Alisa Gaunder

Alisa Gaunder is a Professor of Political Science and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Southwestern University. She specializes in comparative politics with a focus on Japan, particularly in areas such as political leadership, campaign finance reform, and women’s political representation. Her doctoral work from UC Berkeley (2001) laid the groundwork for her research on Japanese political systems, culminating in publications like Political Reform in Japan: Leadership Looming Large (2007) and The Routledge Handbook of Japanese Politics (2011). She has held numerous grants and fellowships, including the ASIANetwork Freeman Grant and multiple Southwestern University awards.

• Education: Ph.D. in Political Science (UC Berkeley, 2001), specializing in comparative politics and Japan.
• Research Interests: Women in politics, campaign finance, Japanese political institutions, and leadership studies.

Her articles analyze topics like gender quotas in Japan, U.S.-Japan reform comparisons, and the role of women in the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Recent work explores the evolving portrayal of female politicians in Japanese media and cross-national party dynamics affecting women’s political roles. She actively integrates research into pedagogy, emphasizing critical thinking and civic engagement in her courses.

Awards & Grants:

• ACS Mellon Foundation Grant (2009)
• ASIANetwork Freeman Faculty-Study Collaborative Research Grant (2005-2006)
• Fulbright Fellowship (1992-1993)
• Multiple Southwestern University grants (Cullen, Mundy, etc.)

Leadership & Service: As Vice President for Academic Affairs, she oversees faculty development and curricular initiatives. Recent scholarly activities include presenting at the Southern Political Science Association and collaborating with international institutions like Centro Universitario Anglo Mexicano.

Labs/Teams: Engages in faculty-student research collaborations, particularly on female political leadership in Japan. Her work bridges academic research with practical classroom applications.