Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond
I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond. I teach classes on international relations, research methods, global governance, anti-Americanism & world opinion, and human rights & modern day slavery.
This year, I am delighted to teach a class on Human Rights and Modern Day Slavery.
My current book, with Cambridge University Press, focuses on the consequences of anti-Americanism. Whereas most scholars focus on the sources of anti-Americanism (e.g., Chiozza 2009, Markovits 2007, Keohane and Katzenstein 2007), very little scholarship focuses on its impact for the United States. My research attempts to fill that gap. Using data from the Pew Global Attitudes Project and the National Archives, I examine the relationship between cross-national variation in favorable opinion toward the U.S. and: (1) voting alignment with the U.S. within the United Nations General Assembly from 1985 to 2007; (2) global consumption of iconic U.S. brand-name products, in addition to cross-national purchases of U.S. securities from 1995 to 2007; and (3) political, financial, and troop support for the 2003 U.S.-led war in Iraq. I also examine the extent to which the global popularity of Barack Obama, i.e., "Obamamania" influences how states interact with the U.S. The results of this study not only contribute to an ongoing debate between realists and liberals regarding the extent to which public opinion is a useful predictor for a given state’s foreign policy, but also provide substantial policy implications for the U.S. national interest.
I am also working on several projects about human trafficking and modern slavery with Kevin Bales at the University of Nottingham's Rights Lab. Some of the questions we are exploring include:
What are the causes of modern slavery?
What lessons, if any, can we apply from the historic anti-slavery movement to today?
What are the consequenes of modern slavery?
How can we measure modern slavery, including forced labor, sex trafficking, domestic servitude, and family-controlled trafficking?
What Iranians think of the US and their own government
Jan 18, 2020 11:59 am UTC| Insights & Views
After the Trump administration killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani with a drone strike on Jan. 3, anti-American protests in Iran subsequently spiked, with thousands mourning Soleimanis passing. As someone who...
3 countries where Trump is popular
Sep 17, 2019 17:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
President Donald Trump is one of the most controversial world leaders in modern times, igniting the ire of Americas staunchest allies. Whether its the proposed Muslim ban, the U.S. border wall and immigration, or his...
Sex trafficking in the US: 4 questions answered
Jul 10, 2019 03:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
The revelations about billionaire Jeffery Epstein, who is accused of sex trafficking girls, paint a grim picture of sex trafficking in the U.S. The buying and selling of human beings is strong in America more than 150...
There’s an extra $1 billion on the table for NT schools. This could change lives if spent well
Political donations rules are finally in the spotlight – here’s what the government should do