13. Beforehand, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Public Management & Governance, majoring in Political Science/Public Administration and minoring in Economics. His undergraduate thesis analyzed the democratic quality of transnational institutions at sub-state regional level. His research interests lie in European integration, democracy theories, and public finances, evolving around the question of how to design sustainable public finances and reducing public debts in a democratic way at the supranational and national level. After finishing MA in late 2013, he will seek a PhD.

Jacob Bower-Bir investigates the introduction of market forces to traditionally public services. Of particular interest are the norms, rules, and institutions that govern those services and are potentially altered or abandoned following market reform. His current research focuses on school choice in American public education, with a special concentration on segregation and student achievement in charter schools. His work on education is part of a broader interest in the distribution of influence and benefits in collective action scenarios. Jacob is conducting additional research on strategic network formation, legislative representation, spatial voting models, and heuristics.

Education:
BA in Political Science (American Politics), Providence College

Laura Bucci’s research focuses on the political involvement and behavior of traditionally under-represented groups in American politics. Of special interest to her is the way in which informal networks or community-based nonprofit organizations work together with target populations and elected officials to advance rights and other collective benefits. Most recently, she has worked in an internal capacity building for grassroots nonprofits.

Alison Carden has a BA in Political Science and a BA in German from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in Germanic Studies from the University of Texas – Austin. Her research interests include political violence, issues of human rights, and the roles of NGOs in peacekeeping efforts and humanitarian aid.

Chung-Yuan’s academic interest is primarily to understand how formal/ informal institutions, by which people overcome the cooperation dilemma, can further result in diverse political consequences and policy outcomes. Topics of interest include social movement, regime transition, resource management, environmental politics, to local politics and governance. Parts of Chung-Yuan’s research results have been published in Comparative Politics and other Taiwanese journals. Chung-Yuan earned both a BA and MA at the Nationa Chung Cheng University in the Republic of China.

Janice Lygia Duchene Clark has a BA in International Studies from Brown University and an MA in International Studies from the University of Denver. Prior to returning to graduate school, Ms. Duchene's global experience includes Peace Corps work in Turkmenistan, diplomatic work for the U.S. embassy in Stockholm, genocide witness analysis for the ICTR, and a UNESCO internship in Northern Ireland. Her research interests include EU expansion, political violence and civil instability in Europe and Central Asia, and issues of human rights and human security.

Education:
BA History, Linguistics, and International Studies from University of Washington
MPA from Indiana University (Concentrations: Public Management, Policy Analysis, Information Systems, and Economic Development)

Andrew Cloran is a PhD candidate in the Joint Public Policy PhD program. As part of his research, Andrew plans to investigate how public policy initiatives have succeeded or failed to navigate blockades toward implementation. His research interests would also examine the role of management as a facilitation mechanism for maintaining the collaborative networks essential for policy development and realization.

Beyond school, Andrew has recently completed two years of AmeriCorps service as a coordinator of math tutoring projects for elementary and middle school students in Bloomington.

I have been living in China for the past 10 years. In 2008 I earned a Master's degree from Renmin University in Beijing where I focused on China's emerging blue water navy. Since 2008 I have been teaching Chinese and American undergraduates Chinese foreign policy with courses centered on China's relations with the USA, India and Africa. I taught at Renmin University's IR school and the Alliance for Global Education. While in Beijing, I also spent time at Reuters and China Development Brief. I plan on researching Sino/Indian relations with emphasis on the security situation between the two and how Indian domestic politics influences their relationship. My hobbies include trekking, reading anything on China, and marathon running.

Ryan Dawe comes from central Massachusetts. He attended Lafayette College in Easton, PA where he earned undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Political Science. His main areas of interest are voter decision making and political behavior, using psychological concepts of perception. He is a big fan of strategy games and has also been an athlete and choral singer, having the honor of singing at such notable locations as Carnival in Venice and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Education:
B.A. Political Science, University of Washington 1994
M.P.A., University of Washington 2001
M.A.I.S., University of Washington 2002

Shane Day is a second year graduate student in the Joint Ph.D. Program in Public Policy, where he studies in the fields of public policy, international relations, and environmental policy. His research interests include the interplay between international organizations, states, and non-state actors in regime formation and the domestic policy process; issues of natural resource management, especially in the areas of fisheries and forestry; the administration of international political and economic development programs; and the movement for increased tribal self-governance, especially within federal governance systems. Before coming to IU he received MAIS, MPA, and BA degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle, and he has worked for a variety of governmental and non-profit organizations, predominately in the areas of environmental policy, foreign affairs, and health care policy. He has taught a variety of undergraduate courses at Indiana University and the University of Washington, including Y303 - Formation of Public Policy in the United States, and Y313 - Environmental Policy, both in the IU Political Science Department. Shane is an avid traveler, having lived, worked, studied, and/or wandered in over 50 countries worldwide and all 50 U.S. States, and he enjoys hiking, camping, fishing, snow skiing, cooking, collecting music, and playing guitar.

Teaching

• Y303: Formation of Public Policy in the United States (Fall 2003) (syllabi)
• Y313: Environmental Policy (Spring 2004) (syllabi)

Education:
BSc Biology from the University of Waterloo
MSc Planning from the University of Guelph

My path to the Public Policy program is a fortunate accident that somehow manages to combine my interests in the environment, evolution, society, and travel. I enjoy the intellectual and practical challenges associated with natural resource management, particularly in the context of the developing world. My travels for research, volunteering, and personal interest has led me to over 30 countries including Malawi, Cameroon, Uganda and Rwanda. In a past life I worked as an insurance broker.

The moral of the story is don’t be an insurance broker.

Sean Fedorko is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Political Science. Prior to his studies at IU, Sean worked for the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics where he developed training programs for undergraduate research associates and contributed to survey design and analysis. Sean is interested in the policy process and in existential and environmental philosophies. Specifically, he is interested in the power disparity of actors contributing to environmental policy and in the obstacles to effective policy solutions to environmental issues. Sean earned BAs in both Political Science and Philosophy from Mercyhurst University.

Education:
BA/MA in Political Science (American Politics), Louisiana State University

Matthew Fowler grew up on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana. He majored in political science and minored in African and African American Studies as an undergraduate, before earning an MA in political science. His main area of interest is American Politics, focusing on race and politics, gender, southern politics, elections, and political behavior.

Gustavo is a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is pursuing a joint Ph.D. in Public Policy and Political Science with concentrations in Public Policy, Environmental Policy, and Political Theory & Methodology. He received his Masters in Environmental Policy from Cambridge University and his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Geography from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.

Gustavo’s research interests are on the relationship between institutions, power, and social mobilization in community-based natural resource management, co-management, and other forms of grassroots organization. More broadly, he is interested on the multiple topics of sustainable development. His dissertation focuses on the role that inter-community organizations (ICOs) play in community forestry in two Mexican states, Durango and Guerrero. This will be done through a comparative case study of communities that are participating in ICOs and communities that are not, using a combination of ethnographic, interview, and quantitative methods.

Gustavo’s dissertation committee is composed of political science professors Dr. Elinor Ostrom (chair), Dr. Michael McGinnis, and Dr. Armando Razo, SPEA professor Dr. Burnell Fischer, and anthropology professor Dr. Catherine Tucker. UC-Berkeley researcher Dr. Camille Antinori serves as external advisor.

After completing his doctoral degree, Gustavo hopes to pursue a career in teaching, research, and consulting work for environmental and community organizations, through which he hopes to foster a better understanding of central problems of sustainable grassroots development in Latin America, and contribute to designing policies that adequately address them.

Rachel is the oldest of four children. She spent most of her life in upstate New York, living in various suburbs around Rochester and always wishing she was somewhere else. One highlight was spending a few weeks in Sicily with her grandparents and Italian cousins. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Vermont in Burlington with majors in political science and history. Her research interests center around political economy, specifically development. When not focusing on school (and working herself into a nervous frenzy), she is addicted to reality TV and sports. Rachel is a pessimistic yet dedicated fan of two teams that love to disappoint- Everton F.C. and the Buffalo Bills. Mondays are not typically good days. When she gets disgusted with herself for spending too much time staring at the computer, she relocates outdoors. Rachel enjoys hiking, running, camping- anything that lets her breathe in fresh air and appreciate beautiful scenery.

Trish completed her M.A. in Diplomacy and International Commerce in 2005. She specializes in the study of comparative politics and public policy. Trish is interested in how education and economic policy affects political participation and livelihoods in Latin American and Africa. Her dissertation projects compares how newly formed intercultural universities in Mexico affect political participation of indigenous students as compared to traditional universities. One of her current side projects examines the impact of microfinance on women. In another project, she examines how donor requirements affect microfinance depth and breadth of outreach. She is currently a member of the Indiana University cross-disciplinary working group New Perspectives which examines indigenous politics and citizenship and the Minority Languages and Cultures of Latin America Program working group. She recently published a review of Cati Coe's Dilemmas in African Schools in the Anthropology of Education Quarterly.

Education:
BA Utah State, IU Maurer School of Law

Peter grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He did an undergraduate degree in history before moving to Bloomington to attend law school in 2007. Although he found law school to be a fascinating learning experience, his passion has always been for academia; he decided to pursue a Ph.D. in hopes of developing a career focused on research and teaching. Peter reports that he loves living here in Bloomington, and he is very excited to be in the program.

Education:
MA Political Science, Utah State University
MA Comparative Studies (Humanities), Brigham Young University
BA International Studies (Diplomacy), Brigham Young University
AAs International Studies and French, Ricks College

Fields: Philosophy, Comparative

My general research interests are in American political thought, democratic theory and practice, and nationalism and identity politics. The central issue driving all my scholarship is the relationship between religion and politics, and I am especially interested in the development of LDS political thought and in civil religions and the role these play in shaping political identities. My graduate studies center largely on the US and Europe, but I have also done some work on predominantly-Muslim countries and regions.

Through my minor, I am developing a deeper understanding of civil society, faith-based organizations, and philanthropy, and this work directly supplements my efforts to articulate an LDS theory of social justice for my dissertation. I approach this latter subject by looking at theological arguments regarding welfare, humanitarianism, and political participation, and how these views have changed in response to broader cultural and political trends in the US.

Besides being a student, I also lived in Romania for two years as a Mormon missionary, studied French while working in a hotel in southern Belgium, helped coordinate the first two conferences of the Rocky Mountain European Scholars Consortium and then edit the e-journal conference proceedings, and co-project managed a $20,000 grant at BYU to develop a film and curricula for teaching Romanian. I have also taught several courses on the humanities, Romanian culture and history, and LDS doctrine and scripture at BYU and at Ivy Hall Academy of Nursing.

I also enjoy traveling, playing baseball and basketball, learning languages, popular culture, and most importantly, spending time with my wife and three children.

* "LDS" or "Mormon" refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Vera is interested in political contention evolving from asymmetrical power relations involving state and non-state actors. One of her current projects is investigating the relationship between suicide terrorism and protest-repression-cycles. She is also interested in the interaction between state and non-state actors as contributors to the Global AIDS Fund, and how this relates to the larger fields of foreign aid and development as well as institutional performance and governance.

Education:
BS US Air Force Academy, MPA University of Oklahoma
MA Air Command and Staff College

Paul Hoffman is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. He has been stationed throughout the United States and overseas, with deployments to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iraq. From 2009-2010 he was stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he served as advisor to the Afghan National Army Air Corps. He comes to Indiana from Montgomery, Alabama, where he taught in the Air Command and Staff College’s Department of Leadership and Strategy for three years. His research interests include foreign military assistance, international development, and weapons proliferation. He is married and has two children.

Education:
BA Graceland College, MA Seton Hall

Prashant joins us from New Delhi, India. He completed a BA in International Studies before earning an MA in International Relations. He worked for the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi (India), where he was associated with the US & Nuclear Cluster. His broad thematic interests include US involvement in South Asia; South Asian Security; and Indian Political Philosophy.

Nicholas Howenstein is interested in militancy in Pakistan, including tribal insurgency and jihadi terrorism. He is also interested in the drivers and dynamics of civil war in general. He received an MA in International Affairs from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University, followed by several years working at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Publications

Nicholas Howenswtein (2009). "Review Essay of Ayesha Jalal, Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia and Praveen Swami, India, Pakistan and the Secret Jihad: The Covert War in Kashmir, 1947-2004". India Review, vol. 8, no. 4, October–December, 2009, pp. 446–456. India Review article

Nicholas Howenstein (2008). "The Jihadi Terrain in Pakistan: An Introduction to the Sunni Jihadi Groups in Pakistan and Kashmir". Pakistan Security Research Unit (PSRU) Research Report 1. February 5th, 2008. Research report

Education:
BA BYU, MA Georgia

Shelli Powell, who originally comes from Jamaica, specializes in international relations and research methods. Shelli’s primary research interest is the role of religion in intrastate conflict and conflict resolution. At the University of Georgia, she conducted research with the Violent Intranational Political Conflict and Terrorism Laboratory: Project Civil Strife program (VIPCAT) and assisted in the collection and coding of data on the strategic behavior of state and non-state actors in Southeast Asia. While at VIPCAT, Shelli developed an interest in Asian separatist and nationalistic movements. Shelli is also interested in the use of psychological and psychoanalytical approaches to conflict behavior and contributed a chapter on psychoanalysis and the study of politics to a published volume entitled, Grand Theories and Ideologies of the Social Sciences.

Cathyrn is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Political Science. Prior to beginning her studies at IU, Cathryn worked for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs where she supported programs to strengthen political participation and democratic institutions in West Africa. Cathryn’s research interests are rooted in the democratization process. Specifically, she is interested in how institutions influence citizen engagement in democratic processes and shape the outcomes of policies to improve citizen welfare. Cathryn earned an MSc in Development Studies from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies and a BA in International Studies and French from Whitworth University.

Defne is interested in studying the phenomenon of the religious revival in Turkey and its greater influence on politics and how that may engender an anti-Semitic environment. The effect of these new sentiments on Turkish nationalism and the questions it raises are important in examining current and future relations between Turkey and Israel. The growing role of religion in politics and the challenges to secularism will help determine if Islam can function with democracy.

Wynand is no Aristotle, but not for lack of trying. Before coming to IU, he spent ten years studying Political Science and Classics at Leiden University and the Ohio State University, and, since leaving academia in 2010, has been employed as a high school tutor in the Netherlands (perhaps not fully realizing that he might have been mentoring the next Alexander the Great). Wynand is interested in (ancient and modern) political history, authoritarian legacies, political regimes, public opinion, (dissident and non-dissident) mass political behavior, and individual rights violations in Europe and Latin America, his two regions of interest.

Education:
BA Liberal Arts, The New School
MA Political Science, The New School

Mike received his BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently a first year graduate student studying political theory. His academic interests include modern political thought, democratic theory, and post-structuralist political theory.

Mitchell Krumm primarily studies Political Philosophy and his research interests focus on American Political Thought. Specifically, the theories of freedom, rights and liberties that shaped and currently inform American political institutions through the development of concepts like the rule of law, bills of rights, constitutionalism, representation, religious liberty, and justified revolution or secession are the core of his studies. Additionally, Mitchell has interests in contemporary political thought and philosophy centered on developing a theory of epistemologically free society. Ancient political thought (primarily Plato and Christian political theory) also interests him. Finally, the interrelation of politics and religion is a central concern and underlying focus of his studies in political philosophy. Mitchell also studies American Political Science where he focuses on issues of Parties and their role in Representation.

“Soli Deo Gloria”

Education:
BS Union University

Matthew graduated in 2010 with a degree in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism, before pursuing an internship in Washington, D.C. In college, he enjoyed both doing empirical and philosophical research in political science and also serving as a producer and anchor for a daily live news program on local cable. His graduate-study interests revolve around political theory and democratic theory, American political thought and founding, natural law and natural rights, and politics and religion. As this native Texan forays back into what he describes as “Yankeeland,” he’s looking forward to experiencing Indiana’s four real seasons.

Education:
BA/MA Korea University

Yesola joins us from South Korea. Her main interests in comparative politics and political economy stem from various experiences in NGOs and international organizations in Korea, India and China. She has worked in the field of children's education there via local NGOs. She also interned for the UNEP in Korea. As an undergraduate, she double majored in Political Science and Chinese literature and language, before completing an MA in political science. During her time as an undergraduate, she was exchange student at both Beijing Normal University and the University of Toronto. Her research interests include financial regulatory policy, fiscal policy and intra-government relations (with a focus on China).

Education:
BA Political Science from Hanyang University (Seoul, South Korea)
MA International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University SAIS

Daewoo Lee’s main research interest starts from simple question, “How ideology changes social welfare policy?”. Conducting research during graduate studies, regarding Germany’s policy changes throughout reunification periods, Daewoo found great interests of studying policy making process. At SPEA, he wants to learn more about politics and policy making and to develop his idea with collaboration of professors and fellow students.

Chisda Magid was born in Jerusalem and grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts area, and he has traveled in Europe, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel. He received his BA from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 2008. He completed two undergraduate theses, "A Theo-Democratic Iran: Democratic Institutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Prospects for the Consolidation of Democracy," and “Breaking the Cycle of Failed Peace Process and Violence: Spoilers and the Informational Model in Asymmetric Protracted Conflicts.” After completing his undergraduate work Chisda pursued a culinary career in Bloomington, Washington, D.C., and New York City, cooking in gourmet restaurants that focused on locally sourced sustainable food. In 2011, he interned at J Street, a political advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.. Chisda has published numerous articles online in the progressive Jewish magazine Tikkun. Chisda's primary areas of interest include the relationship between national protest movements and multi-national governing institutions, identity politics in popular movements, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Yehuda Magid was born in Israel and moved with his family to Boston in 1989. In June 2006, after completing his B.A. in Political Science at Indiana University, where he focused on middle east conflict and co-founded a local student chapter of Brit Tzedek – an organization that advocates a fair and just solution the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – Yehuda served as a combat soldier in the Special Forces Battalion of the Nahal Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces, completing his service at the rank of first sergeant. Following his honorable discharge from the Israeli military, Yehuda worked on a youth party’s political campaign for the Israeli parliament in the 2009 national elections, as well as in the Israeli high tech sector. In 2010 Yehuda completed his Masters Degree in the Diplomacy and Conflict Studies Program at the Inter-Disciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. His thesis was titled “American Attitudes Towards the Israeli Settlement Enterprise: Trends in American Government Policy and Public Opinion, 1967 to Present.” His primary professional interests include political violence, fundamentalist extremism, and Middle East conflict.

Education:
BA Political Science from University of Chicago
JD from Case Western Reserve University

Chris Miller comes to SPEA after spending several years in the nonprofit sector, working in local organizations on issues including electoral oversight and civil liberties. He’s interested in exploring the intersection points (and political and economic implications) of two long-term trends more often examined separately—environmental depletion and emerging technology—as well as the roadblocks political institutions face in transforming research and analysis of these issues into real-world policy solutions. In the dim mists of the past he’s worked in quite a few different roles, from consulting to small businesses on communications and information technology, to serving as a student intern for U.S. Senator John Glenn.

Fathima’s research interests are primarily focused on economic reform in democracies in South Asia. She is interested in studying how political incentives, in part shaped by and channeled through political institutions, guide economic reform. Fathima graduated from Williams College, MA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science (Comparative Politics) and a concentration in Environmental Studies. After graduation, she worked in Maldives at an anticorruption NGO for a year before moving to Sri Lanka to work as a political and economic analyst for the Maldives at the U.S. Embassy.

Education:
BA Political Science, Chemistry Minor, from DePauw University
MA International Relations from American Graduate School in Paris

Nathan O’Neill recently returned to the US after two years of study in Paris, France. He has worked in a research capacity for DePauw University, the City of Indianapolis Environment Program, the Institute for Alternative Futures, and the Council of Great Lakes Governors. His academic research efforts include comparative water policy studies and detailed political analyses of trans-boundary watersheds. Nathan maintains a variety of scholarly interests and is looking forward to a rewarding interdisciplinary experience in the Public Policy program. Nathan lives with his wife in Bloomington.

Kristoffer Rees (BA, 2002, Whitman College; MA, 2008, Indiana University) studies comparative politics and political philosophy at Indiana University. He is currently pursuing a dual-PhD in Political Science and Central Eurasian Studies. His research interests include language policy, mechanisms of representation, and conceptions of citizenship. He is particularly interested how language policy reforms in post-Soviet Central Asia have affected individual notions of citizenship and citizens rights. Mr. Rees has substantial knowledge of both the Kyrgyz and the Kazakh languages.

After high school and social service, Volker first studied Political Science, Modern and Contemporary History, and Psychology at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, dedicating most of his graduate phase to Political Theory. In 2008, he completed his M.A. degree with a thesis on the treatment of political violence by Albert Camus. After two years of living and working in Tel Aviv and Berlin, he joined the M.A. program in North American Studies at Freie Universität Berlin, focusing particularly on the American Labor Movement and 20th century intellectual history. His interests lie in political theory and American politics.

In addition to studying abroad in South Africa as an undergraduate, Justin has worked with NGOs in Kenya, conducted research in Malawi, and travelled extensively in Morocco, Egypt, Zambia, and Swaziland. These experiences have fuelled his research interests in political violence, displaced groups, and the ways in which the concerns of development and conflict intersect. Currently, his primary interest is in the causes of refugee and IDP militarization. He intends to use a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods to pursue these interests. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Desc Here

Matthew Slaboch studies comparative politics and political philosophy at Indiana University. He is also pursuing a certificate in Russian and East European Studies through IU’s well-regarded Russian and East European Institute. His primary research interest is nationalism, and particularly its role in Central European politics and history.

Outside of class, Matt enjoys listening to music and walking around IU’s beautiful campus.

Education:
BA Dickinson College

In 2010, Katie graduated summa cum laude with honors in political science. During her undergraduate career, she studied a wide array of disciplines. While at Dickinson, she worked for the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues, an organization that brings guest lecturers to campus. During her junior year, she studied abroad at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England and played goalkeeper for the university’s football team. During senior year, she focused on her honors thesis, “Was it the Luck of the Irish? A Comparative Analysis of the Levels of Success Attained by the Irish and Basque Nationalist Movements.” Since graduating, she has worked as the Institutional Advancement Intern for the Center for Global Development. Katie is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Alpha Lambda Delta. At IU, she plans to focus on the subfields of comparative politics and international relations and also continue to play soccer and piano.

Alissa is a first year PhD candidate studying comparative politics with a focus on North African politics and democratic transition. Over the course of her academic career, Alissa has studied and worked in both Tunisia and Morocco. Most recently, Alissa spent the year following Tunisia’s revolution while running an American cultural center, holding and organizing programming on topics such as constitution-writing and civil society promotion. In addition to her experience abroad, Alissa served as an intern on Middle East Progress, a special project for the Center for American Progress. Alissa’s research interests include examining the past, present and future roles of Islamist parties in North Africa, and their impact on restructuring in the region, as they possibly alter their countries’ stances on key foreign policy issues. Alissa did her undergraduate work at the University of Oregon.

Education:
BA Law from Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan)
MA International Affairs from George Washington University

Kohei Suzuki is pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Policy at Indiana University. His studies focus on the roles of local governments in developing civil society at the local level among industrialized countries.

Kohei has worked for policy think tanks in Tokyo for eight years, conducting more than 50 policy research projects in the field of local revitalization and civil society for the Japanese Cabinet Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and other government agencies in Japan. After observing the peculiar roles of local governments to foster civil society as opposed to a national government, he decided to return to school to theoretically and empirically pursue this issue in comparative perspective.

Before coming to Indiana University, Kevin completed his B.A. and M.A. in International Affairs at Murray State University (in Murray, KY) and Washington University in St. Louis, respectively. While earning his M.A. at Washington University, Kevin worked in both St. Louis and Haiti with the nonprofit development and aid organization, Meds & Food for Kids.

Kevin’s research interests center around national identity movements, immigration, exchange (institutional, economic, cultural, and political), and various forms of conflict which may arise within a neo-/post-colonial context. This setting frames the relationships and interactions between and among former colonies (including various forms of overseas territories still in existence) and former colonial powers, the latter of which are largely concentrated in Western Europe.

Education:
BA, Political Science and Sociology, Taylor University
MA, Church-State Studies, Baylor University

As an undergraduate, Ben had the opportunity to study quality of life and its impact on voting choice in local elections. As a graduate student, Ben studied the role that religion plays in politics throughout the world. Ben will be studying American Politics at IU with special interest in Political Behavior, Public Opinion, and Advocacy groups. He will be serving as an AI in the 2010-2011 school year.

Education:
BA Sarah Lawrence
MA Chicago

Alexis began her career studying science and the history of science. She is still drawn to these disciplines for the affinities between them and how her own mind puts things together; the way they tackle problems is indispensible to her work. That said, their answers have a deceptive appearance of finality, which provides a moment of frisson when discovered, but then the thing is fixed, lifeless. So in the intervening years she has poked at various things, but only fell in love when she discovered the existence of other people, to whom no answer can be pinned.

To be political is not to set and fix people, nor permit complete unruliness. It is the endeavor of living with them in this impossibility.

So her interests, while wide-ranging across the history of political thought, are currently focused on unraveling this confounding middle area. Somewhere between rule and not rule is the physics of moderation--the structure, movement, tensions, and balance that consistently characterize restrained political systems.

Education:
BA Economics, Swarthmore College
MA Political Science, University of Oregon

Edwin's interest in international and comparative politics grew out of experiences growing up overseas in Egypt, Burkina Faso and Denmark. Since graduating college he has spent considerable time in China first living and working in Hangzhou, and then working as a study-abroad program coordinator in the summers of 2007 and 2008 in Shandong province. Through a Federal Language and Area Studies grant, he spent a summer studying and conducting research in Taiwan, work that helped contribute to a Master's thesis examining ethnic politics in Taiwan and Northern Ireland. Possible research topics include Chinese industrial and technology policy and ethnic political conflict. In 2010-2011 he will be working as a research assistant for Professor Scott Kennedy's Research Center for Chinese Politics and Business.

Education:
BA Political Science, University of Minnesota
MA West European Studies, Indiana University

Mr. Wood's undergraduate and graduate coursework has allowed him to move fluidly within multiple disciplines including Political Science, History, Cultural Studies, and Economics. While earning his BA from the University of Minnesota, Mr. Wood had the opportunity to study at the University of Freiburg's European Union Center. From 2006-2008 Mr. Wood continued to pursue coursework at the University of Minnesota and the University of Iceland's Arni Magnusson Institute of Icelandic Studies focusing on Scandinavian languages and politics before enrollment at Indiana University's West European Studies Center. Mr. Wood's proposed course of study includes International Relations and Political Philosophy under the supervision of Dr. William Scheuerman and Dr. William Thompson.