Department Chair
The department chair, Prof. Taylor Dark, serves as the principal undergraduate advisor, and can be contacted at tdark@calstatela.edu. His office is located in Engineering and Technology (E&T), Rm. A517. Phone: (323) 343-2247.
Core Faculty
Jared Abbott, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
323-343-2235
jabbott3@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Harvard University, 2020
M.A. - New School for Social Research, 2010
Interests:
- Latin American Politics
- Political Participation
- Social Movements
Emily Acevedo, Ph.D.
Professor
323-343-2243
eacevedo3@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Claremont Graduate University, 2008
Interests:
- Latin American Politics
- Comparative and World Politics
- Terrorism and U.S. Counterterrorism
- Social Movements and Revolutionary Movements
Note: Dr. Acevedo is currently on leave from the department, working as Director of Academic and Facilities Planning.
Dr. Acevedo's Web Page
Martin Adamian, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
323-343-2236
madamia2@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Colorado State University, 2006
J.D. - Wayne State University Law School, 1996
Interests:
- Public Law
- Global Environmental Politics
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- InternationalLlaw and Jurisprudence
Gabrielle Clark, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
323-343-2233
gclark@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - New York University, Law & Society, 2014
Interests:
- Immigration Law
- Law and Employment Rights
- Administrative Law
- International Law
- Law and Globalization
- Public Law
- American Political Development
- Labor Migration
Note: Dr. Clark will be on leave during the 2023/2024 academic year visiting the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, and during the 2024/2025 academic year, she will be on leave with a book grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. She will return to full teaching duties in Fall 2025.
Gar Culbert, Ph.D.
Professor
323-343-2241
gculbert@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Virginia, 2010
Interests:
- Political Behavior
- Presidential Nominations and Elections
- American Political Institutions and Development
- Research Methods
- Political Theory
Taylor Dark III, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
323-343-2247
tdark@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of California, Berkeley, 1993
M.Sc. - London School of Economics, 1984
Interests:
- Political Parties and Interest Groups
- Congress and the Presidency
- European Politics
- Labor Policy
Jessica DeShazo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
323-343-2245
deshaz@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Northern Arizona University, 2014
Interests:
- Public Administration
- Public Budgeting
- Environmental Policy and Politics/Natural Resource Management
- Cultural Policy and Administration
Xian Gao, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
323-343-2246
xgao9@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2020
Interests:
- Public Administration
- E-Government
- Performance Management
- Collaborative Government
Chongmyoung Lee, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
323-343-2245
clee140@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - North Carolina State University, 2014
Interests:
- Public and Nonprofit Management
- Performance Measurement and Management
- Quantitative Methods
- Intersectoral Collaboration
Timothy C. Lim, Ph.D.
Professor
323-343-2242
tclim@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Hawaii, Manoa, 1996
M.A. - Columbia University, 1987
Interests:
- Transnational Migration
- Human Trafficking and Smuggling
- Comparative Politics and Development
- Comparative and International Political Economy
- International Relations and U.S. Foreign Policy
- East Asian Politics/Korean Politics
Michael McLendon, Ph.D.
Professor and Graduate Advisor, MA Program
323-343-2284
mmclend2@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Texas, Austin, 2001
MA - Columbia University, 1993
Interests:
- Ancient Political Thought
- Modern Political Thought
- Rousseau
- Critical Theory
- Postmodernism
Marla Parker, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
323-343-2248
mparke17@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Illinois, Chicago, 2014
Interests:
- Public Administration and Management; Public Sector Leadership
- Diversity, Social Equity and Social Justice
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Policy
- Social Networks and Capital
Ellen Shiau, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Ph.D. - University of Southern California, 2012
Phone: 323-343-5826
E-mail: eshiau@calstatela.edu
Office: E&T A514
Interests:
- Public Policy
- Urban Politics
- Civic Engagement
- GIS Methods and Analysis
- Public Administration
Lecturers
Debito Beamer, Ph.D.
323-343-2683
dbeamer@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Meiji Gakuin University, 2014
Interests:
- Politics and Internationalization in Japan
- Racial Discrimination and Immigration
- Comparative Politics
- American Politics
- Critical Thinking and Research Methods
Jeremy Busacca, Ph.D.
323-343-2243
jbusacc@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Claremont Graduate University
Richard Groper
323-343-2233
rgroper@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Southern California
Interests:
- American Politics
- Political Communication
- Campaigns and Elections
Cynthia McMeekin
323-343-2233
cmcmeek2@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Georgia, 2013
Interests:
- International Organizations
- Civil War
- Human Rights
Gregg Santori
gsantor2@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Johns Hopkins University, 2001
Interests:
- Political Theory
- American Politics
Atsuko Sato
323-343-2242
asato@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Hawaii
Interests:
- Comparative Politics
- Quantitative Methods
Dr. Sato's Web Page
Recipient of the Cal State LA 2011 Outstanding Lecturer Award.
Joey Torres
323-343-2683
jtorr256@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - Claremont Graduate University, ABD
M.A. - Claremont Graduate University, 2016
Interests:
- Religion and politics
- Christian right social movements
- American political thought and development
- Voting rights in Indian Country
- Political philosophy (Plato, Locke, and Heidegger)
John Treantafelles
323-343-2683
jtreant@calstatela.edu
Ph.D. - University of Chicago, 1992
Interests:
- Political Philosophy (Classical and Modern)
- American Politics (Public Opinion and Public Policy)
Kim Williams, Ed.D.
323-343-2683
kwilli61@calstatela.edu
Ed.D., Education Leadership - University of California, Davis, 2002
Interests:
- Public Administration
- Organization Theory and Human Behavior
- Ethics in Public Administration
- Nonprofit Governance and Strategy
- Organizational Leadership