The Department of Government and Sociology consists of 25 dedicated full-time faculty, part time faculty and staff who pride themselves on promoting a student-centered learning environment in pursuit of intellectual excellence. As active scholars in their field, our faculty have been recognized with outstanding teaching, research and service awards. Our programs share a commitment to the highest standards of academic quality and faculty work closely with students as teacher-scholars to advance their goals. By embracing our liberal arts mission, we strive to create an academic environment that aims to assist the development of life-long and independent learners.
Administrative Faculty and Staff

Min Su Kim, Ph.D.
Interim Department Chair
CBX: 018
Phone: 478-445-4562
Location: 2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
Email: min.kim@gcsu.edu
Interim Department Chair
CBX: 018
Phone: 478-445-4562
Location: 2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
Email: min.kim@gcsu.edu

Kim Knight
Department Administrative Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4562
kim.knight@gcsu.edu
Department Administrative Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4562
kim.knight@gcsu.edu

Kathryn Weed
Academic Advisor
2nd Floor, Lanier Hall
CBX 115
(478) 445-2763
kathryn.livingston@gcsu.edu
Academic Advisor
2nd Floor, Lanier Hall
CBX 115
(478) 445-2763
kathryn.livingston@gcsu.edu

Aleksandra Rudkevich
Graduate Program Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0938
aleksandra.rudkevich@gcsu.edu
Graduate Program Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0938
aleksandra.rudkevich@gcsu.edu
Department Faculty

Benjamin Clark, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Political Science
2-25 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
benjamin.clark@gcsu.edu
Lecturer of Political Science
2-25 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
benjamin.clark@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Political Theory
- Early American Legal and Political Theory
- Constitutional Law

Roger Coate, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
2-29 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7396
roger.coate@gcsu.edu
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
2-29 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7396
roger.coate@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- International Organization and Global Governance
- Nonstate Actors and Nonprofit Management
- U.S. Multilateral Foreign Policy

Carrie Cook, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
2-11 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0941
carrie.cook@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
2-11 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0941
carrie.cook@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Corrections
- Victimization
- Fear of Crime
- Program Evaluation

Kelley Ditzel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Administration
2-10 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0946
kelley.ditzel@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Public Administration
2-10 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0946
kelley.ditzel@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Education Policy
- Nonprofit Sector
- Race and Class in Education
- Racial Equity
- Program Evaluation

Sara Buck Doude, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Coordinator
2-21 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4257
sara.doude@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Coordinator
2-21 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4257
sara.doude@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Radical Criminological Theory
- Gender/Racial Biases with Criminal Justice
- Interpersonal Violence within Marginalized Groups

Hank Edmondson, Ph.D.
Carl Vinson Endowed Chair of Political Science & Public Administration
2-06 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0943
hank.edmondson@gcsu.edu
Carl Vinson Endowed Chair of Political Science & Public Administration
2-06 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0943
hank.edmondson@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Politics and Literature
- Education Philosophy, Education Reform
- Politics of Spain
- Leadership

Steven Elliott-Gower, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science
215 Terrell Hall
CBX 29
(478) 445-1467
steve.elliott-gower@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Political Science
215 Terrell Hall
CBX 29
(478) 445-1467
steve.elliott-gower@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- Role-playing Simulations
- Student Development and Global Citizenship

Sandra Godwin, Ph.D.
Sociology Program Coordinator
Associate Professor of Sociology
2-12 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-1900
sandra.godwin@gcsu.edu
Sociology Program Coordinator
Associate Professor of Sociology
2-12 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-1900
sandra.godwin@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Identity Formation
- Social Inequality
- Civic Engagement in Higher Education

Brandy Kennedy, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
Political Science Program Coordinator
2-20 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7384
brandy.kennedy@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
Political Science Program Coordinator
2-20 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7384
brandy.kennedy@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Bureaucratic Role Perception and Representation
- Political Behavior and Public Opinion

Min Su Kim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Public Administration
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4562
min.kim@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Public Administration
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-4562
min.kim@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- State and Local Government Financial Management
- Public Finance and Budgeting
- Policy and Program Evaluation
- Quantitative Research Methods

Bradley Koch, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology
2-14 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0937
bradley.koch@gcsu.edu
Associate Professor of Sociology
2-14 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0937
bradley.koch@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Higher Education
- Teaching and Learning

Keith Lee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
2-09 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0969
keith.lee@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
2-09 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0969
keith.lee@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- American Political Institutions
- Public Administration and Policy
- Southern Politics

Alesa Liles, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-13 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
alesa.liles@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-13 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
alesa.liles@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Juvenile Justice
- Race, Gender & Crime
- Criminal Justice Policy
- Mental Health

Stephanie McClure, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
2-08 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-1211
stephanie.mcclure@gcsu.edu
Professor of Sociology
2-08 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-1211
stephanie.mcclure@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Sociology of Education
- Race, Class, and Gender
- College Student Persistence and Retention

Amanda Reinke, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
2-02 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7394
amanda.reinke@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
2-02 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7394
amanda.reinke@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Conflict
- Displacement
- Peacebuilding

Gennady Rudkevich, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
2-24 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
gennady.rudkevich@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Political Science
2-24 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
gennady.rudkevich@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- International Conflict
- Militarization
- International Relations Theory
- Central Asian Foreign Policy

Claire Sanders, M.P.A.
Lecturer of Political Science
2-18 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-5328
claire.sanders@gcsu.edu
Lecturer of Political Science
2-18 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-5328
claire.sanders@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- American Government
- Election Law and Administration
- State and Local Government

Ji Seun Sohn, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-17 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0940
jiseun.sohn@gcsu.edu
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-17 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0940
jiseun.sohn@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Psychopathy
- Policing
- Cross-cultural Studies

Research Interests
- Public Policy and Political Sociology
- Urban Affairs and Governance
- Tourism/Sport and Economic Development
- Mayoral Leadership

Charles Ubah, Ph.D.
Professor of Criminal Justice
2-23 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7392
charles.ubah@gcsu.edu
Professor of Criminal Justice
2-23 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7392
charles.ubah@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Penology and Corrections
- Criminal Justice Policy Studies
- Comparative Criminal Justice Studies
- Migrant Populations and Crime
- Transnational Crime

Eryn Viscarra, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Sociology
2-04 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
478-445-7394
eryn.viscarra@gcsu.edu
Lecturer of Sociology
2-04 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
478-445-7394
eryn.viscarra@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Gender Ideology
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Family
- Emerging Adulthood

Clif Wilkinson, A.B.D.
Senior Lecturer of Political Science & Public Administration
Internship Coordinator
2-22 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0958
wc.wilkinson@gcsu.edu
Senior Lecturer of Political Science & Public Administration
Internship Coordinator
2-22 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-0958
wc.wilkinson@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Public Management
- Public Policy and Evaluation
- E-Government
- Politics in Film

Veronica Womack, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
Smith House
CBX 04
(478) 445-4233
veronica.womack@gcsu.edu
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
Smith House
CBX 04
(478) 445-4233
veronica.womack@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Agricultural Policy
- Southern Black Belt Region
- Rural African American Sociopolitical Experience
- Regional Persistent Poverty

Leah Youngblood, M.A.
Lecturer in Sociology
2-27 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7393
leah.youngblood@gcsu.edu
Lecturer in Sociology
2-27 Arts & Sciences Building
CBX 18
(478) 445-7393
leah.youngblood@gcsu.edu
Research Interests
- Gender
- Health Inequalities
- Sexualities
- Western Beauty Standards