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.
Department of Government and Sociology
Administrative Faculty and Staff
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Scott E. Buchanan, PhD.
Department Chair, Professor of Political Science.
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
478-445-4562
Research
- Southern Politics
- American Politics
- State and Local Government
Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Finland Bicentennial Chair in American Studies, 2019-2020
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Kim Smith
Department Administrative Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-4562
Department Faculty
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Scott E. Buchanan, PhD.
Department Chair, Professor of Political Science.
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
478-445-4562
Research
- Southern Politics
- American Politics
- State and Local Government
Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Finland Bicentennial Chair in American Studies, 2019-2020
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Benjamin Clark, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Political Science
2-25 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
- Political Theory
- Early American Legal and Political Theory
- Constitutional Law
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Roger Coate, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
2-29 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-7396
Research
- International Organization and Global Governance
- Nonstate Actors and Nonprofit Management
- U.S. Multilateral Foreign Policy
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Carrie Cook, Ph.D
Professor of Criminal Justice
2-11 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0941
Research
- Corrections
- Victimization
- Fear of Crime
- Program Evaluation
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James Daria, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
2-02 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
- Im/migration
- Farm Labor
- Popular Music & Culture
- Mexico & Latin America
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Kelley Ditzel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Administration
2-10 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0946
Research
- Education Policy
- Nonprofit Sector
- Race and Class in Education
- Community Based Service Learning
- Program Evaluation
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Sara Buck Doude, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice Coordinator
2-21 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-4257
Research
- Radical Criminological Theory
- Gender/Racial Biases with Criminal Justice
- Interpersonal Violence within Marginalized Groups
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Hank Edmondson, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
2-06 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0943
Research
- Politics and Literature
- Education Philosophy, Education Reform
- Politics of Spain
- Leadership
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Steven Elliott-Gower, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science
3-19 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-1467
Research
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- Role-playing Simulations
- Student Development and Global Citizenship
- Global Governance
- Global Civic Literacy
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Sandra Godwin, Ph.D.
Sociology Program Coordinator
2-12 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-1900
Research
- Identity Formation
- Social Inequality
- Civic Engagement in Higher Education
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Brandy Kennedy, Ph.D.
Carl Vinson Endowed Chair of Political Science & Public Administration, Public Administration Program Coordinator
2-20 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-7384
Research
- Bureaucratic Role Perception and Representation
- Political Behavior and Public Opinion
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Min Su Kim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Public Administration
2-27 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-7393
Research
- State and Local Government Financial Management
- Public Finance and Budgeting
- Policy and Program Evaluation
- Quantitative Research Methods
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Bradley Koch, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology
2-14 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0937
Research
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Higher Education
- Teaching and Learning
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Adam Lamparello, J.D.
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-19 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
- Constitutional Law
- Constitutional Interpretation
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Appellate Advocacy
- Legal writing & Pedagogy
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Alesa Liles, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
2-13 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
- Juvenile Justice
- Race, Gender & Crime
- Criminal Justice Policy
- Mental Health
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Stephanie McClure, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology, Sociology Program Coordinator
2-08 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
- Sociology of Education
- Race, Class, and Gender
- College Student Persistence and Retention
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Claire Sanders, M.P.A.
Senior Lecturer of Political Science
2-18 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-5328
Research
- American Government
- Election Law and Administration
- State and Local Government
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Costas Spirou, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Parks Hall
Research
- Public Policy and Political Sociology
- Urban Affairs and Governance
- Tourism/Sport and Economic Development
- Mayoral Leadership
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Charles Ubah, Ph.D.
Professor of Criminal Justice
2-23 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-7392
Research
- Policy Studies with focus on Criminal Justice Policy and Program
- Penology and Corrections
- Organized Crime
- Transnational Crime
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
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Eryn Viscarra, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Sociology
2-04 Arts & Sciences Building
478-445-7394
Research
- Gender Ideology
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Family
- Emerging Adulthood
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Clif Wilkinson, A.B.D.
Senior Lecturer of Political Science & Public Administration, Internship Coordinator
2-22 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0958
Research
- Public Management
- Public Policy and Evaluation
- E-Government
- Politics in Film
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Veronica Womack, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science & Public Administration
Miller Gym
(478) 445-4233
Research
- Agricultural Policy
- Southern Black Belt Region
- Rural African American Sociopolitical Experience
- Regional Persistent Poverty
Emeriti Faculty
Michael Digby
Political Science
Larry Elowtiz
Political Science
Robin Harris
Sociology
Ralph Hemphill
Political Science
Richard Scheff
Criminal Justice

Scott E. Buchanan, PhD.
Research
- Southern Politics
- American Politics
- State and Local Government
Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Finland Bicentennial Chair in American Studies, 2019-2020

Kim Smith

Scott E. Buchanan, PhD.
Research
- Southern Politics
- American Politics
- State and Local Government
Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Finland Bicentennial Chair in American Studies, 2019-2020

Benjamin Clark, Ph.D.
Research
- Political Theory
- Early American Legal and Political Theory
- Constitutional Law

Roger Coate, Ph.D.
Research
- International Organization and Global Governance
- Nonstate Actors and Nonprofit Management
- U.S. Multilateral Foreign Policy

Carrie Cook, Ph.D
Research
- Corrections
- Victimization
- Fear of Crime
- Program Evaluation

James Daria, Ph.D
Research
- Im/migration
- Farm Labor
- Popular Music & Culture
- Mexico & Latin America

Kelley Ditzel, Ph.D.
Research
- Education Policy
- Nonprofit Sector
- Race and Class in Education
- Community Based Service Learning
- Program Evaluation

Sara Buck Doude, Ph.D.
Research
- Radical Criminological Theory
- Gender/Racial Biases with Criminal Justice
- Interpersonal Violence within Marginalized Groups

Hank Edmondson, Ph.D.
Research
- Politics and Literature
- Education Philosophy, Education Reform
- Politics of Spain
- Leadership

Steven Elliott-Gower, Ph.D.
Research
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- Role-playing Simulations
- Student Development and Global Citizenship
- Global Governance
- Global Civic Literacy

Sandra Godwin, Ph.D.
Research
- Identity Formation
- Social Inequality
- Civic Engagement in Higher Education

Brandy Kennedy, Ph.D.
Research
- Bureaucratic Role Perception and Representation
- Political Behavior and Public Opinion

Min Su Kim, Ph.D.
Research
- State and Local Government Financial Management
- Public Finance and Budgeting
- Policy and Program Evaluation
- Quantitative Research Methods

Bradley Koch, Ph.D.
Research
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Higher Education
- Teaching and Learning

Adam Lamparello, J.D.
Research
- Constitutional Law
- Constitutional Interpretation
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Appellate Advocacy
- Legal writing & Pedagogy

Alesa Liles, Ph.D.
Research
- Juvenile Justice
- Race, Gender & Crime
- Criminal Justice Policy
- Mental Health

Stephanie McClure, Ph.D.
Research
- Sociology of Education
- Race, Class, and Gender
- College Student Persistence and Retention

Claire Sanders, M.P.A.
Research
- American Government
- Election Law and Administration
- State and Local Government

Costas Spirou, Ph.D.
Research
- Public Policy and Political Sociology
- Urban Affairs and Governance
- Tourism/Sport and Economic Development
- Mayoral Leadership

Charles Ubah, Ph.D.
Research
- Policy Studies with focus on Criminal Justice Policy and Program
- Penology and Corrections
- Organized Crime
- Transnational Crime
- International Criminal Court (ICC)

Eryn Viscarra, Ph.D.
Research
- Gender Ideology
- Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Family
- Emerging Adulthood

Clif Wilkinson, A.B.D.
Research
- Public Management
- Public Policy and Evaluation
- E-Government
- Politics in Film

Veronica Womack, Ph.D.
Research
- Agricultural Policy
- Southern Black Belt Region
- Rural African American Sociopolitical Experience
- Regional Persistent Poverty