Melissa Faris

Melissa Faris is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at Georgia Southern University within the College of Arts and Humanities. She specializes in the history of Russia and the former Soviet Union the Caucasus nationalism and identity 20th century world history and Islam in world history.

• Education: B.A. and M.A. from University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2000 2003); Ph.D. from Emory University (2023).

Her research focuses on Soviet-era political movements including her dissertation on the 1956 Pro-Stalinist protests in Soviet Georgia and Cold War implications. She has contributed to publications such as Ab Imperio and has received grants for fieldwork in Georgia.

• Scientific Awards: American Research Institute of the South Caucasus Fellow 2011; Russian and Eastern European Studies Travel Grant 2011; Technology Curriculum and Pedagogy Fellow 2008; American Councils Fellow 2008.

Dr. Faris has received recognition for her work on Soviet history and maintains active contributions to academic and public history initiatives including the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History and the Ogeechee International History Film Festival.