2025
The School of Politics and Global Studies 2025 Highlights
student experiences
university continues to inspire and serves as a role model for many other institutions.
It is heartening that even amid political polarization and growing skepticism toward the value and purpose of higher education, more students than ever are choosing to study politics, global studies, and international relations at ASU. Our School continues to be a popular destination for students from a wide range of backgrounds. SPGS is now the most popular Social Science in the College, serving more than 1,800 undergraduate majors and 500 graduate students. This fall, we welcomed 273 freshmen, most of them are immersion students. Clearly, what happens in our classrooms resonates deeply with students, a true measure
True to the spirit of innovation central to ASU’s mission, SPGS continues to develop new programs and initiatives. Our International Relations degree, which was launched last fall, already enrolls around 250 majors. In progress are a new online MA concentration in Political Analytics and two undergraduate certificates — U.S. National Security and Intelligence Studies and Legal Systems and Governance — designed to enhance students’ career readiness. We anticipate offering these by fall 2026. Beyond the curriculum, we are building new extracurricular initiatives. The SPGS Student Ambassador Program has become a model for undergraduate engagement, and the SPGS continues to be a leading producer of recipients of major national awards at ASU, including Boren, Gilman, Pickering, Rhodes, Truman, and Fulbright.
Our award-winning faculty continues to produce research on highly salient issues ranging from democratic erosion to political violence, from international organizations to legislative politics that appear in prestigious scholarly outlets This year’s book highlights include Steve Smith’s Steering the Senate (Cambridge University Eroding Democracy from the Outside In (Oxford University Press), and Jose (Oxford University Press). We are also proud that two of ASU’s five Fulbright Paul Lewis, currently in Sheffield, and Keith Brown, currently in
Rodney Hero, one of the nation’s leading scholars of Latino politics, racial and ethnic politics, state and urban politics, and federalism. Dr. Hero held the Raul Yzaguirre Chair in SPGS, capping an illustrious career that included endowed chairs at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Notre Dame, as well as service as President of the American Political Science Association.
I am always glad to speak with you about the work of our School and the direction in which we are heading. The intellectual curiosity that drives our community continues to propel SPGS forward.
Güneş Murat Tezcür Director and Professor School of Politics and Global Studies Arizona
State University
Advancing our mission
This year, SPGS strengthened the student experience across our undergraduate and graduate programs through academic excellence, faculty mentorship, experiential learning, and community engagement. We are deeply committed to preparing students for meaningful careers in political science, international affairs, and global security.
New faculty and staff
Faculty
Erich Schneider, Clinical Professor
David Ebner, Assistant Teaching Professor
Staff
Kate Devine-Thompson, Assistant to the Director
Roxanna Figueroa, Program Coordinator, Center of Latino/a and American Politics Research
Alex Hughes, Business Operations Manager
Jimmy McArthur, Academic Advisor
New year, new titles
In 2025, Timothy Peterson and Valerie Mueller were promoted to full Professors. Fabian Neuner was promoted to Associate Professor, Tara Lennon was promoted to Teaching Professor, and Charles Ripley was promoted to Senior Instructor.
Faculty & Staff Highlights
Awards & Honors
• Two SPGS Professors received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards: Professor Keith Brown (University of Helsinki, Fulbright Bicentennial Chair in North American Studies) and Associate Professor Paul Lewis (Fulbright–University of Sheffield Scholar Award).
• University Professor Craig Calhoun received the 2025 Distinguished Career Award in Political Sociology from the American Sociological Association.
• Assistant Research Professor Anand Gopal was a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist in Feature Writing for his work at The New Yorker.
• ASU Foundation Emeritus Professor Michael Hechter received the 2025 Stanley Hoffman Award from the APSA French Politics Group.
• Senior Program Support Specialist Lisa Lamb received the SPGS Staff Member of the Year Award.
• Associate Professors Henry Thomson and Valerie Mueller received the SPGS Excellence in Research Award
• Associate Professor Avital Simhony received the SPGS Michael Mitchell Outstanding Teaching Award.
Faculty Highlights
Comparative Politics
• Assistant Professor Anna Meyerrose published Eroding Democracy from the Outside In: International Organizations and Democratic Backsliding (Oxford University Press, 2025).
• Assistant Professor Jose Kaire published The Road to Repression: How Neoliberalism Fuels Violence (Oxford University Press, 2025).
• Associate Professor Henry Thomson received the Davis Center Book Prize for Watching the Watchers: Communist Elites, the Secret Police and Social Order in Cold War Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2024).
• Director and Professor Güneş Murat Tezcür received multiple awards for Liminal Minorities: Religion and Mass Violence in Muslim Societies (Cornell University Press, 2024): the ISA Religion and International Relations Book Award, the APSA Religion and Politics Section Hubert Morken Best Book Award, and the APSA MENA Section Best Book Award by a Senior Scholar.
• Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow Keith Chew co-authored Gender, Ethnicity, and Intersectionality in Cabinets: Asia and Europe in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge University Press, Elements Series).
Latino Politics & Engagement
• Associate Professor Francisco Pedraza contributed to the report South Phoenix and La Doce Demonstrate the Power of Latino-Led Coalitions, in collaboration with UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
• Assistant Professor Kenicia Wright and Professor Güneş Murat Tezcür, with SPGS doctoral student Jordin Tafoya and UCF doctoral student Maren Mainx, published “They Are Hiding the Truth and Plotting: Conspiracy Beliefs Among Latinos” in Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics.
• Professor Stella Rouse published “Latinos and the 2024 Elections: Demographics, the Economy, and Religion as Signals to Electoral Shifts” in the Journal of Illiberalism Studies.
• With NSF SBE-High funding, two high school students presented research projects developed under the mentorship of Associate Professor Francisco Pedraza, Professor Güneş Murat Tezcür, Assistant Professor Kenicia Wright, and ASU students Roemello Chavez, Rio Pham, Maral Sabeti, and Kaley Schmidt.
Security & Global Affairs
• Assistant Teaching Professor Alicia Ellis published “Assad’s Fall and the Qatari Gas Pipeline: A Risky Bet or Potential Source of Relief?” in Small Wars Journal
• Associate Director and Professor Timothy Peterson, with Weining Ai, published “Democracy, Trade Networks, and International Condemnation of Russia Following the Invasion of Ukraine” in Foreign Policy Analysis.
• Assistant Teaching Professor Laine Munir was selected as a 2025–26 Council on Foreign Relations Global Education Ambassador representing SPGS and ASU.
• Associate Professor Thorin Wright, SPGS alumna Victoria Stratton, and Dean of Social Sciences Magda Hinojosa published “The Catch-22 of Conflict and Women’s Candidacy: Evidence from Afghanistan” in Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy.
• Professor Stella Rouse was featured on Arizona PBS’ program Horizonte to discuss ASU’s Hispanic Research Center.
• Associate Professor Fabian Neuner published “Comparing Revealed and Expressed Populism: The Case of Voting for the ‘Alternative für Deutschland’ and ‘Die Linke’” in German Politics
U.S. Politics & Elections
• Professor Steven Smith published Steering the Senate (Cambridge University Press, 2025).
• Assistant Professor Fabian Neuner, Professor Mark Ramirez, and co-authors published “How Cross-Cutting Ties Reduce Affective Polarization: Evidence from Latino Americans” in Political Behavior, using data from the 2020 Western States Survey.
• Foundation Professors Kim Fridkin and Patrick J. Kenney published “The Framing of Federal Investigations: Exploring How Frames Altered the Impact of the Hur Report on Citizens’ Impressions” in International Journal of Public Opinion Research
• Assistant Teaching Professor David Ebner published “National Insecurity: Race, Racism, and Public Support for Militarized Foreign Policy in the United States (1986–2020)” in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics
Students in the Spotlight
Abigail "Abbie" Raymond, Abigail "Abby" Conner, Ava Dehn, Clara Munguia, Erica Marie Rivera Maglalang, Ethan Van-Gils, Fatima Vardak, Jazmine Garcia, Madeline Yang, Neha Bhavanam, and Nicholas "Nick" Hollingsworth.
Madeline Yang, political science student and SPGS Ambassador, represented ASU at the 76th Annual Student Conference on U.S. Affairs at West Point. Yang is also an ASU Intelligence Community Fellow and Research Aide for Security Initiatives.
Jordan Harb, a global studies and political science student, earned the prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship and will complete a yearlong master’s program in global affairs at Tsinghua University in
Mia McLaughlin, a political science and global studies double major, was named the Spring 2025 Dean’s Medalist for SPGS.
Julian Mydlil, an international relations major, was named the Fall 2025 Dean’s Medalist for SPGS.
Arizona Army National Guard member and ASU Online student Aneska Holness completed her MA global security (cybersecurity) while recovering from injuries sustained while serving in Jordan.
Wayne Johnson, a 77-year-old Vietnam veteran, graduated with a MA in international affairs and leadership. Johnson plans to use his degree to continue teaching and public engagement.
Political science PhD alumnus Weining AI is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
SPGS alumni, Amber Sheardown and Arnulfo Acedo Jr., were selected as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants to North Macedonia for 2025–26.
SPGS celebrated the first graduating class of its undergraduate international relations program, which blends rigorous study of security, economics, and politics with experiential learning.
Graduates like Liam Nelson, a triple major in Asian languages, history, and international relations, and Ainsley Thornton, an ASU Online student, exemplify the program’s impact — combining rigorous academics with real-world experience and scholarship opportunities to launch meaningful careers in global affairs.
Alumni making their mark
Ten SPGS alumni were recognized as Sun Devil 100 Class of 2025 honorees, an award from the ASU Alumni Association alumni business and other organizations. The selected alumni exemplify ASU’s mission of innovation, growth and entrepreneurial spirit. The awardees, who are also alumni, are listed below:
• Lindsay E. Benjamin (’02 BA Political Science), CEO & Founder, The Law Office of Lindsay E. Benjamin, PC (AZ)
• Lisa Bayne (’88 BA Political Science), CEO/Founder/Owner/President, Bumble Bee Air Conditioning Inc.
• Jeffery Long (’97 BA Political Science), Co-Founder & Managing Partner, LeVangie Law Group (CA)
• Reyna Montoya (’12 BA Political Science; ’12 BA Transborder Studies), CEO & Founder, Aliento Education Fund
• Eric Matheny (’04 BA Political Science), President, The Law Offices of Eric M. Matheny, P.A. (FL)
• Lonny Ruben (’14 BS Political Science), CEO, Bunny James Boxes
• EJ Hughes (’01 BS Political Science), COO, Child Crisis Arizona
• Jennifer Tetreault (’00 BS Political Science), Board Member, Valley of the Sun YMCA
• Susan Timm (’00 BA Political Science), CEO, Knife & Fork Media Group
• Stephen Biles (’91 BS Business; ’06 BA Political Science; ’14 BA History), Founder & President, Dogs 24/7 LLC
"My political science degree has led me to the path of entrepreneurship that has led to a dog company now worth $20 million dollars and it's still all about my personal passions
Where They Are Today
Lawrence Johnson, a 1975 political science graduate, was inducted into ASU’s College Leaders program in recognition of his significant community impact. Johnson is the retired CEO and chairman of the board of the global restaurant group, Fogo de Chão.
Jesus Vega, a global studies alumnus, was selected for the 2025–26 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Fellowship Program. Vega credits SPGS’s Policy Design Studio and Internship Program with shaping his path toward public service.
Alumni are proud of how their SPGS degrees have shaped successful careers in business, civic leadership, and international development. They offered valuable insights and guidance for students navigating their own professional paths.
These lessons were shared through panel discussions this year, featuring the School's 2025 participants:
• Logan Rhind, Assistant Vice President, Charitable Services Team, U.S. Bank
Founder & President, Dogs 24/7 LLC BA, Political Science
Events driving innovation
Our School prides itself on being the primary hub for the study of global affairs at ASU. We regularly host scholars and public figures from around the world. The KOPF Conference on March 28 celebrated the work of Emeritus Professor Michael Hechter, courtesy of the Brian A. Kopf Fund. The one-day event featured panels, workshops, and a keynote address by Stathis Kalyvas, Oxford University.
Victor Kramer Lecture Series
SPGS hosted two Kramer Lectures this year, featuring Banu Bargu (UC Santa Cruz), who examined resistance and carceral politics across global contexts; and Paul Pierson (UC Berkeley), who explored polarization and the pressures facing American democracy.
Model UN Conference
SPGS supported ASU’s Model UN club for its annual November conference, where high school students practiced diplomacy, debated global issues, and built leadership skills. Pictured below are Tara Lennon, Anna Wangerin, State Rep. Brian Garcia, Güneş Murat Tezcür and Okechukwu Iheduru
In the community
ASU Homecoming in November offered a chance for students and community members to connect across generations, honor student achievements, and showcase the energy and pride that define the Sun
Politics Beyond the Aisle
SPGS launched its new “Politics Beyond the Aisle” series on March 4, featuring State Sen. J.D. Mesnard and State Rep. Junelle Cavero. The series aims to foster connections between students and civic leaders by exploring the personal stories and public service experiences behind political careers.
Research shaping the future
The Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research (CLAPR) and the Future Security Initiative (FSI) conduct cutting edge research and lead conversations on public issues like Latino representation in American politics and global conflict and security.
Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research
CLAPR expanded its impact through strategic research, programming, and community partnerships. Key initiatives included projects on political extremism among U.S. veterans, a Spencer Foundation Vision Grant application, and publications on immigration attitudes, local development, and Latino journalists during COVID-19. CLAPR also hosted events to foster dialogue and celebrate community achievements, including the Latinos in News/Media Representation Webinar with UCLA, its annual All Hands on Deck gathering, and a Hispanic Heritage Month banquet. New initiatives like the State of Veterans project and the Community Pulse series further demonstrated the center’s commitment to equity, representation, and elevating underrepresented voices in politics.
Future Security Initiative
The Intelligence Community – Center for Academic Excellence, part of ASU’s Future Security Initiative, provides students with skills and structured opportunities to prepare for careers in national security. This year, FSI also expanded its national and international presence, hosting the 11th annual Future Security Forum in Washington, D.C., and co-sponsoring the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, where it led a panel on combating non-state actors and proxy groups. Through these initiatives, students and faculty engage directly with policymakers, military leaders, and international experts, gaining insight into pressing global security challenges. FSI’s work continues to strengthen ASU’s role as a hub for cutting-edge research and professional development in the field of security studies.
Experiences in the field
SPGS provides opportunities to engage directly in the policymaking process through programs like the Arizona Legislative Internship, Capital Scholars, and the Policy Design Studio, as well as study abroad programs in North Macedonia, Ireland, Costa Rica and Montenegro. These experiences allow students to work alongside lawmakers, policy experts, global practitioners, and community leaders, applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges at home and abroad.
Through these programs, students gain practical skills, build professional networks, and make meaningful contributions to public policy — preparing them to become the next generation of leaders.
2,374 total students (undergraduate and graduate)
1,830 undergraduate students
1,447 Political Science
544 graduate students
243 International Relations
116 Global Studies
24 Politics and the Economy
19% increase in enrollments from Fall 2024-Fall 2025 Programs
6
8
undergraduate (BA, BS in Political Science; BA Global Studies; BA, BS International Relations; Politics & the Economy)
graduate programs (MA, International Affairs & Leadership; MA Global Security; MA Political Psychology; MA Political Science; PhD Political Science)
10 undergraduate and graduate online programs
7 certificates and minors (Political Science, Global Studies, International Relations, Political Economy, Civic Education, Political Entrepreneurship through Internships: Local to Global, American Indian Nation Governance)
Building a community of belonging
With our community's continued support, students are able to pursue their dreams and explore their areas of interest through timely courses, internships, study abroad opportunities and cutting-edge research opportunities.
Your contribution to the School of Politics and Global Studies goes beyond the classroom — enriching students lives.
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