PhD Graduates in Political Science

Aaron Lebo (Spring 2023)
Comprop: Computational Propaganda on REDDIT.COM

Grace Beatrice Mueller (Summer 2022)
Dimensions of Cybersecurity: Espionage, Rivalry, and Political Economy

Patrick Muenks (Summer 2022)
Leveling Up: Measuring the Effects of Election Laws and Institutions on Voter Participation

Carlos Daniel Gutierrez Mannix (Spring 2022)
Three Essays on Hispanics: The Use of Spanish, Content Analysis and Social Network Analysis

Christine Millard (Spring 2021)
Christianity in Politics: Churches, Congregations and the Role of Ministers

Brent Sackett (Fall 2020)
NATO Burden-Sharing and Keeping the Peace: Crisis Response and the Military Capabilities Gap

Misty Parker (Summer 2020)
“Stereotyping’ the American Electorate: An Examination of what Drives Turnout in the Electoral Periphery” 
Professor: Thomas Brunell

Soham Das (Summer 2020)
“Minority and Majority: Cleavages, Conflicts, and Electoral Politics in the Indian Sub-Continent” 
Professor: Paul Diehl

Blake Hoffman (Spring 2020)
“Immigration Enforcement and Leader Image: President Trump and Support for ICE” 
Professor: Harold Clarke, Marianne Stewart

Yahve Gallegos (Spring 2020)
“Carrot Or Stick? Examining the Effect of Judicial Independence and Repression on Authoritarian Regime Stability and Leader Survival” 
Professor: Paul Diehl

Erinn Wilcots (Summer 2019)
“African American Political Participation in the United States” 
Professor: Robert Lowry

Elisa Price (Summer 2019)
“Reexamining the “Constitutional Revolution of 1937”: Evolution, Revolution, or Restoration and the “Fall” of Economic Due Process” 
Professor: Jennifer Holmes

Ryan Lux (Summer 2019)
“Defining the Dimensional Variation Among Federations: Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Federalism” 
Professor: Thomas Brunell

Adrienne Gathman (Summer 2019)
“Divided Plural Executives: Examining the Where, the Why, and the Do They Even Matter” 
Professor: Robert Lowry

Kuo Chu Yang (Spring 2019)
“Liberal Peace in East Asia? A Study of China-Taiwan Relations” 
Professor: Harold Clarke

Imrana Iqbal (Fall 2017)
“Nuclear weapons proliferation and terrorism: law, politics, and theory” 
Non-tenure Track, Saudi Arabia/Korea – American College
Professor: Lloyd J. Dumas

Razan Albanna (Summer 2017)
“The Judicialization of Repression: Abuse of Physical Integrity and the Administration of Justice through Exceptional Courts, 1990-2005”
Adjunct Lecturer, Brookhaven
Professor: Linda Keith

Curt Childress (Spring 2017)
“Understanding Lochner: Testing Three Rival Theoretical Perspectives”
Adjunct Lecturer, Brookhaven
Professor: Anthony Champagne

Bennet B. Min (Summer 2016)
“How Attorneys Think: Political Giving in Judicial Elections as a Hiring Decision”
Professor: Robert C. Lowry

Paula Finch (Summer 2016)
“The Cycle of Violence Between Terrorism and Repression”
Adjunct Lecturer, Tarrant County College District & Brookhaven
Professor: Linda Camp Keith and Jennifer S. Holmes

Patrick Larue (Spring 2016)
“Investigating Transnational Terrorism: Three New Looks”
Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
Professor: Jennifer S. Holmes

Engin Kapti (Spring 2016)
“Chinese Official Assistance into Africa: Determinants and Consequences”
Turkish Military Army
Professor: Clint Peinhardt

Casper Kamau (Spring 2016)
“National Level Tolerance for “Customary” Neo-Autogenous Sub-Saharan (NAS) Law”
The Africa Policy Institute – Kenya
Professor: Linda Camp Keith

Barbara E. Kirby (Fall 2015)
“Neighborhood Justice: Non-Lawyer Judges, Repeat Players and Institutional Reform in Texas Justice of the Peace Courts”
Pre-Law Advisor, Pre-Law Advising and Resource Center, University of Texas at Dallas
Professor: Anthony M. Champagne

Laura Bell (Spring 2015)
“Repercussions of Terrorist Assassinations: A Post-Assassination Institutional Analysis, 1970-2012”
Assistant Professor of Political Science, West Texas A&M University
Professor: Patrick Brandt

Maureen Therese Stobb (Spring 2015)
“From Rhetoric to Reality: The Role of Domestic Actors in Diffusing International Human Rights Norms”
Assistant Professor of Political Science, Georgia Southern University
Professor: Linda Camp Keith

Elizabeth Ann Norell (Fall 2014)
“Wither the Center? Political Polarization in the United States”
Lecturer, Political Science, Public Administration & Nonprofit Management, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Professor: Thomas L. Brunell

Iliyan Rumenov Iliev (Summer 2014)
“Energy Policy and Lobbying Dynamics in the U.S. Senate”
Assistant Professor, Southern Mississippi University
Professor: Patrick T. Brandt

Lu-Chung (Dennis) Weng (Summer 2014)
“Political Participation and Democratic Citizenship in a New Democracy – Taiwan in Comparative Perspective”
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Government, Wesleyan University
Professor: Harold Clarke

Whitney Ross Manzo (Spring 2014)
“Implications, Benefits and Impacts of Direct Democracy”
Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
Professor: Thomas L. Brunell

Adam Yeeles (Spring 2014)
“The Political Ecology of Governance, Inequality and Unrest”
Professor: Jennifer S. Holmes

Robert Clemente Chalwell (Spring 2013)
“The Political Economy of Trade and Development in the Commonwealth Caribbean”
Lecturer, Dallas County Community College
Professor: Brian J.L. Berry

John P. Connolly (Spring 2013)
“Political Sophistication in Contemporary Britain: Dissecting the Mass Public”
Statistical Consultant, University of Texas at Arlington
Professor: Harold D. Clarke

Michelle M. Payne (Spring 2013)
“Redistricting and Reapportionment: Reforming Texas District Courts”
Professor: Anthony M. Champagne

Rosalinda M. Valenzuela (Fall 2012)
“Latinos in Electoral Politics: Turnout, Representation and Perspectives”
Professor: Gregory S. Thielemann

Curtis A. McDowell (Spring 2012)
“Group Perceptions, Group Conflict and Political Support”
Human Resources at Johnson and Johnson
Professor: Harold Clarke

Kristina Marie White Mitchell (Spring 2012)
“The Participation and Success of Developing Countries in WTO Disputes”
Instructor at Texas Tech
Professor: Clint Peinhardt

David Ryan Smith (Spring 2012)
“Getting Earmarks Right: Examining Both Requests and Awards to Members of the U.S. Congress”
Visiting Assistant Professor, Political Science, TAMU-CC
Professor: Thomas L. Brunell

Dogan Koc (Summer 2011)
“Testing Strategies of Conflict Resolution: Turkish Case”
Turkey
Professor: Marie I. Chevrier

Diane L. Verrill (Summer 2011)
“United Nations Peacekeeping Missions: The Effect of Peacekeepers on Mission Effectiveness”
Lecturer, Honors College, University of North Texas
Professor: Patrick T. Brandt

Rahma Abdulkadir (Spring 2011)
“Gender, Transitional Justice and Failed Statehood: Can the Somali Traditional Customary Law be the Basis for Viable and Inclusive Mechanism(s) of Transitional Justice for Somalia?”
Assistant Professor, Social and Cultural Studies Program, Social Sciences School, New York University-Abu Dhabi
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Masaki Nakamoto (Fall 2010)
“Policy Towards Foreign Direct Investment: Domestic Political and Institutional Determinants Across Middle Income Countries”
Garland Independent School District – Texas
Professor: Robert C. Lowry

Mukul Sharma (Summer 2010)
“Participation and E-Government in Comparative Perspective”
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Alexandra Friedman (Spring 2010)
“Can We Change Corruption from the Outside In? An Assessment of Three Anti-Corruption International Treaties”
Washington, DC
Professor: Jennifer S. Holmes

Michael Greenberg (Spring 2010)
“A Game of Millions: Professional Sports Facilities and the Media’s Influence on the Agenda Setting Process”
Director, Project Management Organization, RealPage, Inc.
Professor: Patrick Brandt

Richard Laird (Spring 2010)
“Transboundary Watersheds: Political Obstacles to Basin-Wide Cooperation Between States”
Private Tutor – New Jersey
Professor: Clint Peinhardt

Narcisse Tiky (Spring 2010)
“The Causes of Corruption: Explaining the High Levels of Corruption in Developing Countries”
The University of Connecticut
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Shawn Williams (Spring 2010)
“Examinations of the Impact of Forward Thinking Institutions on Political Outcomes”
Campbellsville University – Kentucky
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Lishan Teddy Desta (Fall 2009)
“Determinants of Military Expenditure: The Case of the Post-Cold War Years”
Frito Lay – Texas
Professor: Clint Peinhardt

Walter Casey, II (Summer 2009)
“Engendering Differences: Exploring and Testing Theories of Representation in Modern Democracies”
Texas A&M University – Texarkana
Professor: Harold Clarke

Gregory Combs (Summer 2009)
“The Power of the Texas Speaker: Maintaining Influence and Governing over a Divided House”
Adjunct Professor, The University of Texas at Dallas
Professor: Gregory Thielemann

Kacem Ayachi (Spring 2009)
“Mass Attitudes and Support for Democracy in the Arab World: An Empirical Study of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco”
Collin College – Texas
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Anca Turcu (Spring 2009)
“Different Views and Different Rights in a United Europe: Public Opinion, Minority Rights and Autonomy Movements”
The University of Central Florida
Professor: Marianne C. Stewart

Walter Borges (Summer 2008)
“Voter Choice in Referenda: Cues and Attitudes in Direct Democracy”
The University of North Texas – Dallas
Professor: Harold Clarke

Billy Monroe (Spring 2008)
“Judicial Selection in Texas: A Study of Election Outcomes 1988-2004”
Assistant Professor, Political Science, Texas A&M – Prairie View
Professor: Anthony Champagne

Millie Smith (Spring 2007)
“The Effects of Race, Racial Consciousness and Income on Political Trust”
Collin College – Texas
Professor: Scott Robinson