Carolyn Holmes

Carolyn Holmes is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, specializing in comparative politics with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. She earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University in 2015 and conducts field research in South Africa, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Fulbright-Hays Program. Her work examines nationalism, democratic transitions, and political violence in post-conflict societies.

Research interests include reconciliation processes, nation-building, qualitative methodology, and racial politics in transitional democracies. Her publications analyze South Africa's democratic development, memory politics, social movements like #RhodesMustFall, and the ethics of fieldwork in conflict settings.

Recent articles explore democratic backsliding pedagogy, white nationalism theory, and viral victimhood narratives. Dr. Holmes teaches courses on African Politics, Developing World Politics, Comparative Politics, Qualitative Methods, and Nationalism.