Political Science

Newsletter

Expanding Students’ Opportunities

Expanding Students’ Opportunities

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Expanding Students’ Opportunities Many exciting changes took place this past year in the Department of Political Science. We expanded our honors program, added a new five-year BA/MA program, took over administration of UT’s global development minor, and extended our BA degree to fully online distance education students.  These curricular options provide challenging new opportunities for […]

Fulbright Fellowship Takes Simmons to Taiwan

Fulbright Fellowship Takes Simmons to Taiwan

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Fulbright Fellowship Takes Simmons to Taiwan Lucas Simmons (‘24), who majored in political science and anthropology, was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to Taiwan for the 2024-2025 academic year.  As a Fulbright recipient, Simmons serves as an English teaching assistant in Chiayi City, teaching students in grades one through five English and American cultural practices and […]

Harper Earns Women’s Leadership Fellowship

Harper Earns Women’s Leadership Fellowship

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Harper Earns Women’s Leadership Fellowship Sarah Harper (’24) won a prestigious nonprofit management fellowship with the Women’s Public Leadership Network.  WPLN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that educates, organizes, and inspires women to seek public office and become effective leaders. Fellowships are awarded to three upperclassmen or graduate students annually through a merit-based, national competition […]

In Memoriam: Harry P. Cohany (MA ’52)

In Memoriam: Harry P. Cohany (MA ’52)

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In Memoriam: Harry P. Cohany (MA ’52) We remember alumnus Harry P. Cohany (MA ’52) who passed away in 2018. Born in 1921, Cohany’s journey to UT Knoxville was a bit unusual. He grew up in what is now Klaipeda, Lithuania, and emigrated to New York in 1939. After service in the Ninth Army Air […]

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Jordan Carr Peterson

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Jordan Carr Peterson

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Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Jordan Carr Peterson Jordan Carr Peterson joined the department as an assistant professor in fall 2023 after previous positions at Texas Christian University, North Carolina State University, and the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute. He completed his PhD in political science at the University of Southern California, and his JD […]

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Wayde Z.C. Marsh

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Wayde Z.C. Marsh

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Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Wayde Z.C. Marsh Wayde Z.C. Marsh joined the department as an assistant professor in August 2023. He completed his PhD in political science at the University of Notre Dame in 2022 and had a one-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy at […]

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Carolyn Holmes

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Carolyn Holmes

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Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Carolyn Holmes Carolyn Holmes joined the department as an assistant professor in fall 2023, also coming from a position at Mississippi State University. She completed her PhD in 2015 at Indiana University with concentrations in comparative politics, political philosophy, and African studies. Her research focuses on nationalism and political identities, […]

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Vasabjit Banerjee

Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Vasabjit Banerjee

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Welcome to Our Newest Colleagues: Vasabjit Banerjee Vasabjit Banerjee joined the department as an assistant professor in fall 2023, coming to UT from a position at Mississippi State University. He completed his PhD in 2012 at Indiana University with concentrations in comparative politics, international relations, and history. His current research focuses on comparative defense industrial […]

Peterson Wins Research Award

Peterson Wins Research Award

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Peterson Wins Research Award Assistant Professor Jordan Carr Peterson received the American Political Science Association Sexuality and Politics section’s Cynthia Weber Award for the Best Conference Paper presented at the 2022 conference for his article “Implementing Equality: The Sources of State (Non)Compliance with Judicial Revisions to Public Policy on Gay Rights.” The article contrasts state-level […]

Pierce Earns New Research Grant

Pierce Earns New Research Grant

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Pierce Earns New Research Grant Assistant Professor Stephanie Casey Pierce received a $20,000 grant from UT’s Community University Research Collaboration Initiative to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of a local effort to expand access to legal counsel for tenants at risk of eviction in Knox County. Pierce is conducting this work in partnership with […]