James Masterson

James Masterson serves as Professor and Department Chair of Political Science at Morehead State University's Caudill College, concurrently holding roles as Interim Chair of Communication, Media, Art & Design (CMAD) and Assistant Dean of the Caudill College. He also directs the Master of Public Administration Program, demonstrating significant administrative leadership within the institution.

His educational credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Political Science (International Relations and Methodology) from University of Cincinnati
• MA in Political Science from University of Cincinnati
• BA in Political Science and Mathematics from University of Cincinnati
• Certificate of Completion from Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
• Certificate of Completion from Nagoya University

Dr. Masterson specializes in International Relations with emphasis on East Asia security dynamics, and International Political Economy focusing on interdependence-conflict nexus. His methodological expertise spans survey research and statistics, while his Comparative Politics work centers on East Asian political systems. This tripartite research framework enables rigorous analysis of Chinese foreign policy and economic relations within global contexts.

Publication trends (2023-2012) reveal evolving expertise: recent work examines China's environmental policies and technology regulation (2023), while earlier scholarship analyzes Sino-Japanese/Korean economic relations (2014-2012). The 2020-2021 publications explore social media's dual role in Chinese governance, and the 2015 works bridge pedagogy with ASEAN diplomacy. An outlier 2013 study on Kentucky's prison system demonstrates methodological versatility across domestic/international contexts.

Key recognition includes:

• Ford Fellow

Dr. Masterson has secured significant research funding including a $75,284 US Department of State grant for the Morehead State University American Center at Guangxi University, and a $2,500 Ford Fellowship from the Overseas Young Chinese Forum. These grants support international educational initiatives and China-focused research.

His academic engagement extends through invited lectures on Sino-Japanese relations (Nagoya University, 2011), prison population analysis (Morehead State, 2011), and China's economic diplomacy (2010), positioning him as a bridge between scholarly research and policy discourse.