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ASPECT Students

Samuel Beckenhauer
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

Conspiracy Theory and Paranoia, Media and Technology, Critical Security Studies, U.S. Foreign Policy, Environmental Political Theory

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., International Politics, Aberystwyth University, 2019
B.A., Political Science, Vassar College, 2018

John Bernardi
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

Philosophy of language, colonialism and governmentality, posthumanisms

EDUCATION

Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Religion in Culture, University of Alabama, 2021
B.S.,  Mathematics, University of Alabama, 2017

Alexandra Briggs 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Environmental Justice, Discourse Analysis, Feminist Political Theory, Aesthetics and Radical Politics. 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT,Virginia Tech 
MA: Political and Civic Engagement, Winthrop University, 2016 
BA: Political Science, Winthrop University, 2013

Casey Anne Brimmer
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Queer Theory, Feminist Theory

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Women's and Gender Studies, University of Northern Iowa, 2017
B.A., Ethnic and Gender Studies, Westfield State University, 2014

Reed Byg
PH.D IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Political economy, political ecology, critical security studies, food systems, environmental ethics.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2020
B.A., Sociology / Philosophy, Green Mountain College, 2016

Ana María Camargo Palomino
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Environmental Politics, Environmental Justice, Postcolonial Theory and Latinx Studies.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A. Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2019
B.A. International Relations, Universidad del Norte, 2012

Marie-Lys Chambraud
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Feminist Political Theory, Cultural Theory, Indigenous Studies, Decolonial Theory

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.S., English, Radford University, 2020
B.A., English & Spanish, Université Catholique de l’Ouest (France), 2018

Linea Cutter
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
International political economy, food systems theory, feminist theory, feminist geopolitics, and critical theory. 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A. Political Science, Florida International University, 2018
B.A. History and Political Science, Nova Southeastern University, 2015

Jordan Fallon
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Black Feminism, Politics of Work, Critical Race Theory, Post Structuralism

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A. Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2019
B.A. Philosophy / Sociology, Roanoke College, 2014

Hannah Gignoux
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

International Political Economy, Political Theory, Literary Theory, Theories of Reading, Critical Pedagogy, Methodology

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2022
B.A., English / Politics (International Studies), Ithaca College, 2018

Hannah Glasson 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Ecological Philosophy, Philosophy of Economics, Systems Theory, Post-Structuralism, and Philosophical Posthumanism

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
MA: Philosophy of Religion, University of Chicago, 2014 
BA: Comparative Study of Religion, Harvard University, 2010

Elhom Gosink
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

Decolonial theory, Pedagogy, Critical theory, Indigenous knowledges, Post-Structuralism

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 

M.A., Community Leadership, Westminster College, 2021
B.A., Political Science, Westminster College, 2017

Shreya Hari Nurani
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

South Asian History, Ancient and Early Medieval Indian History, Religion, Society and Culture, Art and Aesthetics, and Performing Arts

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 

M.A., History, St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, 2021
B.A., History, St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, 2019

Sabrina K. Harris
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
International Relations, International Organizations, Peacekeeping and Interventionism, Feminist and Gender Studies, Decolonial Theory, Critical Security Studies.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2021
B.A.,  Political Science, The College of Wooster, 2019

Cory L. Higgs
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Mass media communication, communication theory, Appalachia, marginalized culture, popular culture, visual social media.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.S., Strategic Communication, Radford University, 2022
B.S., Media Studies - Journalism, Radford University, 2019

Robert Hodges 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
International Security, Violent Non-state Actors, Culture and Belief Systems, International Order, International Society/System, IR Theory, and International Law 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
MA: Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2017
BA: Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2016

Trevor Jeyaraj Samraj
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT


RESEARCH AREAS
Postcolonial Theories, Decolonial Theories, Theologies of Liberation, Political Theologies, Caste and Religion, Violence and Subaltern Identity, Affect Theories.    

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
MA., Theological Studies, Columbia Theological Seminary, 2019
M.Phil., English, University of Delhi, 2015  
M.A., English Literature, St. Xavier’s College, 2013
BBA., Scott Christian College, 2010

June Ann Jones
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Political theory, environmental politics, agrarian studies

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Political Science, Vanderbilt University, 2018
B.A. Government and Psychology, University of Maryland, 2014

Andreza da Silveira Jorge
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Black Feminist Theory, Cultural Theory, Art and Dance and Perfomance Studies, Memory and public history.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Race and Ethnicity Relations/ CEFET/RJ/ 2019.
B.A.,  Dance/ Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ/ 2017

Luther Lee McPherson IV
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Critical Security Studies, Modern Political Thought, Political Theology, Ontological Perspectives of the Nation-state and Security, Genealogy 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Philosophy, Art, and Social Thought, The European Graduate School, 2022
MSc., International & European Politics, The University of Edinburgh, 2018
B.A.,  Political Science, California Lutheran University, 2017

Vasilije Mesarovic
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Critical theory, sociology of culture, social and political analysis of literary speculative fiction, queer theory, religious studies, narrative analysis

EDUCATION
Ph. D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Sociology, University of Belgrade, 2020
B.A., Sociology, University of Belgrade, 2019

Rebekah Mui Pei Ern
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS

Postcolonial Theory, Anarcho-Pacifist Political Theory, Anabaptism, Christian Anarchism, Women and Empire

EDUCATION
Ph. D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
Master in Media and Communications Studies, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University, 2019

B.A. (Hons), Early Childhood Care and Education, Institute of Technology Tralee, 2017

Sarah Plummer 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
journalism ethics, citizen journalism, Appalachia, mass media, coal culture. 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
MA: English Literature, Virginia Tech, 2010 
BA: Theatre Arts, Berea College, 2005

Leah Ramnath
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Critical theory, cynicism, governmentality, biopolitics, sociospatial analysis. 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Social Science - Environment and Community, Humboldt State University, 2019
B.S.,  Environmental Science, Florida International University, 2016

Michael Senters
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Cultural Theory, New Media Studies,Modern American History, History of the Internet, Sociology of Online Social Networks, Political Extremism.  

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech

M.I.L.R, Collective Representation, Cornell University, 2021
B.A.,  Political Science, University of Kentucky, 2018

Muhammed Shah Shajahan 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Philosophical Anthropology, Anthropology of Islam, South Asian Histories of Caste, Religion and Nationalism, Space and Subjectivity, Contemporary Urban Theories, Political Theology

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M. Phil.: Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad, 2018
MA: Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad, 2016
BA: Mass Communication, University of Calicut, 2013

Aline de Souza
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
art, sound art, visual arts and music, critical social theory, aesthetic education

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.F.A., Creative Technologies, Virginia Tech, 2020
M.L.A., Landscape Architecture, Virginia Tech, 2018
B.Arch., Architecture and Urbanism, University of Brasília, 2011

Julie Walters Steele 
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Public History, Slavery and US Plantation Narratives, Race and Gender Studies, Social Justice Activism. 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A., English, Clemson University, 1993
B.A., English, Clemson University, 1985

Hannah Steinhauer
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Digital Race Studies, Black Feminist Political Theory, Social Media Activism, Memory Studies, Affect Theory.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A., Women's Studies, The University of Alabama, 2022
B.A., Mathematics, James Madison University, 2020

Madison Tepper
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Socioeconomic inequality, globalization, Marxist theory, feminist and queer theory, comparative politics, postcolonial theory, rhetoric and discourse analysis

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2018
B.A., International Studies and Political Science, Salisbury University, 2015

Molly Todd
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Immigration, border security industrial complex, biopolitics

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
MA, Social Science-International Studies, University of Colorado at Denver, 2018
BA, International Studies-Globalization, Humboldt State University, 2012
BA, Spanish Education, Humboldt State University, 2012

Sara Wenger
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
political theory, posthumanism, critical race theory, disability studies, cyberpunk, science fiction and climate fiction 

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.A., Women's Studies, The University of Alabama, 2018
B.A., Political Science, Miami University, 2016
B.A., Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Miami University, 2016

Chayne Wild
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
Post-Marxism, Discourse, Deconstruction, and Environmental Political Theory.

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech
M.A., Political Science, Colorado State University, 2021
B.S.,  General Social Science: Applied Economics, Business and Society, University of Oregon, 2019

Sengul Yildiz Alanbay
PH.D. IN THE ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ETHICAL, AND CULTURAL THOUGHT

RESEARCH AREAS
International Relations Theories, Critical Theory, Security Studies, Discourse Analysis, European Integration, European Union

EDUCATION
Ph.D., ASPECT, Virginia Tech 
M.S., International Relations, Middle East Technical University, 2016
B.S., International Relations, Middle East Technical University, 2013