Through contributions of alumni and friends of the department, we have been able to support undergraduate and graduate student research, travel to political science conferences, a dynamic speakers series, awards for our best student papers and theses, and faculty research.
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What got you first interested in pursuing a career in political science? I was a law student in China. I encountered some international relations literature when I was a master student in international law. This literature seeks to provide a deeper understanding of international institutions, which international law scholars often take for granted. Fascinated by […]
Over the past year, we have gotten to know professor Hannah Alarian quite well inside the classroom. But what is she like when not teaching? What surprised her about the University of Florida? What made her interested in politics? We decided to find the answers to these questions and many more. What got you first […]
If you have had a chance to take a class with Professor Andrew Janusz, you definitely learned a lot about Latin American politics. But did you know he wants to learn to play the ukulele? Neither did we. Eager to find out what other tricks he has up his sleeves, we decided to sit down […]
Professor Juliana Restrepo Sanin swapped the forests and mountains of Colorado for the swamps and humidity of Florida when she came to Gainesville in the fall of 2019. We decided to check in on how her first year went, what her plans for the future are, and how she spends her time when not in […]
Meet Dr. Andrew Rosenberg Interview conducted by Tenney Kapellusch 1) Why did you want to work at UF? I came to UF as a part of a cluster hire on race, gender, and inequality. The cluster hire really appealed to me, and I was very excited that the university is committed to hiring junior faculty […]
Joselin Padron-Rasines made history in 2015 by becoming the first Latina at UF to become student body president, unseating the entrenched political machine on campus and challenging the status quo by promoting tuition equity for undocumented students . After completing an MA in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at […]
Hannah Alarian, Assistant Professor, Comparative Politics (Western Europe), Political Behavior Paul M. B. Gutierrez, Assistant Professor, Judicial Politics (American) and Political Theory Drew Rosenberg, Assistant Professor, International Relations and Social Network Analysis (Methods) Juliana Restrepo Sanin, Assistant Professor, Comparative Politics (Latin America), Gender and Development Andrew Janusz, Assistant Professor, Comparative Politics (Latin America) Angela McCarthy, […]
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Enrijeta Shino I am a PhD Candidate and Graduate Assistant in the Department of Political Science at the University of Florida. I will be starting as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of North Florida in Fall 2019. My primary research interests are in political behavior, public opinion, and elections. My dissertation focuses on […]
Amanda Edgell: I am a PhD candidate in Comparative Politics at the University of Florida. Prior to joining UF, I spent twelve months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo overseeing a U.S. government funded food security program. I recieved a Master’s in International Affairs from Texas A&M University (2011) and a Bachelor’s in Political Science […]
According to the Gainesville Sun, Aaron is “the most persuasive student in Florida“! Who are we to argue?
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Clockwise, starting bottom left: Matthew Benchimol (IR) Prajakta Gupte (Comparative) LaRaven Temoney (American) Sarah Hollmann (Comparative) Glen Billesbach (Theory) Kelly Richardson (American) TJ Harrington (American) Yuanxin Wang (Theory) Anqi Yang (Comparative) Stephanie Denardo (IR) [center]
Zachary Selden received his Ph.D. from the University of California – Los Angeles in 1996. He is the author of Economic Sanctions as Instruments of American Foreign Policy (Praeger, 1999), Alignment, Alliance, and American Grand Strategy (University of Michigan Press, 2016), as well as articles in Contemporary Economic Policy, National Security Studies Quarterly, Policy Review and Problems of Post Communism. Until […]
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Dr. Sharon Wright Austin is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida and has also taught courses at the Universities of Louisville, Michigan, and Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Austin received a doctorate in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1993. Her teaching interests are in American Government, Urban Politics, and […]
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A hearty congratulations to Professor Sharon Austin, Associate Professors Richard Conley and Conor O’Dwyer, and Assistant Professor Steven Klein, who were each awarded a UF Term Professorship for the 2018-21 term. These three-year professorships were created by UF to recognize faculty who have established a distinguished record of research and scholarship that is expected to […]
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From (left to right): Dr. Chesney McOmber, Dr. Li Li Chen, Dr. Brian Amos (and Dr. Ashley Hudson, not shown), with Professor Daniel Smith and Emeritus Professor Ken Wald.
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Congratulations to Lina Benabdallah on receiving a UF Graduate Student Teaching Award! The award ceremony was held on Friday at the Friends of Music Room. From Left: Provost Joe Glover; Dean of the Graduate School, Henry Frierson; Lina Benabdallah; Prof. Connie Sheehan, Chair of the award selection committee.
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Congratulations to Dr. Sharon Austin, Director of the Program in African American Studies, on the publication of The Caribbeanization of Black Politics: Race, Group Consciousness, and Political Participation in America, with the State University of New York Press!
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Congratulations to the more than 40 Political Science undergraduate majors who graduated in December! May you go from strength to strength in your future studies and careers.
Hearty congratulations to newly-minted PhDs Drs. Lina Benabdallah and Oumar Ba. Not in the picture, Drs. Rob Scharr, Keith Lee, and Richard Yon.
Latest issue of Perspectives on Politics, edited by Professor Michael Bernhard and Professor Daniel O’Neill, is out with a provocative and timely cover.
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The American Political Science Association (APSA) has announced a new editorial team for Perspectives on Politics, one of its flagship journals dedicated to “Political Science in the Public Sphere.” APSA selected a team from the University of Florida, Professor Michael Bernhard, who will serve as editor, and Professor Daniel O’Neill, who will serve as associate editor. […]
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The Department held its annual Spring Banquet on March 22, 2018, at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. Our distinguished guest speaker was Professor Melissa Michelson, Menlo College. The following awards were presented: Best undergraduate student paper award: Bianca Nachmani The Douglas Price Award: Enrijeta Shino Best graduate student paper award: Ryan Whittingham James Button Award: Bobby […]
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The Department held its annual Spring Banquet on March 21, 2017, at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. About 75 people attended, including faculty members, graduate students, staff members, spouses, and supporters. Our distinguished guest speaker was Professor Chris Achen, the Roger Straus Professor of Social Science at Princeton University. The following awards were presented: Best undergraduate […]
Professor Richard Conley (second from right) led eight students last week on a spring break study tour of Native American reservations and sites in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana. Louis (R), a member of the Northern Arapaho tribe, spoke to the students about Arapaho history, language and culture on the Wind River reservation, which is […]
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Hearty congratulations to Professor Leslie Anderson on winning a research fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities! Prof. Anderson’s research project is titled “Democratic Enclaves in Times of Trouble: The Politics of Resistance in Nicaragua.”
The Department held its annual holiday potluck luncheon on Monday, December 12th. The food was yummy and everyone was in a festive mood. A huge thank you to Sue Lawless-Yanchisin for organizing the event. Happy holidays to all!
Department faculty and graduate students participated today in a half-day retreat at the Harn Museum of Art. The event included a tour of the galleries as well as a discussion of the museum as a teaching resource and faculty involvement in exhibitions. Many thanks to Eric Segal, the Harn’s Director of Education, for planning and […]
About 40 political science majors attended Dr. Michael Cohen’s presentation today on “Unlocking DC: Pursuing Internships and Careers in the Nation’s Capital.”
Exciting news: the Department has been authorized to recruit a tenure-track assistant professor specializing in political theory. Click here for details about the position.
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Graduate students from the department, led by Lina Benabdallah, are organizing a series of workshops for undergraduate students who are applying to graduate programs. About 15 undergraduates attended the first workshop on Wednesday, October 26th. The panelists discussed the differences between MA and PhD programs as well as various components of graduate school applications. Many […]
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On October 4, 2016, Stephen Dupont — an Australian photographer, documentary filmmaker and artist — spoke to Professor Aida Hozic’s undergraduate class on Art and War. The class revolves around the exhibit “Aftermath: The Fallout of War-America & the Middle East” at the Harn Museum of Art. The exhibit features several of Dupont’s photographs from […]
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Our “interpreting current events” series was off to a good start today with a presentation by Professor Zach Selden. Selden’s talk was titled “Cold War 2.0? Managing a relationship with a revisionist Russia.” About 25-30 faculty and students attended the talk and the discussion was quite lively. Many thanks to Prof. Selden for sharing his […]
On Friday afternoon, September 9, the Department held its annual “welcome back” reception. Some 40-50 faculty members and graduate students attended the reception and a good time was had by all. A big thank you to Sue Lawless-Yanchisin for organizing the event!
With sadness, we note the passing away of John Spanier. Spanier was an active member of the Department for almost 40 years, 1957-1996. Many of us have had the privilege of being taught by him, mentored by him as graduate students, or working closely with him as colleagues. As the obituary notes, Spanier’s life, and […]
Two pillars of the Department, Professors Kenneth Wald and Richard Scher, are retiring this month. Ken and Richard have been members of the department for 33 and 44 years respectively, and they have touched the lives of thousands of students. Pasted below are the remarks made in their honor at the Department’s recent spring banquet. […]
Congratulations to newly-minted PhDs (from Left) Drs. Kevin Funk, Mitch Sellers, Nail Tanrioven, Audrey Flemming, and Scott Feinstein. Also in the picture, Prof. Ido Oren (center) and Ben Smith. Not in the picture: Dr. Steve Lichty.
Congratulations to the 194 political science majors graduating in Spring 2016! Three political science professors participated in the commencement ceremony on May 2, 2016. From left: Patricia Woods, Ido Oren, and Carlos Suarez-Carrasquillo.
Friday, April 1, 2016 was Pat Root’s last day in the Department’s office. Since joining the department in January 2010, Pat has worked—most reliably, efficiently, and capably—under three chairs, four associate chairs, and three undergraduate coordinators. We have all come to depend on Pat in so many ways, from entering and changing grades, through scheduling […]
Congratulations to our newly-minted PhDs!!! From left: Prof. Dan O’Neill, Dr. Jonathon Whooley, Dr. Lorna Bracewell, Dr. Amy Stringer, Prof. Laura Sjoberg, Prof. Michael Martinez, Dr. Roger Austin, Prof. Dan Smith, Dr. Diana Forster. Missing from the picture: Dr. Nic Knowlton.
The Department held its annual holiday potluck luncheon on December 14. Attendance was high and everyone was in a festive mood. A big thank you to Sue Lawless-Yanchisin for organizing the event. Happy holidays to all!
Twenty political science majors and prospective majors attended the third Political Science Information Cafe, held November 9 in Emerson Alumni Hall. Participating faculty and other resource persons chatted with students in an informal setting about topics such as finding work in Washington, certificate programs, graduate studies, internships, and the Mock Trial program.
Congratulations Drs. (from left) Mauro Caraccioli, Jadon Marianetti, and Manu Samnotra! Congratulations also to three freshly-minted PhDs not in the picture: Vincent Adejumo, Nic Knowlton, and Rachel Yon!
Congratulations to Jacquelyn Johnson, winner of the 2015 Best Honors Thesis Award! Jacquelyn’s thesis, “The Politics of National Accounts: Debt and Deficit in the European Union,” was supervised by Prof. Aida Hozic. The thesis explored the under-reporting of national debt and deficit data by members of the EU. The analysis showed that the reporting requirements […]
Congratulations to the 216 political science majors who graduated in Spring 2015! Four political science professors participated in the commencement ceremony on May 3, 2015. From left: Ido Oren, Suzanne Robbins, Sharon Austin, and Stephen Craig.
On April 28, 2015, six graduating seniors majoring in political science had an informal lunch with the Department Chair, Ido Oren, the Associate Chair, Bryon Moraski, and the Internship Coordinator, Dan Smith. The students shared with us reflections about their experience in the political science undergraduate program as well as their future plans. From Left: […]
The Department held its annual Spring Banquet on March 24, 2015, at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. Some 70 people attended, including faculty members, spouses, associate deans, and supporters. Our distinguished guest speaker was Dr. Steven Heydemann, Vice President for Applied Research on Conflict at the US Institute of Peace. The following awards were presented: Best […]
Joshua C. Huder, Ph.D., has represented the department in Washington, D.C. for the last two years and we are proud to announce his recent graduation. Josh left Gainesville after accepting a prestigious American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship where he worked on legislative procedure, financial services, voting rights, campaign finance, trade, small business, and other issues. […]
In the past four years, we were truly fortunate to have Dietmar Schirmer as our DAAD (German Government) Visiting Associate Professor. Dietmar became an integral part of the department, took an active part in the department’s life, and contributed to our mission in many ways, in and out of the classroom.
The Department held it annual Spring Banquet on April 8, 2014, at the Sweetwater Branch Inn. More than 70 people attended, including faculty members, spouses, the dean, and supporters. Our distinguished guest speaker was Professor Samuel Popkin from the University of California, San Diego. The following awards were presented: Best undergraduate student paper award: James […]
Bryce Freeman, a dual Political Science and Economics graduating senior, was one of three undergraduate students to win the University Scholars Program’s university-wide Best Paper contest. His paper, “Purging Participation? The Impact of Targeting “Potential Non-Citizens” on Voter Turnout,” was written under the direction of Faculty Mentor Dan Smith.
Will Hicks successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation, Representation in the American States: Partisan Competition and its Conflicting Effects on Representative Government, on March 14, 2014. Will’s doctoral committee is comprised of Larry Dodd and Dan Smith (co-chairs), Michael Martinez, Beth Rosenson, and Larry Kenny (Economics). His dissertation, “Representation in the American States: Partisan Competition and Its Conflicting […]
The Department of Political Science is excited to announce that David Samuels, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota, will present material from his co-authored book with Ben Ansells on Tuesday, April 1, 4-5:30pm in Anderson 216. David Samuels specializes in democratization, Brazilian politics, Latin American politics, political parties and elections, and US-Latin American […]
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Undergraduate major Michelle Asuncion represented UF at the 22nd National conference of the National Association of African-American Studies and Affiliates, held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Feb 10-15. She presented a paper on Filipino culture of migration.
On Friday some 30 graduate students attended the second session of the Department’s graduate student socialization series. Professors Amie Kreppel, Ben Smith and Leo Villalon spoke and answered questions on “How to Write and Win Grants.”
Two of our undergraduate majors, Shannon Crawford and Nishant Srivastava, have recently attended the United States Air Force Academy Assembly, a prestigious annual undergraduate student conference held in Colorado Springs. The theme of this year’s conference was “U.S.-India Relations: Partners in Democracy.” Shannon Crawford reports that it was “a stimulating, thought-provoking experience. The 3-day conference included […]
The Department held its first Political Science Information Cafe yesterday. Close to 40 undergraduate students attended the event (held in Emerson Alumni Hall), mingling in an informal setting with faculty and staff members. Participating faculty/staff members answered questions and dispensed information on internships, honors theses, graduate programs, certificate programs, library resources, and more.