Department · vaiu-soc-area-*
Interdisciplinary, regionally grounded study of the world's major areas — their politics, societies, histories, and international connections — in a comparative global frame.
Research areas
Faculty directory
Department chair · Comparative Area Studies
Prof. Marek Kestrel
Global-comparative methodology, transnationalism, and regionalism & world order.
Professor · East Asian Studies
Prof. Vera Kellen
Chinese politics & economy, Japan & Korea studies, and East Asian regional relations.
Professor · Middle Eastern Studies
Prof. Yara Kane
Middle East politics, political Islam, and Gulf & Levant societies.
Professor · African Studies
Prof. Tomas Hollow
African politics & development, post-colonial state formation, and African regional organizations.
Professor · Latin American Studies
Prof. Ayesha Ashby
Latin American politics, inequality & social movements, and regional economies.
Professor · Russian & Eurasian Studies
Prof. Ravi Nolan
Russian politics & foreign policy, post-Soviet transitions, and Central Asian societies.
Professor · South Asian Studies
Prof. Mira Ovid
Indian politics & society, South Asian development, and religion & politics in South Asia.
