Terence Lee is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, where he also serves as Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies. His research examines civil-military relations, military organizations, and international security, with a focus on Southeast Asia. He has published extensively on authoritarian regimes, military responses to popular protests, and regional security dynamics. His recent work analyzes elite perceptions of China's influence in Southeast Asia and Singapore's foreign policy strategies. Dr. Lee is a three-time recipient of the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award and twice won the NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award. He serves as Associate Editor of Armed Forces and Society and is a Council Member of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society.
Andreas Kalyvas serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Politics at The New School for Social Research, where he teaches courses on liberalism, oligarchy, and political thought. Previously, he taught at Columbia University and the University of Michigan, and has held visiting positions at institutions across Spain, Chile, Germany, Poland, and South Africa. His academic credentials include: PhD in Political Science, Columbia University (2001) MA in Political Science, Columbia University (1994) BA in Political Science and Public Administration, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens (1990) Professor Kalyvas's research explores democratic theory and political thought from ancient to contemporary contexts, focusing on sovereignty, constituent power, tyranny, and citizenship. His work bridges jurisprudence, history, and politics with particular emphasis on emergency rule, oligarchic power, and migration. He is currently finalizing Tyranny Legalized: Republicanism, Dictatorship, and the Enemy Within , examining the normalization of authoritarian practices within legal frameworks. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a sustained investigation into democratic foundations amid contemporary crises. His scholarship consistently connects historical political concepts to modern challenges, especially regarding constituent power, democratic breakdowns, and the tension between legal norms and political emergencies. This trajectory demonstrates increasing engagement with postcolonial perspectives and global democratic struggles while maintaining deep roots in classical political theory. His scholarly recognition includes: Laurance S. Rockefeller Visiting Fellowship at Princeton University (2009-2010) Polity Prize for best journal article (2006) Leo Strauss Award for doctoral dissertation excellence (2002) Professor Kalyvas actively mentors graduate students through dissertation supervision and independent studies, with research supported by prestigious fellowships like the Rockefeller award. His teaching portfolio reflects his research expertise, featuring courses on liberalism in crisis, oligarchy, and political thought that examine historical and contemporary power structures. While no formal lab structure is mentioned, his international collaborations and edited volumes with scholars like Federico Finchelstein demonstrate extensive scholarly networks across political theory and continental philosophy.
Xi Lian serves as the David C. Steinmetz Distinguished Professor of World Christianity at Duke Divinity School and is currently a Yang Visiting Scholar at Harvard Divinity School. His scholarly work examines the complex relationship between Christianity and Chinese society across historical periods. His educational background includes: BA and MA from Fujian Normal University PhD from the State University of New York at Albany Professor Lian's research focuses on: The development of indigenous Chinese Christian movements Religious transformation in post-Mao China Christian missionary history in China Religion's role in cultural and political change He has authored several groundbreaking books including The Conversion of Missionaries: Liberalism in American Protestant Missions in China, 1907-1932 (1997), Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China (2010), and Blood Letters: The Untold Story of Lin Zhao, a Martyr in Mao's China (2018). His current research investigates how homegrown Christianity has emerged as a transformative force in contemporary Chinese public life, offering new moral frameworks in the post-Mao era. Professor Lian's scholarship bridges historical, theological, and sociological perspectives to document how Christian beliefs have been adapted within Chinese cultural contexts, challenging Western-centric narratives about global Christianity.
Andrew R. Meyer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation at Baylor University, where he teaches courses in Sport Psychology and Religion and Sport. His academic work bridges the fields of sport sociology, cultural studies, and theology, with a particular focus on the enduring influence of muscular Christianity in American sports. His research interests include: Contemporary American Sport Culture and Religion Muscular Christianity and its modern manifestations Hero-celebrity athletes in popular culture Character development through sport and education Traditional and contemporary Indigenous sport cultures Sport's cultural impact on communities The themes across his publications reveal a consistent exploration of the moral, spiritual, and cultural dimensions of sport. His work analyzes how religious values, particularly those rooted in Christian traditions, shape athlete identity, media narratives, and public perception of sports figures. He has developed the Contemporary Muscular Christian Instrument (2017, 2020) to measure these values across global sport contexts. His articles appear in interdisciplinary journals spanning religion, sociology, public health, and cultural studies, reflecting the broad relevance of his research. Scientific awards and recognitions include: Baylor Teaching Fellow (2017) Dr. Meyer has been active in academic and public discourse, serving as a keynote speaker at international conferences on sport and Christianity and being featured on media outlets such as NPR and the Sport, Faith, Life podcast. His teaching emphasizes character formation in the classroom, aligning with his research on moral development through sport. While specific grant funding is not mentioned, his extensive publication record in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes indicates sustained scholarly productivity. He has contributed to discussions on mega-sport events, cycling culture, and the redemption narratives of fallen athletes like Lance Armstrong. He is affiliated with the College of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation at Baylor University, contributing to both graduate and undergraduate education in sport studies.
Andrew J Fleck is an Associate Professor in the English and Comparative Literature Department at San José State University, affiliated with the College of Humanities and the Arts. He has been teaching since 2001, specializing in Early Modern British Literature with a focus on Dutch-English cultural relations between 1588-1688. Fleck holds a PhD from Claremont Graduate University (2000). His research explores how Dutch figures influenced English literary and cultural imagination, including studies on John Donne, Thomas Nashe, and early modern drama. He has published widely in journals like Studies in Philology and Journal of British Studies , with a particular emphasis on textual analysis, historical narratives, and cross-cultural exchanges. Fleck’s work spans from examining the role of Dutch language performances in early modern theater to analyzing the representation of national identity in texts like The Shoemaker’s Holiday . His recent publications (2013) include studies on John Donne’s engagement with astronomical themes and global adaptations of Macbeth . He maintains an active presence in academic encyclopedias, contributing entries on Milton’s Dutch connections and Renaissance authors. His scholarship bridges literary analysis with historical context, often highlighting how literature reflects political, religious, and cultural tensions of the period. Fleck’s teaching and research reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, integrating historical, linguistic, and cultural methodologies.
Walter Armbrust is a Professor of Modern Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and St Antony's College. His research focuses on the intersection of mass media, popular culture, and political dynamics in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Egypt. Key research areas: Mass media, popular culture, revolutions, anthropology, neoliberalism Current projects: Cultural analysis of post-Mubarak Egypt and historical studies of new media in Egypt (1919-1975) Armbrust explores how media and cultural production reflect and shape political movements, including the January 25th Revolution. His work spans film, television, literature, and digital platforms, emphasizing the role of symbolic narratives in societal change. Recent publications analyze counter-revolutionary dynamics, neoliberalism, and Islamic cultural representation. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on topics including popular culture, social anthropology, and mass media in the Middle East. His academic contributions are linked to Oxford's Middle East Centre and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Asef Bayat is Professor of Sociology and the Catherine and Bruce Bastian Professor of Global and Transnational Studies at the Department of Sociology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He has held previous academic positions at the American University in Cairo, Leiden University (where he held the Chair of Society and Culture of the Modern Middle East), and visiting appointments at UC Berkeley, Columbia University, Oxford, and Brown University. His research interests include: Political Sociology Collective Behavior and Social Movements Sociology of Religion Urban Life and Politics Islam and Modernity Contemporary Middle East Bayat's research focuses on the role of ordinary people and subaltern classes in social and political transformations, particularly in the context of the Arab Spring and Middle Eastern urban movements. His work bridges comparative and historical sociology with global and transnational perspectives, emphasizing everyday forms of resistance and the reconfiguration of political Islam. He has extensively explored the sociological dimensions of revolution, modernity, migration, and loss of home. His recent publications, including articles in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research and Journal of Democracy , reflect a sustained engagement with urban politics, revolutionary dynamics, and youth activism in the Global South. The recurring themes across his work include the agency of marginalized populations, the transformation of public space, and the evolving nature of political engagement in non-Western contexts. Bayat has received numerous honors and fellowships: Guggenheim Fellow Ford Foundation Fellow MacArthur Fellow Open Society Fellow Wissenschaftskolleg Fellow, Berlin He has been actively involved in academic leadership, having served as director of the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM) and elected to the Board of the UN Research Institute for Social Development. He has taught key courses such as Global Social Movements, Global Religion and Politics, and Middle Eastern Societies. Though specific students are not listed, his role as a full professor and author of major works indicates extensive mentorship and academic advising. He is affiliated with multiple interdisciplinary centers, including the Center for African Studies, Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, European Union Center, and Center for Global Studies.
Tomila Lankina is a Professor of Politics and International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE), specializing in democratization, popular protest, and Russian and Eastern European politics. She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and has held research appointments at institutions such as Stanford University and Humboldt University in Berlin. Her work examines historical legacies of social structure and their implications for democracy, inequality, and political regimes. Her groundbreaking book The Estate Origins of Democracy in Russia (Cambridge University Press, 2022) explores how pre-communist social stratification in Russia shapes contemporary political outcomes. The book has received major accolades, including the 2023 J. David Greenstone Prize and Davis Center Book Prize. Lankina’s research also addresses modern issues like Russian media manipulation, post-communist social resilience, and the impact of historical institutions on modern governance. Active in supporting Ukrainian scholars during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lankina co-founded an LSE Taskforce to assist displaced students and researchers. She has been recognized for her excellence in PhD supervision by LSE and has published widely in top journals like the American Political Science Review and World Politics . Her interdisciplinary approach combines historical analysis with contemporary political dynamics, emphasizing the persistence of social hierarchies and their role in shaping autocracy and democracy. Current projects include a book on Russian dissent history and comparative studies of post-colonial and post-communist societies.
Alexandra Walsham is Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Emmanuel College. She previously held roles as Chair of the Faculty of History (2019-2022) and currently serves as President of the Historical Association. Her academic roots include a PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge, following studies at the University of Melbourne and Exeter University. Her research focuses on religious and cultural history of early modern Britain, particularly the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. Key themes include post-Reformation Catholicism, religious tolerance, providence, miracles, the history of the book, and the relationship between religion and landscape. Her work has been supported by grants from the British Academy, AHRC, and the Leverhulme Trust. Walsham has authored award-winning books like Providence in Early Modern England and The Reformation of the Landscape , and edited volumes on topics such as archives, memory, and confessional history. She has delivered prestigious lectures including the Ford Lectures at Oxford (2018) and the Wiles Lectures at Queen’s University Belfast (2024). Her professional service includes editorial roles for Past and Present and the Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History series. She led the AHRC-funded 'Remembering the Reformation' project (2016-2019) and chairs the Early Modern Section of the British Academy. Awarded a CBE in 2017 and an honorary doctorate from Melbourne in 2023, Walsham’s work bridges academic rigor and public engagement, influencing both scholarly discourse and historical education.
Peter Gries is a Professor of Chinese Politics and the Lee Kai Hung Chair at the University of Manchester, serving as the founding Director of the Manchester China Institute. He previously held roles at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Colorado, Boulder. Born in Singapore, he holds degrees from Middlebury, the University of Michigan, and a PhD from UC Berkeley. His research focuses on political psychology, particularly U.S.-China relations and Chinese nationalism, with notable works including China’s New Nationalism and The Politics of American Foreign Policy . He leads initiatives like the UK-China International Photography Award and the UK-China Diplomatic Dialogue. His grants include funding from the Ford Foundation and Smith Richardson Foundation for projects on security dialogues and course development. He sits on editorial boards of The China Quarterly , Political Psychology , and Nations & Nationalism . Recent work explores racial stereotypes, intersectionality, and threat perception in international relations. Education : Bachelor's and Master's in Asian Studies from Middlebury and the University of Michigan PhD in Politics from UC Berkeley Research Interests : Political psychology of international affairs U.S.-China relations Chinese nationalism and foreign policy Public opinion dynamics Grants : $60,000 from Smith Richardson Foundation (2005–2006) Multiple grants from Ford Foundation and Mershon Center for Sino-American Security Dialogues $4,000 from Freeman Foundation for Chinese Foreign Policy course development Media Contributions : Expert commentary on BBC World News, NYT, and CGTN Discussions on U.S.-China trade wars, China’s Japan policy, and global perceptions of China Labs/Institutes : Manchester China Institute Former director of the Institute for US-China Issues at University of Oklahoma
Dotun Ayobade is an Assistant Professor of Performance Studies and Black Studies at Northwestern University. His research focuses on how embodied popular culture shapes community, justice, and activism in postcolonial West Africa, particularly examining the interplay of aesthetics and social performance in Nigeria. He holds a joint appointment across disciplines and has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and Brown University prior to Northwestern. His academic interests include African/Black Performance Theory, African Popular Culture, and the intersection of performance with postcolonial politics. He is currently completing a book on Nigeria’s Afrobeat Queens, analyzing their role in Fela Kuti’s music subculture, under contract with Indiana University Press. This work has earned him prestigious awards, including the University of Texas Continuing Fellowship and Brown University’s Salomon Award. His scholarly contributions span peer-reviewed journals like Dance Research Journal and Journal of African Cultural Studies , with articles exploring topics such as sonic embodiment in Nigerian music and the spatial poetics of protest. He also engages with public discourse through platforms like Africa is a Country , addressing issues like neoliberalism and cultural netizenship. Ayobade’s work bridges performance ethnography, gender studies, and postcolonial theory, emphasizing the agency of marginalized voices in shaping cultural narratives. His research integrates interdisciplinary methods to unpack how performance mediates between individual creativity and collective socio-political realities in Africa and its diasporas.
Joshua B. Guild is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. He is also an Associated Faculty member in the Program in Urban Studies and has been involved with the Center for Digital Humanities. His scholarly work bridges historical research with public engagement and digital innovation. His education includes a PhD in History and African American Studies from Yale University and an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he was a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. Professor Guild's research centers on 20th- and 21st-century African American social and cultural history, urban history, and the modern African diaspora. His interests include migration, black internationalism, black popular music, and the black radical tradition. He is deeply engaged in the digital humanities and public scholarship, organizing seminars and contributing to podcasts and public exhibitions. The recent publications and projects reflect a strong focus on urban Black communities, transnational migration, and cultural politics. Themes include the Great Migration, postwar New York and London, New Orleans after Katrina, and the Black 1980s. His work combines historical analysis with cultural critique and social justice advocacy. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship Ford Foundation Fellowship Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Award Charles Warren Center Fellowship (Harvard University) W.E.B. Du Bois Institute Fellow (Harvard University) Professor Guild has advised graduate students through seminars and collaborative projects, though no individual students are named. He has led initiatives supported by institutional grants, particularly in digital humanities and public engagement. His leadership in the 'Black Studies in the Digital Age' seminar and editorial work on the 'Black 1980s' special issue demonstrates his commitment to advancing the field through interdisciplinary collaboration. He is affiliated with the Program in Urban Studies and the Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton, where he contributes to shaping curricula and research directions in African American Studies and digital scholarship.
Dr. Galina Miazhevich is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) at Cardiff University, UK. Previously, she served as a lecturer at the University of Leicester's School of Media, Communication and Sociology (2013-2017) and as the Gorbachev Media Research Fellow at the University of Oxford (2008-2012). Her academic career focuses on media representations in post-communist contexts, with particular expertise in Russian and Eastern European media landscapes. Dr. Miazhevich earned her PhD from the University of Manchester, where she subsequently worked for two years as a Research Associate on an AHRC-funded project examining representations of Islam as a security threat. Her educational background has informed her research trajectory, which bridges media studies, political communication, and cultural analysis of post-Soviet societies. Dr. Miazhevich's research spans several interconnected domains: media representations of Islam and multiculturalism in Europe; media and democracy in post-communist Europe; gender, media, and emergent forms of post-Soviet identity; feminism; Eurovision and popular culture; and diaspora, transnationalism, and media. Her work consistently examines how media shapes and is shaped by political transitions, identity formation, and social movements in post-Soviet contexts, with particular attention to marginalized voices and resistance practices. Analysis of Dr. Miazhevich's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on resistance, identity, and power dynamics in post-Soviet media environments. Her work increasingly examines gender and sexuality as political categories, particularly through the lens of feminist and LGBTQ+ resistance to authoritarian regimes. The Eurovision Song Contest serves as a recurring analytical framework for understanding cultural diplomacy and nation-branding strategies. More recently, her research has pivoted toward documenting anti-war resistance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, examining how celebrities and media figures navigate political dissent under authoritarian conditions. Dr. Miazhevich has received several notable recognitions for her scholarly contributions: AHRC Leadership grant 'A Quiet Revolution: Discursive Representations of Non-heteronormative Sexuality in Russia' (2018-2020, £250,960) Visiting Fellowship at the Davis Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University (Fall 2023) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Associate Editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Communication (2024) Dr. Miazhevich actively mentors the next generation of scholars, currently co-supervising PhD students Diyana Dobreva (with Professor Martin Innes) and John Tasker (with Professor Paul Bowman). She welcomes PhD proposals in areas including digital culture and resistance, media management and misinformation, media and democracy, representation of minority groups, post-communist identity politics, gender and feminism, Eurovision and popular culture, and geopolitics and nation-branding. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained success in securing competitive research funding, including leadership of an AHRC grant and participation in the Academy of Finland project FEMCORUS (2021-2025). Dr. Miazhevich is deeply engaged with academic communities, serving as co-convenor of the (Digital) Media and Culture group at the British Association for Slavic and East European Studies (BASEES) since 2016 and as a member of the Advisory Board of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) since 2021. Her work extends beyond academia through public engagement, including invited talks at prestigious institutions like Harvard University and participation in policy-relevant events at Chatham House addressing LGBTQ+ politics in Russia.
Dr. Carys Brown is Head of Academic, Personal, and Professional Development at Trinity College and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge. She holds a BA, PGCE, MPhil, and PhD from the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of both the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Historical Society. Her research centers on the social, cultural, and religious history of late seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Britain, with a focus on religious tolerance, inter-confessional relations, and the history of childhood. She is currently developing a project on children and play in England (c.1660–1780), examining how play intersected with social exclusion based on status, gender, and religion. Her recent publications span monographs, articles, and edited volumes, reflecting interdisciplinary engagement with themes such as auditory religious experience, anti-Catholicism, politeness culture, and religious freedom. Her work often analyzes how religious difference shaped social identity and cultural norms in early modern England. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Fellow of the Royal Historical Society She teaches Part 1A papers in Early Modern Britain and the Global Eighteenth Century and convenes a Sources paper on Children and Childhood in Early Modern England. She welcomes dissertation supervision on British social, cultural, and religious history (c.1660–1800). She is also a member of the AHRC-funded research network 'Anti-Catholicism in British history, 1520-1900' at Newcastle University. Dr. Brown has held previous roles as a Research Fellow at Trinity College, Research Associate on the AHRC-funded 'Faith in the Town' project at the University of Manchester, Bye-Fellow in Study Skills at Girton College, and History teacher at Saffron Walden County High School. She has co-edited volumes and contributed to significant scholarly collections on religious coexistence and freedom.
Kevin O'Brien is the Jack M. Forcey Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He specializes in Chinese politics, particularly focusing on contentious politics, protest dynamics, and state-society relations in rural China. His research examines mechanisms of protest control, authoritarian governance, and institutional reforms. O'Brien holds a B.A. from Grinnell College (1979) and a Ph.D. from Yale University (1987). Education: B.A., Grinnell College; Ph.D., Yale University Affiliations: Institute of East Asian Studies, UC Berkeley Research interests include rightful resistance, relational repression, and adaptation strategies under autocratic regimes. He has authored/co-authored influential books such as Rightful Resistance in Rural China and edited volumes on popular protest and grassroots elections in China. Books: Reform Without Liberalization , Popular Protest in China , Grassroots Elections in China Awards include the Sage Award for Best Paper in Comparative Politics (2004). His work integrates fieldwork insights with theoretical frameworks, addressing topics like land expropriation, migrant worker rights, and NGO operational challenges in China's evolving political landscape.
