Department faculty (tenured/tenure track) in May 2023: from left, Timothy Lim, Gabrielle Clark, Gar Culbert, Jessica DeShazo, Xian Gao, Marla Parker, Michael McLendon, Taylor Dark (Chair), Chongmyoung Lee, and Martin Adamian. Not pictured are Professors Ellen Shiau and Jared Abbott.
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
jdeshaz@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