ASPECT Students
Arka Ranjan Banerjee
RESEARCH AREAS
Contemporary social and political theory, neo-marxism, cyberspatial control, post-structuralism, late capitalism
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Presidency University (formerly Presidency College, Calcutta), 2022
B.A. (Hons.), Political Science, Presidency University (formerly Presidency College, Calcutta), 2020
John Bernardi
RESEARCH AREAS
Philosophy of language, colonialism and governmentality, posthumanisms
EDUCATION
M.A., Religion in Culture, University of Alabama, 2021
B.S., Mathematics, University of Alabama, 2017
Alexandra Briggs
RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Environmental Justice, Discourse Analysis, Feminist Political Theory, Aesthetics and Radical Politics.
EDUCATION
MA: Political and Civic Engagement, Winthrop University, 2016
BA: Political Science, Winthrop University, 2013
Ana María Camargo Palomino
RESEARCH AREAS
Environmental Politics, Environmental Justice, Postcolonial Theory and Latinx Studies.
EDUCATION
M.A. Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2019
B.A. International Relations, Universidad del Norte, 2012
Sean Chambers
RESEARCH AREAS
The MAAFA, Religious Ethics & Moral Problems, African American Studies, Interfaith Communication, Literature & Creative Writing.
EDUCATION
M.F.A., Creative Writing, Manhattanville College
B.A., English Language & Literature, U.Va.
Nonprofit Executive Leadership Certificate, Bryn Mawr College
Marie-Lys Chambraud
RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Feminist Political Theory, Cultural Theory, Indigenous Studies, Decolonial Theory
EDUCATION
M.S., English, Radford University, 2020
B.A., English & Spanish, Université Catholique de l’Ouest (France), 2018
Meixi Chen
RESEARCH AREAS
Contemporary Chinese Popular Culture and Online Subcultures, Queer Theories, Transmedia Studies, Gender and Sexuality in East Asian Media
EDUCATION
M.A., Comparative Literature and World Literature, Fudan University, 2025
B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, 2021
Efemena Emmanuel Esamagu
RESEARCH AREAS
Social and political thought, gender and sexuality history/studies, African studies/diaspora, human conflict and diplomacy.
EDUCATION
M.A., African History, University of Jos, Nigeria, 2017
B.A (Ed.) History Education, University of Jos, Nigeria, 2013
Armin Firouzi
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical heritage studies, heritage politics, material culture, architectural history and theory, Middle Eastern geopolitics of cultural heritage.
EDUCATION
M.A., Cultural Heritage Studies, Eastern Mediterranean University, 2021
B.A., Architectural Studies, Iranian Cultural Heritage Institute, 2018
Hannah Gignoux
RESEARCH AREAS
International Political Economy, Political Theory, Literary Theory, Theories of Reading, Critical Pedagogy, Methodology
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2022
B.A., English / Politics (International Studies), Ithaca College, 2018
Elhom Gosink
RESEARCH AREAS
Political Theory, Critical University Studies, Political Economy, and Pedagogy
EDUCATION
M.A., Community Leadership, Westminster College, 2021
B.A., Political Science, Westminster College, 2017
Erin Hammond
RESEARCH AREAS
International Political Economy, Agrarian and Peasant Studies, Development Studies, Agroecology, Third World Marxism, India, and South Asian Studies
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Virginia Tech, 2024
B.A. International Studies, DePaul University, 2019
Shreya Hari Nurani
RESEARCH AREAS
South Asian History, Ancient and Early Medieval Indian History, Religion, Society and Culture, Art and Aesthetics, and Performing Arts
EDUCATION
M.A., History, St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, 2021
B.A., History, St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, 2019
Cory L. Higgs
RESEARCH AREAS
Mass media communication, communication theory, Appalachia, marginalized culture, popular culture, visual social media.
EDUCATION
M.S., Strategic Communication, Radford University, 2022
B.S., Media Studies - Journalism, Radford University, 2019
Bai Jiang
RESEARCH AREAS
Global Digital Fandom, Digital Media Readership, Translingual Practice, Contemporary Chinese Popular Culture, Media Ecology, Critical Theory
EDUCATION
M.A., East Asian Language and Culture, Washington University in St.Louis, 2023
B.A., Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan Uniersity, 2020
Andreza da Silveira Jorge
RESEARCH AREAS
Race and Ethnicity, Black Feminist Theory, Cultural Theory, Art and Dance and Perfomance Studies, Memory and public history.
EDUCATION
M.A., Race and Ethnicity Relations/ CEFET/RJ/ 2019.
B.A., Dance/ Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ/ 2017
Onur T. Karabicak
RESEARCH AREAS
IR Theory, Power and Influence, Critical Social Theory, Turkish Politics
EDUCATION
M.A., International Relations, Bilkent University, 2024
B.A., International Relations, minor: Communication and Design, Bilkent University, 2022
M. Furkan Küçükmeral
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical Security Studies, Islamist Political Thought and Discourse, Middle East, Violent and Non-Violent Islamist Non-State Actors, FPA Methodology
EDUCATION
M.A., International Relations, Bilkent University, 2025
B.A., Political Science and Public Administration, Bilkent University, 2022
Jessica E. Long
RESEARCH AREAS
Communication theory, social media analysis, deconstruction, American Evangelicalism, critical theory, systems theory.
EDUCATION
M.S., Strategic Communication, Radford University, 2023
B.A., Mass Communications, Emory & Henry College, 2006
Vincent Maluwa
RESEARCH AREAS
Cultural Diplomacy, creative placemaking, arts and displacement, Nonprofit/NGO management, international development, humanitarianism, cultural preservation, and heritage
EDUCATION
M.F.A., Arts Leadership, Virginia Tech, 2025
B.A., Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with major in Drama, University of Malawi, 2012
Luther Lee McPherson IV
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical Security Studies, Modern Political Thought, Political Theology, Ontological Perspectives of the Nation-state and Security, Genealogy
EDUCATION
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
Zahra Modarres Vahid
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical Development Studies; Knowledge Production; Middle Eastern Modernities; Comparative History; Education and State Formation
EDUCATION
M.A. in Studio Arts, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
B.F.A. in Studio Arts, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
Rebekah Mui Pei Ern
RESEARCH AREAS
Postcolonial Theory, Anarcho-Pacifist Political Theory, Anabaptism, Christian Anarchism, Women and Empire
EDUCATION
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
Sara Naghibizadeh
RESEARCH AREAS
Urbanism, urban planning, and community engagement.
EDUCATION
M.A., Urban Planning and Management, University of Tehran, 2023
B.A., Urban Planning and Design, University of Tehran, 2021
Arda Öke
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical security studies, nonproliferation regime, international relations, Turkish politics.
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Bilkent University, 2025
B.A., Political Science, Bilkent University, 2023
Estefania Perez-Vera
RESEARCH AREAS
Modern Theatre Theory, Performance Studies, Philosophy of Art, Visual Rhetoric, Modern Hermeneutics
EDUCATION
M.A., Material Culture and Public Humanities, Virginia Tech, 2024.
M.F.A., Theatre Scenography, Virginia Tech, 2019
B.A., Architecture, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (Mexico), (2014)
Samadrita Sarkar
RESEARCH AREAS
Gendered Spaces, Feminist Architecture, Contemporary Feminist Theory, Dalit Feminist Studies, Theories of Sexual Violence, Sexualities, Gender and Labour, Family Studies.
EDUCATION
M.A., Gender Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi, 2025.
B.A., Political Science, Presidency University, Kolkata, 2023.
Michael Anthony Scipioni
RESEARCH AREAS
Critical Political Theory, World-Systems Analysis, Fascism, Imperialism, International Relations.
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Appalachian State University, 2022.
B.A., Political Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2016.
Michael Senters
RESEARCH AREAS
Cultural Theory, New Media Studies,Modern American History, History of the Internet, Sociology of Online Social Networks, Political Extremism.
EDUCATION
M.I.L.R, Collective Representation, Cornell University, 2021
B.A., Political Science, University of Kentucky, 2018
Maria Siddiqui
RESEARCH AREAS
Literary Theory and Criticism, Translation Studies, Cultural Theory, and South Asian English Literature.
EDUCATION
M.A., Literary Art Creative Writing, School of Culture and Creative Expressions, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi.
B.A., English Literature, Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi.
Aline de Souza
RESEARCH AREAS
art, sound art, visual arts and music, critical social theory, aesthetic education
EDUCATION
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
Hannah Steinhauer
RESEARCH AREAS
Digital Race Studies, Black Feminist Political Theory, Social Media Activism, Memory Studies, Affect Theory.
EDUCATION
M.A., Women's Studies, The University of Alabama, 2022
B.A., Mathematics, James Madison University, 2020
Chris Thorne
RESEARCH AREAS
Political Economy, Capitalism, Economic Crisis, Political Theory, German Idealism, Psychoanalysis, World-Systems Analysis.
EDUCATION
M.A., Master of Arts/Political Science, Virginia Tech
B.A., Bachelor of Arts and Sciences/English and Political Science, Ithaca College
Chayne Wild
RESEARCH AREAS
Post-Marxism, Discourse, Deconstruction, and Environmental Political Theory.
EDUCATION
M.A., Political Science, Colorado State University, 2021
B.S., General Social Science: Applied Economics, Business and Society, University of Oregon, 2019