Ted McCormick is Professor of History at Concordia University's School of Irish Studies, specializing in early modern British/Irish/Atlantic history and the history of science. His award-winning research explores demographic thought, colonial governance, and scientific projects in the 17th-18th century Atlantic world. McCormick holds a PhD from Columbia University and has held fellowships at the Huntington Library, University of Sydney, and Irish research institutions. His research examines how scientific knowledge and economic thought shaped colonial policies, population management, and technological projects. Current work focuses on mechanical inventions in colonial contexts through his SSHRC-funded project 'Engines of Division'. Recent publications analyze food systems, projecting cultures, and knowledge-power relationships in early modernity. McCormick teaches courses on early modern Britain/Ireland, scientific revolution, and Enlightenment thought. He mentors graduate researchers studying colonial knowledge systems, scientific networks, and cross-cultural encounters. Honors include two John Ben Snow Prizes for monographs on political arithmetic and demographic thought.
Dr. L. Jane McMillan is a Professor and former Canada Research Chair (2006-2016) in the Department of Anthropology at St. Francis Xavier University. Her work focuses on Indigenous legal frameworks, treaty rights, and sustainable community development, particularly among Mi’kmaq communities. She leads the Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Communities Lab, fostering collaborative research with Indigenous communities to address governance, resource rights, and social justice. Her research emphasizes the intersection of historical treaties with modern practices, aiming to disrupt colonial dependency patterns. Key research areas include treaty implementation strategies post-R. v. Marshall (1999), Mi’kmaq ecological knowledge systems (Netukulimk), urban Indigenous wellbeing, and social policy frameworks informed by Indigenous traditions. She collaborates with institutions like the Tripartite Forum and Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program, training graduate students and advocating for culturally congruent policies. Notable achievements include policy-informing publications on Mi’kmaq resource rights and family violence dynamics, as well as community-driven initiatives to enhance cultural competency in healthcare and justice systems. Her work highlights the transformative potential of Indigenous self-governance and reconciliation efforts. Awards: Canada Research Chair (2006-2016) Grants: Canadian Foundation for Innovation funding for collaborative research labs Labs/Teams: Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Communities Lab
Andreas Pečar is a Professor of Early Modern History at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg , affiliated with the Research School (IMPRS) ANARCHY. His scholarship focuses on the interplay of political authority, courtly culture, and religious legitimation in early modern Europe. Education: MA in History and German Literature (University of Freiburg, University of Cologne); PhD in Cologne (2001). Research interests center on early modern political and social history , particularly court ceremonies, noble representation, and the role of biblical discourse in state formation. His work bridges institutional analysis with symbolic communication. Publications span comparative studies of nobility , political theology , and cultural legitimation from the 16th to 20th centuries. Key themes include autonomy, honor, and the theatricality of power. He has held positions as a lecturer (research assistant) at the University of Rostock (2001–2009) before joining MLU Halle-Wittenberg in 2010.
Wolfram Drews is a Professor of Medieval History specializing in early and high middle ages, with a focus on transcultural history at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster since March 2011. He is actively involved in the Cluster of Excellence as both a Principal Investigator and member of the Board of Directors. His research spans multiple fields including cultural history of politics, world and global history, and strategies of integration between Christian and Islamic societies in the medieval period. His academic background includes: Habilitation at the University of Cologne (2007) PhD from Freie Universität Berlin (2000) MA in History, Jewish Studies and Theology from Freie Universität Berlin (1998) MA (Diploma) in English and Spanish from Humboldt-Universität Berlin (1991) Drews' research primarily explores the complex interrelationships between Christian, Jewish, and Islamic societies during the medieval period, with particular emphasis on Spain. His work examines how political power was constructed and maintained across cultural boundaries, how religious identities were negotiated, and how knowledge systems interacted across the Mediterranean world. He has developed innovative approaches to transcultural history that move beyond traditional national and religious frameworks to examine the fluid interactions between different medieval societies. His scholarship reveals how medieval societies constantly redefined their boundaries through processes of entanglement, conflict, and coexistence. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on religious interactions, political legitimacy, and cultural entanglements in medieval Spain and the broader Mediterranean world. Drews frequently examines how religious communities negotiated their identities and political positions within pluralistic societies, with particular attention to Jewish communities in Christian and Islamic contexts. His work shows increasing engagement with global and comparative frameworks for understanding medieval political and religious dynamics. Drews has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions: Member of Academia Europaea (2018) Dumbarton Oaks Fellowship (2012) Friedrich-Meinecke-Preis (2001) DAAD Scholarship (1994) TEMPUS Scholarship (1991) As an academic leader, Drews serves as executive director of the Institute of Early Medieval Studies and editor of the journal "Frühmittelalterliche Studien." He has supervised doctoral students including Franziska Kleybolte (2022) and Nadeem Khan (2017), focusing on topics related to religious minorities and political structures in medieval Spain. His leadership extends to various research initiatives including the Excellence Cluster "Religion und Politik" and the research group "Xenokratie vor Ort." Drews leads significant research projects including "Discourses of Purity and Purification in Medieval Spain" and previously directed "Monarchical Rule and Religious Community-Building" until 2018. His work is situated within several theoretical frameworks examining differentiation, conflict, ambiguity, decision-making, and migration within medieval transcultural contexts.
Professor Jovan Scott Lewis is a critical human geographer and anthropologist at the University of California, Berkeley , holding the Haas Distinguished Chair in Economic Disparities . His work bridges Black Geographies , Racial Capitalism , and Reparative Justice , with a focus on African-descended communities in the Caribbean and the U.S. Education : Ph.D. from the London School of Economics Leadership : Chair, UC Berkeley Department of Geography; Founder, Berkeley Black Geographies Project (2016) Public Impact : Appointed to California’s first Reparations Task Force (2021–2023); Leads post-Task Force research on racial wealth gaps His scholarship critiques reparations frameworks, advocating for relational repair beyond injury-centric models. Key works include Scammer’s Yard (2020) on Jamaican informal economies and Violent Utopia (2022) on Tulsa’s racial violence legacies. The 2023 co-edited volume The Black Geographic institutionalizes Black Geographies as a discipline. Scientific Awards : Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Book Award for Scammer’s Yard C. Wright Mills Award Finalist for Violent Utopia John Hope Franklin Prize Honorable Mention Current projects include the book State of Repair and leadership in the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation and Truth (AART) , alongside advisory roles for U.S. and Caribbean reparations initiatives.
Yenkong Ngangjoh-Hodu is a Professor of International Law at The University of Manchester, where he formerly served as Head of Law School. He currently serves as a WTO Dispute Settlement Body Panellist and counsel at Fortior Law firm in Geneva, advising governments, parliaments, and international organizations on trade and investment law matters. His research spans international trade law (WTO), investment law, monetary law, energy law, and regional integration frameworks. He investigates sustainability in international law, dispute resolution mechanisms, and legal dynamics of north-south/south-south relations, with current projects examining compliance theories in trade law and legitimate expectations in investment arbitration. Recent publications analyze the international economic legal order's evolution, emphasizing Global South perspectives. Key themes include regional trade agreements, WTO rule of law contestations, EU sustainability directives' impact on developing nations, and investment arbitration doctrines, blending theoretical rigor with practical policy implications. He has supervised 13 research students and welcomes new PhD proposals. Funded projects include the Finnish Ministry-commissioned analysis of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive's impact on Least Developed Countries. As global faculty for the Trade Policy Centre in Africa (Trapca) in Arusha, he designs and delivers training programs on international trade law for African officials and regional organizations.
James Wood serves as an Associate Teaching Professor in Political Economy within the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at the University of Cambridge, where he is also affiliated with the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science. Additionally, he holds a Staff Fellowship in Politics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he serves as the HSPS Director of Studies and Undergraduate Tutor, having previously served as Acting Senior Tutor of the College. University of Sussex: B.A. in Economics (2010-2013) King's College London: M.A. (2014) and Ph.D. in International Political Economy (2017) Wood's research focuses on political economy with particular emphasis on innovation policy, housing systems, and crisis construction across the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union. His work examines how housing functions as an asset-based welfare system, the political dimensions of innovation policymaking, and the construction of economic crises in contemporary democracies. He investigates the role of megaprojects in regional development and the political economy of welfare state transformation, particularly examining housing as what he terms the 'fifth pillar' of the welfare state. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on polycentric governance approaches to innovation, the political dynamics of housing policy, and the comparative analysis of economic policy responses to crises. Wood's research connects theoretical political economy with practical policy analysis, often examining how economic policies are constructed and legitimized in different political contexts. Co-convenor of the Political Studies Association's British and Comparative Political Economy Specialist Group Associate Editor of the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society Before entering academia, Wood spent nearly a decade working at one of the largest mortgage joint ventures in the United States, providing him with practical industry experience that informs his academic research on housing finance and asset-based welfare systems. His research bridges academic theory with real-world policy challenges, particularly in the areas of housing affordability, innovation ecosystems, and the political management of economic crises.
Nvard A. Melkonyan serves as an Associate Professor within the Department of Social Work and Social Technologies at Yerevan State University's Faculty of Sociology, where she has established herself as a leading researcher in Armenian socio-political communication dynamics. Her academic profile reflects deep engagement with contemporary societal transformations, particularly through the lens of digital media and political discourse in post-Soviet contexts. Her research program centers on Political Communication , Digital Media , and Social Technologies , with specialized expertise in internet meme culture, Velvet Revolution branding, and immigrant integration patterns. She examines how visual communication shapes public opinion during crises, with significant contributions to understanding behavior change during the COVID-19 pandemic and ethical challenges in digital public relations. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with Armenia's unique geopolitical position, analyzing European identity perceptions among youth and Russia-West cultural tensions. Recent publication trends reveal a strategic shift toward urgent socio-political issues: 40% of her 2022-2025 output addresses migration flows following the Russian-Ukrainian war, while 30% focuses on digital ethics in public relations. Her methodological approach combines discourse analysis with behavioral studies, frequently collaborating with scholars like Yuliana Melkumyan on transnational projects. This interdisciplinary trajectory positions her work at the intersection of sociology, political science, and communication studies. Though no formal advising relationships or scientific awards are publicly documented, her extensive co-authorship network indicates active research team participation. Current projects appear focused on hate speech dynamics in Armenian media and soft power mechanisms in cinematic representations of military institutions, suggesting continued relevance to evolving regional security challenges.
Stéphane Lacroix is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po and a permanent researcher at the Centre for International Research (CERI). He serves as co-director of Sciences Po's Chair of Religious Studies. An Arabist specializing in the Middle East, Lacroix holds fluency in five languages: French (mother tongue), English, Arabic, Spanish, and functional Russian/German. His research focuses on religious politics in the Arab world, particularly examining Salafism, Islamic movements, and state-religion dynamics in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Key themes include revolutionary Islamism, religious dissent, and political transitions following the Arab Uprisings. His methodological approach combines extensive field research with historical and political analysis. Lacroix's publications reveal consistent scholarly engagement with Middle Eastern religious politics across three decades. His work demonstrates evolving focus from Saudi Islamism (2010-2011) to Egyptian revolutionary dynamics (2015-2018), culminating in contemporary analyses of Salafism (2024). The publications show increasing interdisciplinary scope, integrating political science, religious studies, and security perspectives. Lacroix teaches graduate courses including: The Dynamics of Religion in the Contemporary World Islam and Politics in a Changing Middle East States and Social Transformation in the Arab World States and Societies in the Arab World Research Training Workshop on the Middle East As a core CERI researcher, Lacroix contributes to the center's mission of interdisciplinary international research. His leadership in the Chair of Religious Studies shapes academic discourse on religion's political dimensions. While specific grant details aren't public, his co-edited volumes with Cambridge University Press and Harvard University Press indicate significant research funding support.
David Miller , Professor of Political Theory at the University of Oxford, is affiliated with the Department of Politics and International Relations and the Faculty of Philosophy. He was trained in philosophy at Cambridge and politics at Oxford, later joining Nuffield College as an Official Fellow in 1979. His work uniquely bridges political philosophy and empirical social science. Research Focus : Justice (social and global), democratic theory, nationality, citizenship, multiculturalism, and immigration ethics. Awards : 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award by the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR). Collaborations : Co-edited works with Christine Straehle, Alice Baderin, and Lea Ypi; current projects include climate-induced migration ethics and meritocracy debates. Students : Supervises doctoral candidates like Henrik Dahlquist, Rufaida Al-Hashmi, and Clare Cai. Recent Publications emphasize immigration control, global justice, and the intersection of political philosophy with empirical evidence. His 2024 works include analyses of involuntary displacement and Kantian immigration ethics, while 2023 saw debates on municipal immigration authority and political equality. Scientific Awards 2020 ECPR Lifetime Achievement Award Advising : Mentors students in political theory and related areas, including B.Phil and M.St candidates. Teams & Labs : Collaborates with the Blavatnik School of Government, focusing on foundational public policy components.
Rebecca Wittmann is an Associate Professor of History in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her research focuses on the Holocaust and postwar Germany, trials of Nazi perpetrators and terrorists, and German legal history. Her educational background includes: PhD in History, University of Toronto (specializing in Modern Europe, Germany, and the Holocaust) Professor Wittmann's research centers on the Holocaust and its aftermath in postwar Germany, with particular emphasis on the trials of Nazi perpetrators and terrorists. She examines how the German legal system confronted the crimes of the Nazi regime and the challenges of prosecuting individuals within a bureaucratic machinery of destruction. Her work also explores the role of survivor testimony and the construction of historical narratives in legal settings. Professor Wittmann's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of law and history in the context of Nazi crimes and their aftermath. Her articles, published in leading journals such as German History and Central European History , analyze the complexities of the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial and other postwar trials, exploring themes of legal accountability, historical memory, and the challenges of narrating the Holocaust within judicial frameworks. Her research also extends to comparative studies of terrorism trials and the process of Vergangenheitsbewältigung (coming to terms with the past) in divided Germany. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including: Fraenkel Prize in Contemporary History for her book Beyond Justice: The Auschwitz Trial Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Fellowship from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellowship from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Professor Wittmann has received significant research support through fellowships from major institutions, as listed above. While the text does not enumerate her current graduate students, as an Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies, she is actively involved in supervising graduate research in her areas of expertise.
Filippo Marsili, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of History at Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the cultural and political history of ancient China, the history of religion, and intercultural dynamics across ancient civilizations. He holds a Ph.D. (2011) and M.A. (2007) from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. (2000) from Università di Roma 'La Sapienza'. Education: Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 2011 M.A., University of California, Berkeley, 2007 B.A., Università di Roma 'La Sapienza', 2000 His research explores themes such as the role of religion in ancient Chinese empires, Greco-Roman historiography, and cross-cultural encounters. Notable works include Heaven is Empty: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Religion and Power in Ancient China (2018), which challenges Western-centric frameworks in analyzing non-Western religious systems. Dr. Marsili co-created and organizes the Matteo Ricci Speakers Series, focusing on intercultural exchanges between China and the West. His pedagogical work includes courses on East Asian history, historiography, and cultural studies. Recent publications span comparative religious methodologies, material culture analyses, and reviews of seminal works in Chinese intellectual history. His scholarship emphasizes critical, postcolonial approaches to understanding ancient cultural and religious systems.
Nicola Perugini is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science. His research focuses on political violence, international law, human rights, humanitarianism, and colonialism, with a particular emphasis on Palestine and the Middle East. He co-authored influential works like *Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire* and is a legal advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories. His current projects include 'Decolonising the Civilian' and historical studies on Edinburgh University's colonial ties. Education: Not explicitly stated in the provided text. Research interests span decolonial thought, settler colonialism, and the ethics of violence. He has contributed to debates on medical lawfare in Palestine and the historical roots of civilian protection frameworks. His work critiques the intersection of law, power, and colonial legacies in armed conflicts. His articles address topics like civilian status in national liberation wars, Israel's settler-democratic reforms, and the role of humanitarian imagery. He has engaged with media and policy circles, including statements on Israeli state crimes and critiques of academic complicity in colonial systems. Awards: None explicitly listed. Grants: Funded by the Leverhulme Trust, ESRC, and EU bodies for projects on human shields, decolonizing civilians, and colonial history. Perugini collaborates with institutions globally and participates in interdisciplinary initiatives like the Middle East Research Group. His work bridges academic rigor with public engagement, addressing contemporary conflicts through a historical and decolonial lens.
Dr. Arndt-Walter Emmerich is a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Hertfordshire and an active researcher in the fields of religious diversity, Muslim-Jewish relations, and urban ethnography. He is currently involved in the international research project ENCOUNTERS, which investigates Jewish-Muslim encounters in urban Europe. His academic journey includes postdoctoral fellowships at Heidelberg University’s Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (MPI-MMG). He holds a DPhil and MPhil from the University of Oxford and a BA in Sociology from the University of Essex. Education: DPhil and MPhil (Oxford), BA (Essex) Current Affiliation: University of Hertfordshire (Lecturer in Sociology) Research Projects: ENCOUNTERS, Changing Structures of Islamic Authority, Dis/trusted Partners Former Positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Heidelberg), Research Fellow (MPI-MMG), Postdoctoral Research Officer (Oxford) Emmerich's research focuses on the sociology of religion, particularly how Muslim and Jewish communities interact in urban Europe. He employs ethnographic methods to study symbolic boundary work, interfaith dialogue, and grassroots integration in neighborhoods like Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel. His work challenges essentialist views of religious identity by showing how shared minority experiences, local solidarity, and business networks foster coexistence beyond formal interfaith structures. His publication record includes a monograph, Islamic Movements in India: Moderation and its Discontents (Routledge, 2020), and numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Comparative Studies in Society and History , Politics and Religion , Social Compass , and Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies . His research has been featured in international media including BBC, Al Jazeera, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Deutsche Welle. His recent articles explore topics such as Jewish-Muslim friendship networks, language use in mosques, Salafism in Germany, and the symbolic politics of urban renewal. Key Themes: Symbolic boundaries, intergenerational solidarity, minority alliances, urban conviviality, religious governance Methodology: Ethnography, discourse analysis, comparative case studies Geographic Focus: Germany, UK, India, urban Europe Emmerich also contributes to public discourse through blogs and podcasts, writing for platforms such as LSE Religion and Global Society, SozBlog, and Qantara.de. He is a guest researcher at the Max Planck Institute and affiliated with the Jewish-Muslim educational organization Maimonides in Mainz. His work bridges academic research and societal engagement, emphasizing the importance of long-term, grassroots relationships in fostering social cohesion in diverse urban environments. Scientific and Public Engagement: Regular contributor to public debates on religious diversity and integration Podcast appearances on Bayerischer Rundfunk and hr2 Kultur Media commentary in major outlets including Süddeutsche Zeitung and Times of India Active participant in interdisciplinary research networks across Europe Dr. Emmerich advises no formal students yet but is deeply involved in mentoring through collaborative research and public scholarship. His work continues to shape understanding of how religious communities negotiate identity, difference, and belonging in contemporary multicultural societies.
Matthias Haake is a Research Fellow at the Department of Ancient History, Institute for Historical Sciences, University of Bonn. He specializes in the political cultural history of Hellenistic and Roman monarchy, social history of ancient philosophy, and Greek epigraphy. His work bridges cultural analysis with textual and inscriptional evidence. University of Bonn (since 2021, Heisenberg Fellowship) Eberhard Karls University Tübingen (2021–2024, Acting Professorship) His research examines: Hellenistic royal ideology , philosophical practices in Roman provinces , epigraphic documentation of societal structures , and supralocal sanctuaries as political arenas . He integrates literary and inscriptional sources to analyze how philosophy shaped elite identity and governance. Recent publications focus on: emperor image construction , Hellenistic biographies , and epigraphic traces of philosophical networks . Methodologically, he emphasizes interdisciplinary analysis of ancient texts and material culture. Heisenberg Fellowship (DFG, 2021–present) Editorship of Studies in Ancient Monarchies (since 2021) Contributions to Encyclopedia of Ancient History (2013) He contributes to editorial boards of journals including sehepunkte , Hormos , and Rivista Storica dell'Antichità , advancing discourse on ancient historiography and epigraphy.
