Faculty & Staff

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

Scott E. Buchanan

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
Kim Smith

Kim Smith

Department Administrative Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-4562
Aleksandra Rudkevich

Aleksandra Rudkevich

Graduate Program Assistant
2-03 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0938

Department Faculty

Scott E. Buchanan

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
Benjamin Clark

Benjamin Clark, Ph.D.

Lecturer of Political Science
2-25 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
  • Political Theory
  • Early American Legal and Political Theory
  • Constitutional Law
Roger Coate

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
Carrie Cook

Carrie Cook, Ph.D

Interim Associate Dean
2-11 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0941
Research
  • Corrections
  • Victimization
  • Fear of Crime
  • Program Evaluation
James Daria

James Daria, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Anthropology
2-02 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
  • Im/migration
  • Farm Labor
  • Popular Music & Culture
  • Mexico & Latin America
Kelley Ditzel

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
Sara Buck Doude

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
Hank Edmondson,

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
Steven Elliott-Gower

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
Blake Emidy

Blake Emidy, A.B.D.

Assistant Professor of Public Administration
2-09 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0969
Research
  • Public Sector Work Motivation
  • Cutback Management
  • Organizational Justice
  • Intersectionality Studies 
Jonathan Grant

Jonathan Grant, Ph.D.

Lecturer of Sociology
2-28 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0973
Research
  • Race, Class, and Place
  • Identity Negotiation
  • Southern Studies
  • Urban and Suburban Spaces
Sandra Godwin

Sandra Godwin, Ph.D.

Sociology Program Coordinator, Professor of Sociology
2-12 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-1900
Research
  • Identity Formation
  • Social Inequality
  • Civic Engagement in Higher Education 
Brandy Kennedy

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
Min Su Kim

Min Su Kim, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Public Administration
2-27 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-4562
Research
  • State and Local Government Financial Management
  • Public Finance and Budgeting
  • Policy and Program Evaluation
  • Quantitative Research Methods
Bradley Koch

Bradley Koch, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Sociology
2-14 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0937
Research
  • Religion
  • Sexuality
  • Higher Education
  • Teaching and Learning
Adam Lamparello

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

 

Alesa Liles

Alesa Liles, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
2-13 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Race, Gender & Crime
  • Criminal Justice Policy
  • Mental Health
Stephanie McClure

Stephanie McClure, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology
2-08 Arts & Sciences Building
2-08 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
  • Sociology of Education
  • Race, Class, and Gender
  • College Student Persistence and Retention
Gennady Rudkevich

Gennady Rudkevich, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Political Science Coordinator
2-24 Arts & Sciences Building
Research
  • International Conflict
  • Russian Politics
  • Central Asian Foreign Policy
  • Elections in Authoritarian Countries
Claire Sanders

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
Ji Seun Sohn

Ji Seun Sohn, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
2-17 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-0940
Research
  • Psychopathy
  • Policing
  • Cross-cultural Studies
Dr. Costas Spirou

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

 

Charles Ubah

Charles Ubah, Ph.D.

Professor of Criminal Justice
2-23 Arts & Sciences Building
(478) 445-7392
Research
  • Penology and Corrections
  • Criminal Justice Policy Studies
  • Comparative Criminal Justice Studies
  • Migrant Populations and Crime
  • Transnational Crime

 

Eryn Viscarra

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
Clif Wilkinson

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
Veronica Womack

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