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PRIEC Conference - Friday, May 8th

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The Department of Political Science in collaboration with Migration Initiative, Asian American Studies, and Center for Black Studies Research at UC Santa

The Political Science Post: Meet Distinguished Professor Emeritus M.Kent Jennings

M. Kent Jennings is a pioneering political scientist whose research transformed how scholars understand political socialization – the process by which individuals develop political beliefs over time.

The Political Science Post: Meet Professor Saori Katada

Saori Katada is a leading scholar of international political economy whose work examines how global financial systems, trade, and state power shape regional development. Drawing from her own international life experiences – from Japan to the United States to Mexico – her research explores Japan’s role in global economic governance and broader dynamics of geoeconomics. Her work highlights how global rules are constructed, who benefits from them, and how economic power is exercised in an interconnected world. 

The Political Science Post: Meet Graduate Student George Tsouloufas

George Tsouloufas is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science, specializing in comparative politics and international political economy. Originally from Greece, Tsouloufas studies the rise of far-right parties in Europe, focusing on the distinctions between radical and extreme movements and their implications for democratic stability. Shaped by personal experience during Greece’s financial crisis, his research examines how economic shocks, political decision making, and public attitudes interact across democratic systems.

The Political Science Post: Meet Undergraduate Student Aanuska Tripathi

Aanuska Tripathi is a third-year political science undergraduate whose work reflects a deep commitment to community, leadership, and public service. She channels that passion across campus as a leader in Model United Nations, a student government staffer, a career peer advisor, and a research assistant. Grounded in a desire to support others and create accessible spaces, Tripathi’s work highlights how undergraduate leadership can meaningfully improve both campus life and the broader community.

The Political Science Post: Meet Distinguished Alumna Professor Barbara Bodine

Ambassador Barbara Bodine who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, is a career diplomat whose work spans over three decades in the Middle East and beyond. With experience in conflict zones, counterterrorism, and post-war reconstruction, her career reflects the realities of diplomacy in high-stakes environments. Now a Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy and concurrent Director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.

Colloquium - Michael Olson, March 12

Michael Olson is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis. His research focuses on the role that elections play in shaping representation in American politics, using data from a wide variety of settings across American history and different levels of government. His book, Stolen Representation: Black Disfranchisement and State Legislative Politics in the American South , will be published by Cambridge University Press in Spring 2026.

CPEIR Speaker Series - Sherry Zaks, March 5

When: Thursday, March 5th

Where: Ellison Hall, 2824

Time: 11:00 - 12:00pm

Title of Talk:  #NotAllMarxists: Exploring the power and limits of organizational ideology in rebel groups