COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Yen-Hsin Chen - vita

• Areas of Interest: Comparative politics, international relations, Chinese politics, protest
• Dissertation: Protests in China: Why and Which Chinese People Go to the Streets
• Committee: T. David Mason (co-Chair), Phil Paolino (co-Chair), Ko Maeda, and John Ishiyama
• Email: Yen-HsinChen@my.unt.edu

Mustafa Kirisci - vita

• Areas of Interest: Civil wars, terrorism, nonviolent movements, state repression
• Dissertation: Life Cycle of Terrorist Groups: When Terror Groups Emerge and Exit​
• Committee: T. David Mason (chair), Michael Greig, Jacqueline H.R. DeMeritt, Paul Hensel.
• Email: MustafaKirisci@my.unt.edu

Christopher Pace - vita

• Areas of Interest: Comparative politics, international relations, ethnic conflict, international conflict
• Dissertation: Nations at War: The Effects of International Threat on State-Ethnic Group Relations
• Committee: Andrew J. Enterline (co-Chair), John Ishiyama (co-Chair), Jacqueline DeMeritt, J. Michael Greig
• Email: ChristopherPace2@my.unt.edu
• Website: https://sites.google.com/site/chrisepace/

Anna Pechenina - vita

• Areas of Interest: Comparative politics, political institutions, political culture, political economy, post-Soviet states
• Dissertation: Money is Power: Politics of Fiscal Federalism in Russia
• Committee: John Ishiyama (Chair), Marijke Breuning, Ko Maeda, T. David Mason
• Email: AnnaPechenina@gmail.com

Brandon Stewart - vita

• Areas of Interest: Ethnic politics, political violence, voting behavior
• Dissertation: Crossing Over: Ethnic Parties, Electoral Politics, and Ethnic Violence​
• Committee: Idean Salehyan (chair), Jacqueline DeMeritt, John Ishiyama, and Jae-Jae Spoon (University of Pittsburgh Political Science)
• Email: BrandonStewart4@my.unt.edu

Michael Widmeier - vita

• Areas of Interest: Comparative politics, international relations, civil war, rebel organization, causes and consequences of refugees, violence against civilians
• Dissertation: Where Do They Come From, and Where Do They Go? Rebel Group Origins and the Dynamics of Civil War
• Committee: T. David Mason (co-Chair), Idean Salehyan (co-Chair), Jacqueline DeMeritt, and John Ishiyama
• Email: MichaelWidmeier@my.unt.edu

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Ayal K. Feinberg - vita

• Areas of Interest: Diasporas, ethnic politics, hate crimes, anti-semitism, Middle Eastern politics, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
• Dissertation: How Homeland Violence Creates Diaspora Insecurity​
• Committee: Marijke Breuning (chair), Regina Branton, J. Michael Greig, and John Ishiyama
• Email: AyalFeinberg@my.unt.edu
• Website: www.ayalfeinberg.com

Melissa Martinez - vita

• Areas of Interest: International relations, comparative politics, human rights, repression, violent non-state actors
• Dissertation: Reacting to What? Violent Non-State Organizations, Naming and Shaming, and Human Rights Violations
• Committee: Jacqueline DeMeritt (co-chair), Marijke Breuning (co-chair), Glen Biglaiser, John Ishiyama
• Email: MelissaMartinez10@my.unt.edu
• Website: melissamartinez01.wordpress.com

Melda Ozsut - vita

• Areas of Interest: Civil conflict, conflict resolution, international political economy
• Dissertation: Changing Dynamics in Rentier States: Disaggregated Analyses of Conflict
• Committee: J. Michael Greig (chair), Glen Biglaiser, Jacqueline DeMeritt, T. David Mason
• Email: MeldaOzsut@my.unt.edu

Lynsey Parsons - vita

• Areas of Interest: International Relations, Comparative Politics, Origins of Conflict, Indigenous/Minority Politics, Foreign Policy in Small States, Arms Control, Refugee Issues
• Dissertation: The Long-Term Effects of Exclusion on Regime Stability
• Committee: J. Michael Greig (Chair), Paul R. Hensel, Valerie Martinez-Ebers, and Lisa Henry (UNT Anthropology)
• Email: LynseyParsons@my.unt.edu

POLITICAL THEORY

Rodney W. Gill - vita

• Areas of Interest: Nietzche's politics; counter-enlightenment thought; politics and religion; gender, sex, and law
• Dissertation: From Judaism to Liberalism and Beyond: Nietzche on the Religious Ancestors of Modern Liberalism
• Committee: Richard S. Ruderman (Chair), Steven P. Forde, Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, and Martin Yaffee (UNT Philosophy)
• Email: RodneyGill@my.unt.edu

Evan M. Lowe - vita

• Areas of Interest: Classical political philosophy, modern political philosophy, politics of modern science, American political thought, American Presidency
• Dissertation: Political Judgment and Rule in Francis Bacon's New Atlantis
• Committee: Richard S. Ruderman (Chair), Steven P. Forde, Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha and Martin Yaffee (UNT Philosophy)
• Email: EvanLowe@my.unt.edu
• Website: evanmlowe.weebly.com

Elliot Thomas Montagano - vita

• Areas of Interest: Modern political philosophy, counter-Enlightenment thought, religion and politics, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Censorship, Education and Politics
• Dissertation: Rousseau and the Problem of Censorship: Freedom, Virtue, and the Education of the Citizen
• Committee: Steven P. Forde (Chair), Richard Ruderman, Elizabeth Oldmixon, Martin Yaffe (UNT Philosophy)
• Email: ElliotMontagano@my.unt.edu

Nam D. Nguyen - vita

• Areas of Interest: Political Philosophy (Ancient to Post-Modern), Ancient Greek political thought, American political thought, U.S. Congress, religion and politics, political knowledge, social capital
• Dissertation: The Role of Theology and Human Rule in Plato's Laws
• Committee: Steven P. Forde (Chair), Richard Ruderman, Martin Yaffe (UNT Philosophy), and David Sweet (University of Dallas)
• Email: namnguyen3@my.unt.edu

AMERICAN POLITICS

Ronald J. McGauvran - vita

• Areas of Interest: Causes and consequences of economic inequality, race/ethnicity and inequality, comparative economic inequality, executive decision making
• Dissertation: Political Repercussions of Income Inequality in an American State
• Committee: Regina P. Branton (chair), Tony E. Carey Jr., Valerie Martinez-Ebers, Phil Paolino
• Email: RonaldMcgauvran@my.unt.edu
• Website: ronaldjmcgauvran.weebly.com

Placement Record

Placement Director - Dr. Jacqueline DeMeritt - jdemeritt@unt.edu