M. Victoria Gorham

M. Victoria Gorham serves as Assistant Professor and Chair of the Government and Politics Department at Millsaps College, specializing in comparative politics and international relations with regional expertise in Africa.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Political Science, University of Florida (2019)
• Master's in Political Science, University of Florida (2015)
• Bachelor's in Political Science, Millsaps College (2012)

Research Focus: Dr. Gorham investigates nation-building processes in Tanzania and Kenya, analyzing how public education shapes citizenship norms and how museums construct national identity. Her work critically examines authoritarian resilience, American foreign policy impacts, and political economy dynamics in developing nations through comparative frameworks.

Publication Trends: Recent scholarship bridges educational systems and cultural institutions as state-building tools, revealing connections between early childhood democracy education and museum-based historical narratives in East Africa.

Awards:

• Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (2017-2018)

Academic Contributions: Teaches core courses in political science alongside advanced electives on African politics, authoritarianism, and American foreign policy. Directs departmental operations while maintaining research productivity on post-colonial state formation and citizenship practices.