Four internationally prominent political scientists traveled to Manhattan to meet with political science students and faculty last year. Each also presented well-attended talks on campus.
Ann Bowman, Professor and Hazel Davis and Robert Kennedy Chair at Texas A&M University, gave a presentation entitled “The State-Local Government Power Differential” on May 13. Bowman is the author of multiple books and has published in leading journals in both political science and public administration such as Public Administration Review, Publius, and Political Research Quarterly. She was previously the James and Maude Professor of Government at the University of South Carolina.
Carol Weissert, LeRoy Collins Eminent Scholar and Chair of Civic Education at Florida State University, gave a talk entitled “Why Federalism Research Matters” on April 29. Weissert is the editor of the prestigious journal Publius: the Journal of Federalism and has published frequently in leading public administration and political science journals such as Public Administration Review and the Journal of Politics. Weissert was previously the Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University.
Scott Gates, Director of the Center for the Study of Civil War at the Peace Research Institute, Oslo, gave a talk entitled “the Logic of Non-Violent Revolution” on April 9. Gates also holds a professorship in political science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and is in residence at the Department of Economics at the University of Oslo for the current year. He previously held a professorship at Michigan State University. Gates has published multiple books and a number of articles in leading outlets such as the American Political Science Review and American Journal of Political Science.
Steven Forde, Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Texas, gave a series of talks on campus on October 4 that included a public talk entitled “Machiavelli, Realism, and Liberty.” Dr. Forde currently serves as co-editor of the most prestigious journal in political science, the American Political Science Review, and on multiple editorial boards. He has published a number of books and edited volumes as well as articles in a range of leading journals including American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, and International Studies Quarterly. KSU’s Primary Text Program, under the directorship of Professor Laurie Johnson, arranged for Dr. Forde’ to visit to KSU.
Of course, the fact that such well-known scholars always seem eager to visit KSU’s Department of Political Science and to meet with our students and faculty speaks volumes about our department’s reputation. We are widely recognized as a highly productive, respected research and teaching department. Our students and faculty always gain valuable insight from their interaction with such world class academics. It is also abundantly clear, not surprisingly, that the well-known scholars that visit our department appreciate and gain from the experience as well.
Two more notable professors have visited or will soon visit the department this fall. Patrick James, Dornsife Dean’s Professor and Director of the Center for International Studies at the University of Southern California, visited the campus in September. Mark Tessler, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan, will give a public lecture entitled “Islam and the Search for a Political Formula: Findings from the Arab Barometer” in Leadership Studies’ Town Hall on Monday November 4th at 6 pm.