Political Science
Sue Davis
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Professor Davis joined the faculty in 2002, holding a doctorate from Emory University. Davis courses include
Introduction to Comparative Politics of Developed States, Politics of Russia
(appropriate for Lugar Program), Politics in Eastern Europe, Ethnic
Conflict/Ethnic Peace and Analyzing Politics. Dr. Davis has published a number
of articles and two books on topics in Russia and the Caucasus. Her current
research interests include security issues in the Republic of Georgia
(Sakartvelo) and media monitoring of elections in the Caucasus and Central
Asia.
Teaching at Denison
Personal
My undergraduate degree is from UNLV (1987), however, most of my undergraduate course work was completed at the University of Minnesota. While at UNLV, I had a lot of mentors but most importantly Dina Titus who convinced me to go to graduate school (Dina is currently in the Nevada Legislature. I earned my Masters at UNLV (1989) as well focusing on international relations and comparative politics. My Masters thesis was on political change in the Baltic states. At Dina's suggestion, I applied to PhD programs. I chose to go to Emory University in Atlanta. From 1989 until 1996, I studied at Emory to earn my doctorate. At Emory, once again, I found mentors who helped me through the program. Most notably Karen O'Connor (now at American University) who supported me in numerous ways throughout my years at Emory for which I will always be thankful. In addition, Dr. Thomas F. Remington was my dissertation advisor and an extremely excellent editor who greatly increased the quality of my dissertation. My dissertation, which was substantially revised into my first book, was on trade unions in Russia and Ukraine from 1985-1995.
During my years at Emory, I received a number of grants and fellowships that enabled me to spend a substantial amount of time in Georgia, Russia and Ukraine doing field work. I also taught as an adjunct at local universities such as Georgia Tech and Oglethorpe.
My first tenure track job was at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Both my kids were born in Michigan. I then spent three years at the American Political Science Association in Washington, DC before arriving at Denison in Fall 2002. I have been an adjunct professor for the Air Force Special Operations School/Joint Special Ops University since 1996.
My teaching interests include geographic/cultural areas like Russia, the Caucasus, and Europe - broadly defined with a focus on central and eastern Europe - as well as thematic and theoretical interests in ethnic conflict, political institutions, civil society, elections, and regime types. I enjoy learning new things and recently offered a senior seminar on Terrorism, a new area for me that I hope to pursue further.
- "Russian Trade Unions: Where are they in the Former Workers' State?" in Al Evans, Lisa McIntosh-Sundstrom, and Laura Henry. Civil Society in Russia. ME Sharpe, 2005.
- "Media monitoring from the European Institute for the Media: Analyzing the Reports on Georgia: 1991-2000." paper presented at the British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies. Cambridge University, UK. April 2004.
- "The Russian Far East: The Last Frontier." London: Routledge, 2003.
- Trade Unions in Russia and Ukraine, 1985-1995. Palgrave/St Martin's Press, 2001.
- "The First to Fall: Nazdratenko's Ouster and the Future of Russian Federalism." ACE: Analysis of Current Events. Summer 2001
- "The Importance of Being Ethnic: Minorities in Post Soviet States. The Case of Russians in Kazakstan." with Steven O. Sabol. Nationalities Papers. Fall 1998
- "Elections, Legitimacy, Media and Democracy: The Case of Georgia." Nationalities Papers 36, July 2008. pp. 471-487
- European Institute for the Media Election Monitoring Project with Sarah Oates (University of Glasgow)
- Georgia: Insecurity and Instability in the Caucasus