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Department of Political Science College of Liberal Arts

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Contact Us

Brownsville Department Email:
politicalsciencebro@utrgv.edu

Edinburg Department Email:
politicalscience@utrgv.edu

Brownsville Department Phone:
956-882-8890

Edinburg Department Phone:
956-665-8065

Dora Sallie Maldonado
Administrative Assistant II
Edinburg Campus, ELABN 208
Email: dora.maldonado@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-665-3341
E-Fax: 956-665-2805

Marcela Escalante
Administrative Assistant I
Brownsville Campus, BMSLC 3.218
Email: ela.escalante@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-882-8890

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People

Meet our faculty and staff.


FACULTY - TENURED & TENURE TRACK

Natasha Altema-McNeely

Natasha Altema-McNeely
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 215

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of lowa, 2013

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Race & Ethnicity, Political Institutions, Political Behavior, Voting, Campaigns & Elections)

Email:
natasha.altema@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-5045

Carla Angulo-Pasel

Carla Angulo-Pasel
Assistant Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 219

Education: Ph.D., Global Governance, Wilfrid Laurier University (Balsillie School of International Affairs), Canada, 2018

Specializations: World Politics (Latin American Politics, Border Studies & International Migration, U.S.-Mexico Border Relations); Political Theory (Gender & Feminist Theory)

Email:
carla.angulopasel@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8059

Clyde Barrow

Clyde Barrow
Professor & Chair / Edinburg, ELABN 208A

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of California - Los Angeles, 1984

Specializations: Public Policy (Gambling Policy, Higher Education Policy, Policy Formation); Political Economy (Theories of Political Economy, Economic Impact Analysis, Industry Analysis); Political Theory (Theories of the State, American Political Thought)

Website: https://utrgv.academia.edu/ClydeWBarrow

Email:
clyde.barrow@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3679

Mònica Clua-Losada

Mònica Clua-Losada
Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 221

Education: Ph.D., Politics, University of York, UK, 2011

Specializations: Political Economy (Critical Political Economy, Debt & Over-Indebtedness); World Politics (Labor & Social Movements, Spanish & EU Politics); Public Policy (Economic & Social Policy, Children’s Policy)

Email:
monica.clualosada@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8060

Álvaro J. Corral

Álvaro J. Corral
Assistant Professor / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.221

Education: Ph.D., Government, University of Texas - Austin, 2017

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Latinx Politics, Race & Ethnicity, Immigration, Political Behavior, Voting)

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/alvarocorralphd/home

Email:
alvaro.corral@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-8662

Alexandre Couture Gagnon

Alexandre Couture Gagnon
Associate Professor / Brownsville, BMAIN 2.200D

Education: Ph.D., Public Policy, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, 2013

Specializations: World Politics (Minority Nations); Public Policy (Linguistic Policy, Comparative Public Policy)

Email:
alexandre.couturegagnon@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-8259

Terence (Terry) Michael Garrett

Terence (Terry) Michael Garrett
Professor / Brownsville, BMAIN 2.200

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Oklahoma, 1997 

Specializations: World Politics (International Relations, Comparative Politics, Globalization, U.S.-Mexico Border Issues, Political Violence and Terrorism); Public Policy (Public Policy Analysis, Homeland Security Policy and Management, Immigration Policy, and U.S. National Security)

Email:
terence.garrett@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-8825

Sylvia Gonzalez-Gorman

Sylvia Gonzalez-Gorman
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 214

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, Texas Tech University, 2014

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Latino/a Politics, State & Local Government); Public Policy (Immigration, Transborder Environmental Sustainability, Economic Development, Urban & Local Government Management)

Email:
sylvia.gonzalezgorman@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3239

Mark Kaswan

Mark Kaswan
Associate Professor / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.214

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of California - Los Angeles, 2010

Specializations: Political Theory (Democratic Theory, History of Political Thought, History of Economic Thought, Critical Political Economy, Happiness/Utilitarianism, Cooperative Movement, Economic & Community Development)

Website: https://utrgv.academia.edu/MarkKaswan

Email:
mark.kaswan@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-8877

Michelle Keck

Michelle Keck
Associate Professor & Associate Chair / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.216

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, Texas Tech University, 2010

Specializations: World Politics (U.S. Foreign Policy, Non-Governmental Organizations, International Organizations, Civil Wars); Public Policy (US-Mexico Border Issues)

Email:
michelle.keck@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-6517

Nicholas Kiersey

Nicholas Kiersey
Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 217

Education: Ph.D., Planning, Governance & Globalization, Virginia Tech, 2007

Specializations: World Politics (International Relations Theory, European Integration, Globalization, Power, Social Movements); Political Economy (Theories of Political Economy, Critical Political Economy); Political Theory

Websites:
www.occupyirtheory.info 
https://utrgv.academia.edu/NicholasKiersey

Email:
nicholas.kiersey@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3342

Dongkyu Kim

Dongkyu Kim
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 211

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Iowa, 2015

Specializations: World Politics (International/Comparative Political Economy, Theories of Welfare States, Theories of Foreign Direct Investment & Trade, Quantitative Methods)

Website: http://www.dongkyukim.com

Email:
dongkyu.kim@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3700

Mi-son Kim

Mi-son Kim
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 213

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Iowa, 2015

Specializations: World Politics (East Asian Politics, Korean Politics, Political Party & Electoral Systems, Campaigns & Elections, Democracy & Political Development); U.S. Government & Politics (U.S. Party Politics, Congress/Legislative Politics, Campaigns & Elections, State Politics)

Email:
mison.kim@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3808

Jake Lin

Jake Lin
Assistant Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 222

Education: Ph.D., International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 2016

Specializations: World Politics (International Relations in East Asia, Politics in China Vietnam & Oceania, China-US Rivalry); Political Economy (Labor & Social Policy, Capitalism & Global Supply Chains); Political Theory (Critical IR Theories, Critical Queer Politics)

Email:
Jake.lin@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8097

Richard T. Longoria

Richard T. Longoria
Associate Professor / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.219

Education: Ph.D., Government and Politics, The University of Maryland, 2006

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Celebrity Politics, Public Opinion, Political Institutions); Public Policy (Normative Policy Analysis, U.S. Education Policy)

Email:
richard.longoria@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-6511

Kirstin Munro

Kirstin Munro
Assistant Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 220

Education: Ph.D., Urban Studies, Portland State University, 2017

Specializations: Political Economy (Critical Political Economy, Quantitative Methods, Qualitative Methods); Public Policy (Energy and Environmental Policy, Urban and Regional Policy, Economic and Social Policy); Political Theory (History of Economic Thought, Feminist Theory)

Email:
kirstin.munro@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665 8766

Chris O'Kane

Chris O'Kane
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 223

Education: Ph.D., Social and Political Thought, University of Sussex, 2013

Specializations: Political Theory (Critical Theory, Modern and Contemporary Social and Political Thought, The History of Political Thought); Political Economy (History of Economic Thought, Theories of Political Economy, Critical Political Economy)

Website: https://utrgv.academia.edu/ChrisOKane

Email:
christopher.okane@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3393

Charles Olney

Charles Olney
Associate Professor & Pre-Law Advisor for Brownsville / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.220

Education: Ph.D., Politics, University of California - Santa Cruz, 2014

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Constitutional Law, Judicial Process); Political Theory (Modern and Contemporary); World Politics (International Law)

Website: https://utrgv.academia.edu/CharlesOlney

Email:
charles.olney@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-7436

James Parisot

James Parisot
Assistant Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 200H

Education: Ph.D., Sociology, Binghamton University, 2016

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (History of American Capitalism); World Politics (Globalization, Emerging Powers)

Email:
james.parisot@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8993

Jokubas Salyga

Jokubas Salyga
Assistant Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 218

Education: Ph.D., International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK, 2020

Specializations: Political Economy (Critical Political Economy, Theories of Political Economy), World Politics (East-Central Europe, European Integration, Labor and Social Movements, Migration Studies)

Email:
jokubas.salyga@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8064

William Sokoloff

William Sokoloff
Associate Professor / Edinburg, ELABN 204A

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2002

Specializations: Political Theory (Modern, Contemporary, American, Gender); U.S. Government & Politics (Race & Ethnicity)

Website: https://utrgv.academia.edu/WilliamSokoloff/

Email:
william.sokoloff@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3344

FACULTY - LECTURERS

Justin Curtis

Justin Curtis
Lecturer I / Edinburg, ELABN 230 A

Education: Ph.D., Government and Public Policy, University of Arizona, 2020

Specializations: World Politics (Middle East, Religion and Politics, Democratization); U.S. Government and Politics (Race and Ethnic Politics, Urban-Rural Divide)

Email:
justin.curtis@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3344

Hafthor Erlingsson

Hafthor Erlingsson
Lecturer I / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.217

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2019

Specializations: World Politics (Transnational Political Practices, External Voting, Migration Studies, Determinants of Foreign Direct Investments)

Email:
hafthor.erlingsson@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-7839

William A. Gordon

William A. Gordon
Lecturer III & Pre-Law Advisor for Edinburg / Edinburg, ELABN 226

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, The New School for Social Research, 2009

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (State & Local Institutions of Government, Public Law, Legal Analysis, U.S. Minor Political Parties); World Politics (Forms of Government, Electoral Systems, Comparative Methods, Research Design)

Email:
william.gordon@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3322

Carlos D. Gutierrez-Mannix

Carlos D. Gutierrez-Mannix
Lecturer I / Edinburg, ELABN 230 B

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Texas at Dallas, 2022

Specialization: U.S. Government & Politics (Hispanics in U.S. Politics, Political Communication, Congress, Social Media Data Analysis, Content Analysis and Methods)

Website: https://gutierrezmannix.github.io/

Email:
carlos.gutierrez01@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3037

Sarah V. Perez

Sarah V. Perez
Lecturer II / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.217

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, Western Michigan University, 2017

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Racial & Ethnic Studies, Political Behavior, Campaigns & Elections, Statistics & Methodology); Political Theory (Ancient Theory, American Political Thought & Culture, Democratic Theory)

Email:
sarah.perez@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-7426

Ruth Ann Ragland

Ruth Ann Ragland
Senior Lecturer / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.222

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, The University of North Texas, 1995

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Media & Politics, State & Local Government, Political Behavior)

Email:
ruth.ragland@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-4323

Bryant William Sculos

Bryant William Sculos
Lecturer II / Edinburg, ELABN 228 A

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, Florida International University (Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs), 2017

Specializations: Political Theory (Modern & Contemporary Political Theory, Critical Theory, International Political Theory, Politics of Culture, Critical/Radical Pedagogy); World Politics (International Relations Theory, Global Ethics, Critical Security Studies, Climate-changed Politics, Social/Political Movements); Political Economy & Public Policy (Postcapitalism)

Website: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SGtDJVkAAAAJ&hl=en

Email:
bryant.sculos@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8061

Andrew H. Smith

Andrew H. Smith
Lecturer II / Edinburg, ELABN 204

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, University of Tennessee - Knoxville, 2018

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Judicial Politics, Public Law, Political Behavior, Judicial Elections)

Email:
andrew.smith@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-8854

Michael Todd Smith

Michael Todd Smith
Lecturer I / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.217

Education: Ph.D., Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, 2019

Specializations: World Politics (International Migration, Global Governance, International Organizations)

Email:
michael.smith@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-7842

Robert W. Velez

Robert W. Velez
Lecturer II / Edinburg, ELABN 212

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, Southern Illinois University, 2017

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Religion & Politics, Media & Politics, Social / Political Movements)

Email:
robert.velez@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3347

EMERITUS FACULTY

Sonia Alianak

Sonia Alianak
Professor Emeritus

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, The University of Texas at Austin, 1987

Specializations: World Politics (International Relations, International Organizations, Revolution and Reform, Globalization and Identity Politics, Middle East Politics)

Email:
tom.sonia1902@gmail.com

Gary Joe Mounce

Gary Joe Mounce
Associate Professor Emeritus

Education: Ph.D., Political Science, The University of Texas at Austin, 1977

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics; World Politics (Mexico & Latin America)

Email:
gjmounce@gmail.com

Jerry Polinard

Jerry Polinard
Professor Emeritus

Education: Ph.D., Government, University of Arizona, 1970

Specializations: U.S. Government & Politics (Public Law, Latino Political Behavior, Films & Politics)

Email:
jpolinard@rgv.rr.com

STAFF

Dora Sallie Maldonado

Dora Sallie Maldonado
Administrative Assistant II / Edinburg, ELABN 208

Email:
dora.maldonado@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-665-3341
Fax: 956-665-2805

Marcela Escalante

Marcela Escalante
Administrative Assistant I / Brownsville, BMSLC 3.218

Email:
ela.escalante@utrgv.edu
Phone:
956-882-8890
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