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Tidings from the Director
"The 'Hollow Men' and United States Democracy"
Accomplishments
Brad Stephens
Max Stephenson, Jr.
Chris Stephenson
Yugasha Bakshi
Raj GC
Nicole Nunoo
Melony Price-Rhodes
Molly Todd
Jake Keyel
Neda Moayerian
Lesly Joseph
Laura Zanotti
Scutt Ricot
Project Updates
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Maré Research Group
- Climate, Heat and Health Summit: Perspectives from Southwest Virginia
- STARS Central Appalachian Peer Partnership (CAPP) Launches the Peer Support Specialist Data Registry
Conferences & Events
- Seattle Health King County Site Visit
- 2023 American Public Health Association Conference
- VTIPG Invites You to Our Spring Open House!
Announcements & Opportunities
- Megan Notter Joins VTIPG
- National Low Income Housing Coalition
- Dr. Theo Lim Seeks an Undergraduate Research Assistant
- People of IPG Featuring Drs. Bryce Hoflund and Vanessa Guerra
- VTIPG Welcomes Dr. Ariel Otruba as a Non-Resident Research Associate
- Cratis D. Williams/James S. Brown Service Award
- YWCA Northeast Tennessee Powerhouse Community Wellness and Resource Center Hiring
Commentaries, Essays & Publications
- Soundings
- Five Pieces Worth Reading
- Recent Books
- Recent Articles and Conference Papers
Faculty Spotlight
Yannis Stivachtis, Professor of Political Science and Jean Monnet Chair, Virginia Tech
Graduate Student Spotlight
Quinn Richards, Graduate Research Assistant, Master's Student in Public Health
Alumni Spotlight
Eric Hodges, Associate Professor of Political Science, Longwood University
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TIDINGS FROM THE DIRECTOR | | |
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"The 'Hollow Men' and United States Democracy"
BY MAX O. STEPHENSON, JR.
Director, Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance
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As I have been considering the larger arc in our nation’s governance as a part of our work here at the Institute, I have been thinking of T. S. Eliot’s post-World War I masterpiece, “The Hollow Men.” I believe it serves as an apt metaphor for what is occurring in Republican Party politics today. Here is the poem for reference.
The Hollow Men
T.S. Eliot
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form shade without colour,
Paralyzed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes to death's other Kingdom
Remember us—if at all—not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
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Brad Stephens, Institute graduate assistant and PhD student in Planning, Governance and Globalization (PGG), successfully passed his qualifying review on November 30. The next step of his dissertation process will be the preliminary exam. Special thanks to his committee: Chair, IPG Director, and Professor, School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr., SPIA Assistant Professor Dr. Theo Lim, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Professor Dr. Marc Stern, and Sociology Professor Dr. Kwame Harrison.
Brad, Dr. Stephenson, and Chris Stephenson (President of Saint Paul's College 4 Life) also had their article, "The Black Radical Imagination in a Rural Forgotten Space", published in MetroPolitics January 16. You may find the article here.
Congratulations, all!
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Yugasha Bakshi, PhD student in the Planning, Governance, and Globalization (PGG) program, successfully defended her preliminary examination on December 7. Her next step is the dissertation proposal defense. Special thanks to her committee: Chair and Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning (UAP), Dr. Ralph Hall, IPG Institute Director and Professor, School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr., Professor Emeritus, UAP and SPIA, Dr. Kris Wernstedt, and Assistant Professor, Population Health Sciences, Dr. Alasdair Cohen.
Yugasha also serves as a co-host for the Social Science for Public Good podcast, along with fellow PGG PhD student Brad Stephens.
Congratulations, Yugasha!
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Dr. Raj GC, alumnus of the Planning, Governance, and Globalization (PGG) PhD program (2020), participated in the Fall 2023 Graduate Commencement on December 15th at Cassell Coliseum at Virginia Tech. VTIPG Director Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr., who served as a committee member for Dr. GC's doctoral advisory committee, was honored to serve as his hooding faculty for this occasion.
During his PhD program, Dr. GC was engaged with the Community Change Collaborative and participated in the Trustees without Borders podcast series.
Congratulations, Raj!
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Dr. Nicole Nunoo, alumna of the Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education (ALCE) PhD program (2023), participated in the Fall 2023 Graduate Commencement on December 15th at Cassell Coliseum at Virginia Tech. Her doctoral committee chair, Dr. Kim Niewolny, Professor, Agricultural, Leadership and Community Education and Director, Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, was honored to serve as her hooding faculty. VTIPG Director Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr. also served as a committee member of Dr. Nunoo's doctoral advisory committee.
Dr. Nunoo is currently serving at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate addressing Human Dimensions of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices in the Social Sustainability of Agriculture and Food Systems lab of Dr. Jennifer Jo Thompson in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.
Congratulations, Nicole!
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Dr. Melony Price-Rhodes, Senior Program Director of the Family Research Unit (FRU) in Fairfax County, retired December 31. The goal of the FRU team is to assist in securing all relevant support from federal entitlement and state programs to maximize the services provided to children in foster care in the county. Dr. Price-Rhodes served as the program's director since 2002 and worked with the County for more than 30 years. We thank her for her many contributions to the County's children, the Institute, and Virginia Tech and wish her a very happy retirement.
Congratulations, Melony!
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Dr. Molly Todd, alumna of the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPECT) PhD program ('23) began her academic career as a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder on January 15th. She is serving in the International Affairs and Sociology departments. Her initial appointment is for 2.5 years and can be renewed.
VTIPG Director Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr. served as committee co-chair for Dr. Todd's doctoral dissertation alongside Dr. Laura Zanotti of the Department of Political Science. During her time as a student, Dr. Todd was involved in the Community Change Collaborative and the Maré Research Group. She also helped to bring The Frontera Project to Virginia Tech.
Congratulations, Molly!
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Dr. Jake Keyel, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Rowan University, will be participating in a conversation with representatives of the International Society on Third-Sector Research concerning his recently published book, Resettled Iraqi Refugees in the United States: War, Refuge, Belonging, Participation, and Protest (Berghahn Books, 2023) on Wednesday January 24 at 10 am EST. You may find registration details here.
Dr. Keyel joined the faculty at Rowan at the start of the 2023-24 academic year, where he will continue his research and teaching on conflict, migration and refugee resettlement.
Dr. Keyel is also an editorial board member of The Sociological Review Journal, serving a five-year term. VTIPG Director Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr. served as the chair of his doctoral advisory committee (2019). During his PhD program, Dr. Keyel was also engaged with Community Voices, now the Community Change Collaborative, and he co-founded the graduate student journal, Community Change.
Congratulations, Jake!
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Drs. Max Stephenson Jr. and Neda Moayerian, members of the Maré Research Group, collaborated on a recently published article, "Storytelling, Performing Arts, and Collective Capacity in One Rio Favela" in the Journal of Social, Political, and Community Agendas in the Arts. You may read their article here.
Dr. Stephenson, Dr. Moayerian, and Brad Stephens also had their paper, "Revisiting the Social Role of Radical Imagination Amidst Widespread Democratic Erosion" accepted for presentation at the 16th International Conference of the International Society for Third Sector Research. The University of Antwerp in Belgium will host the conference from July 16-19, 2024.
Congratulations, all!
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Lesly Joseph, Dean of Agronomy, University of Fondwa (UNIF), Drs. Max Stephenson Jr. and Laura Zanotti, Professor, Virginia Tech Department of Political Science and Scutt Ricot, Vice-Rector of Research and Development, University of Fondwa collaborated on a recently published article, "Sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty in Haiti: Sharing knowledge and shaping understanding of food systems at the University of Fondwa" in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. You may read their article here.
The article is the latest in a long collaboration between Drs. Stephenson and Zanotti, the Institute and UNIF faculty and students. Drs. Stephenson and Zanotti and VTIPG, for example, hosted Dean Joseph and Thomas Moteler, Vice Rector for University Affairs at UNIF, for a workshop series in Fall 2022.
Congratulations, all!
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Dr. Desireé Poets, Assistant Professor of Political Science, was featured in the December 12 edition of VT News along with the Institute, Community Change Collaborative, and members of the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPECT) program for their work with the Maré Research Group. The project aims to address the overarching misrepresentation of Maré residents in one of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's favelas (informal, working-class neighborhoods), and the foundational roots of that narrative. You may find the article here.
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Climate, Heat and Health Summit: Perspectives from Southwest Virginia | |
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Team members of the NOAA Heat Ready, Roanoke! project are planning a full-day conference focused on heat and health in the Roanoke Valley. The event will feature clinicians, scientists, scholars, and community partners with a focus on the latest research in climate science, urban heat issues in Roanoke, impacts on health in Virginia, current resources available, and what clinicians and healthcare professionals can do to help protect their patients and communities. The conference will be held on June 22, 2024, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Institute Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships Dr. David Moore and Community-Based Learning Research Manager Lara Nagle continue to serve as program evaluators for the project.
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STARS Central Appalachian Peer Partnership (CAPP) Launches the Peer Support Specialist Data Registry | |
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The purpose of the CAPP Data Registry is to learn more about the roles and activities of Peer Support Specialists (PSS) in Central Appalachia, including those working with patients/clients utilizing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). The CAPP Data Registry will eventually include more than 1,000 Peer Support Specialists and will allow STARS to do more in-depth research on the science of peer recovery support. The goal of this project is to understand better the roles and challenges of PSS professionals, while also charting their important impacts in the recovery process. Individuals eligible to participate can join the data registry here.
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Seattle Health King County Site Visit | |
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Laura York, Public Health Program and Policy Research Associate, traveled to Seattle, Washington from October 22-25 to gain insight into several programs that relate to the goals and objectives of the Connection to Care Project (C2C) for which she serves as a Co-Principal Investigator. The initiative is funded by Combating Overdose Through Community-Level Intervention (COCLI). The C2C project supports an array of public health and applied research interventions and evaluations including quantitative and qualitative data collection, data analysis, and reporting.
During her visit, Laura shadowed several leaders of the Seattle Health King County Hepatitis Education Project (HEP). HEP operates a comprehensive harm reduction site with services such as needle exchange, access to Naloxone and Narcan, first aid/wound assessment, safe use consultation and overdose prevention education, and other infectious disease prevention. It is also one of the leaders in the country for piloting drug checking services. Those include fentanyl test strips and machine testing via an fourier-transform infrared spectrometer.
Through the Public Health—Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Community Drug Checking Pilot project—officials hope to show that increasing awareness of fentanyl contamination in the drug supply reduces risk by prompting individuals either not to use the substance, use potentially harmful substances more slowly, use with others who have access to Naloxone, or change their purchasing behaviors. They also hope to show increased engagement with other services. By learning from leaders in the field, IPG hopes to gain insight on how similar approaches could be implemented in the Roanoke Valley and elsewhere in the region.
Photo: Laura York. Photo Credit: Laura York.
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2023 American Public Health Association Conference | |
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VTIPG Graduate Research Assistant Quinn Richards attended the 2023 American Public Health Association Conference in November to present findings from interviews with individuals from vulnerable groups in the New River Valley regarding their experience during COVID-19. They served as one of the authors of the article, "People of a Pandemic," which was published in the Institute's Community Change Journal. You may find the link to the article in the publications section below.
Photo: Quinn Richards. Photo Credit: Quinn Richards.
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VTIPG Invites You to Our Spring Open House! | |
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We are pleased to announce our spring open house will occur on Thursday, March 28, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at 201 West Roanoke Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24060. We hope you can stop by for lunch and conversation.
We will send event updates via the IPG email listserv. Please contact Billy Parvatam for more information (pbilly97@vt.edu).
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ANNOUNCEMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES | |
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Megan Notter has joined VTIPG as our Grant and Fiscal Manager. Megan will lead fiscal, administrative, and logistical support for research projects at the Institute, as well as special events and initiatives.
Megan comes to the Institute from Seattle, Washington, where she worked in various roles in the child welfare system for 15 years. Most recently, she supervised Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) in the King County Superior Court Dependency CASA Program and supported those in providing best interest advocacy for foster children. Megan is originally from the Blacksburg area and is excited to be back home and working with the Institute! VTIPG expresses its sincere gratitude to SPIA's Business Manager Heather Nolen for her terrific assistance during this fiscal personnel transition.
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National Low Income Housing Coalition | |
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The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) seeks a research analyst to assist with the coalition's research on the housing needs of low-income renters and policy responses. Required qualifications for the position include a bachelor's degree (master's degree preferred) and at least one year of experience in research and/or public policy.
The NLIHC is also providing several internship opportunities for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. Interested applicants for both the full-time and internship positions may find additional information here.
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Dr. Theo Lim Seeks an Undergraduate Research Assistant | |
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Dr. Theo Lim, Assistant Professor in the School of Public and international Affairs, is looking for an undergraduate research assistant for this coming summer (May-September 2024), to work on his National Science Foundation-funded CIVIC Innovation project: "H.O.P.E. for Heat Resilience." H.O.P.E. is an acronym for Healing Our People with Empathy. The project aims to design and evaluate a model to plan for community resilience collaboratively that involves youth and grassroots engagement. The project will demonstrate this method for planning for higher temperatures associated with global climate change in Roanoke, VA.
Undergraduates interested in community engagement, youth/arts in planning, and urban climate resilience are encouraged to apply. The position will be supported at $18/hr., 30 hours/week for 14 weeks. Dr. Lim will begin reviewing applications on January 22. If you have additional questions, please reach out to him at tclim@vt.edu.
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People of IPG Featuring Drs. Bryce Hoflund and Vanessa Guerra | |
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IPG is pleased to share the latest installment of the People of IPG series featuring Research Scientist Dr. Bryce Hoflund, who rejoined the Institute after a career as a tenured faculty member in Nebraska. Dr. Hoflund discusses her career at IPG and more in this conversation with Communications Coordinator Billy Parvatam here.
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We are also pleased to share a conversation with Dr. Vanessa Guerra, Assistant Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at the University of Virginia's School of Architecture and VTIPG Non-Resident Research Associate. Dr. Guerra rejoined the Institute in an official capacity after graduating with a PhD from Virginia Tech in Environmental Design and Planning in 2020. You may find that discussion here.
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VTIPG Welcomes Dr. Ariel Otruba as a Non-Resident Research Associate | |
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Dr. Ariel Otruba, Feminist Political Geographer and faculty member in the Department of Historical and Political Studies at Arcadia University, has joined the Institute as a Non-Resident Research Associate. This appointment follows her visit to Blacksburg in October 2023 during which she presented the traveling photographic exhibition entitled, "Violent Infrastructure: Ecologies of Decay and Displacement." You may read more concerning her appointment here.
Photo: Dr. Ariel Otruba. Photo Credit: Ariel Otruba
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Cratis D. Williams/James S. Brown Service Award | |
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The Appalachian Studies Association is now accepting nominations for the Cratis D. Williams/James S. Brown Service Award. The award is given to an individual who has made exemplary contributions to Appalachia, Appalachian studies, and/or the Appalachian Studies Association. The nomination deadline is January 31. You may find more information here.
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YWCA Northeast Tennessee Powerhouse Community Wellness and Resource Center Hiring | |
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YWCA Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is hiring a Director for the Powerhouse Community Wellness and Resource Center in Glade Spring, VA, a facility that will empower families in SWVA and also assist in providing programming that serves families and individuals dealing with substance use. You may find additional information about that position and all of their available openings here.
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COMMENTARIES, ESSAYS & PUBLICATIONS | |
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Five Pieces Worth Reading
A weekly news summary series curated by VTIPG Communications Coordinator Billy Parvatam that can be accessed here.
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Recent Books
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Nicholas Barnes, Desiree Poets, Max Stephenson Jr., Eds. Maré from the Inside: Arts, Culture and Politics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2021.
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This book also was published in Portuguese, Maré de Dentro, A exposição | Favelas do Rio de Janeiro | Complexo da Maré | Policiamento no Rio de Janeiro, Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2021.
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Max Stephenson Jr. and Cathy Grimes, Eds. Conversations in Community Change: More Voices from the Field. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2023.
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Max Stephenson Jr. and Lyusyena Kirakosyan, Eds., Re: Reflections and Explorations: Volume 3. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech Publishing, 2023.
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Max Stephenson Jr. and Yannis A. Stivachtis, Eds., Policy and Politics of the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Eastern Mediterranean States: National and Institutional Perspectives, E-International Relations, Bristol, U.K., 2023.
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Recent Articles and Conference Papers
Journal Articles
Published
Andrea Briceno Mosquera. (2023). "Admissions Officers' Perceptions When Undocumented Students Seek In-State Resident Tuition Policy." Educational Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048231201789
Andrea Briceno Mosquera. (2023). "They asked for more, more and more paperwork:' Administrative Burdens When Undocumented Youth Claim In-State Resident Tuition Policy Benefits." Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737231182672
Andrea Briceno Mosquera. (2023). "Learning, Compliance, and Psychological Burdens when Undocumented Youth claim In-State Tuition Policy." Research in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-023-09749-4
Elizabeth Bucklen. (2023). "Book Review: Set the World on Fire: Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom." Community Change, 4(2), 2.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/cc.v4i2.a.46
Mary Beth Dunkenberger, David Moore, Lara Nagle, and Sam Rasoul. (2023). Building a Recovery Ecosystem for the Catawba Region. Richmond Public Interest Law Review, 27(1). https://scholarship.richmond.edu/pilr/vol27/iss1/5/
Lesly Joseph, Max Stephenson Jr., Laura Zanotti, and Scutt Ricot. (2023). "Sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty in Haiti: sharing knowledge and shaping understanding of food systems at the University of Fondwa." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1230763
Lia Kelinsky-Jones, Kim Niewolny, and Max Stephenson, Jr. (2023). "Building Agroecological Traction: Engaging discourse, the Imaginary, and Critical Praxis for Food System Transformation." Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1128430
Molly Kwitny, Quinn Richards, Natalie Cann, Jasmine Lewis, Kayla Vaught, Arushi Bejoy, Fernanda Gutierrez Matos, Grace DiGirolamo, Chloe Loving, Teagan Neveldine, Sakina Weekes, and Sophie Wenzel. (2023). “People of a Pandemic.” Community Change 4(2): 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/cc.v4i2.a.51
Farhad Hassan Abdullah Mamshai. (2023). “Climate Change as a Threat Multiplier”: Security and Communal Implications for Iraq." Community Change, 4(2), 1.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/cc.v4i2.a.41
Neda Moayerian, Max Stephenson Jr., Muddather Jameel-Abu Karaki and Renad Abbadi (2023). "Exploring Syrian Refugees' Access to Medical and Social Support Services Using a Trauma-Informed Analytic Framework," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 2031. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032031.
Neda Moayerian, Desiree Poets, Max Stephenson, Jr., Cathy Grimes (2023). "The Arts and Individual and Collective Agency: A Brazilian Favela Case Study." Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies. 10(4), 58–80. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1407
Aditya Sai Phutane (2023). "Communication of Uncertainty in AI Regulations." Community Change, 4(2), 3.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/cc.v4i2.a.50
Desiree Poets, Cathy Grimes, Max Stephenson, Jr., Neda Moayerian. (2023). "Community Capacity, Agency, and Community Newspapers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case from the Global South," World Development Perspectives. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452292923000243?dgcid=author
Brad Stephens, Max Stephenson, Jr., Chris Stephenson. (2024). "The Black Radical Imagination in a Rural Forgotten Space," MetroPolitics. https://metropolitics.org/The-Black-Radical-Imagination-in-a-Rural-Forgotten-Space.html
Max Stephenson Jr. and Neda Moayerian (2024). "Storytelling, Performing Arts, and Collective Capacity in One Rio Favela." The International Journal of Social, Political and Community Agendas in the Arts 19 (1): 75-95. doi:10.18848/2326-9960/CGP/v19i01/75-95.
Conference Papers
Eric Bendfeldt, Kim Niewolny, Max Stephenson, Jr., Tom Archibald, and Anne Stewart. "The Ecotonal Nature of Community Food Work: A Case Study of Trauma-Informed Care and Mutual Aid for Social and Health Equity," for 2023 Joint Annual Conference of: The Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS), Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society (AFHVS), Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS), Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition (SAFN), May 31-June 3, 2023, Boston, Massachusetts.
Max Stephenson, Jr., Neda Moayerian, Vanessa Guerra, and Desiree Poets. "Countering Persistent Alterity: Fostering Advocacy and Agency," for the 15th annual conference of the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, May 29-31, 2023, Toronto, Canada.
Max Stephenson Jr., Neda Moayerian, and Desiree Poets. "Storytelling, Performing Arts and Collective Capacity in One Rio Favela," for annual conference of the International Studies Association, March 15-18, 2023, Montreal, Canada.
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Dr. Yannis Stivachtis is a Professor of Political Science and Affiliated Faculty of the Government & International Affairs (GIA) Program in the School of Public & International Affairs (SPIA) at Virginia Tech. He is the holder of the Jean Monnet Chair and directs the Center for European & Transatlantic Studies (CEUTS), which has been designated by the European Commission as a Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. He also serves as editor of Routledge’s Critical European Studies Book Series; co-editor of the Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies; Chair of the European Constitution Network’s Working Group on EU’s Foreign, Security and Defense Policy (CFSP/CSDP); External Expert for the Research Executive Agency (REA) of the European Commission; External Expert for the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) of the Greek Ministry of Education; Senior Advisor for the Center for European & Mediterranean Affairs (CEMA) of the Athens Institute for Education & Research (ATINER); and Senior Advisor of the Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS).
Professor Stivachtis holds a PhD in Politics and an MA in International Relations & Strategic Studies from Lancaster University (UK) and a Graduate Certificate in International Law (with specialization in the International Law of the Sea) and a BA in international Studies from Panteion University (Greece). He has served as Research Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Austrian Institute for European & Security Policy (AIES). Prior to arriving in Blacksburg, he taught at the Geneva School of Diplomacy & International Relations; Schiller International University - The American College of Switzerland; the Vienna Diplomatic Academy; and the European Institute of the University of Geneva.
Professor Stivachtis teaches classes in the fields of European Studies and Security/Strategic Studies. He is the author or editor of several books, monographs and special journal issues as well as author of numerous journal articles and book chapters.
Professor Stivachtis has been involved with VTIPG through his collaboration with Professor Max O. Stephenson Jr., which began several years ago with a project that focused on peacebuilding through sports, which was co-sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Olympic Truce Center. They recently co-edited a book titled Policy and Politics of the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Eastern Mediterranean States and they are currently working on three projects: a book project titled The Politics of Alterity and the Syrian Displacement Crisis: The Cases of Malta and Cyprus; a book project titled Violent Infrastructures: Protracted Displacement and Housing (In)Justice in the South Caucasus and Beyond (with Ariel Otruba); and the Demos Initiative, which seeks to strengthen the democratic capacity of Virginia, the United States, the European Union and the world through civic education, leadership development, and robust research programs.
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GRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT | |
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Quinn Richards is currently a second-year Master of Public Health student in the Infectious Disease concentration. They received their BS in Psychology and a minor in Biology from the University of Tampa in 2020. Quinn plans to utilize their public health knowledge in the veterinary field, both in practicing emergency medicine/trauma care, and through their laboratory research in infectious diseases and neuroscience. While pursuing their DVM/PhD, they hope to continue their work with vulnerable populations and to promote equitable healthcare access to humans and animals alike.
At VTIPG, Quinn is contributing to various projects, including a collaboration with the Roanoke City and Allegheny Health Districts (RCAHD). Their current work involves preparing for a "data walk" for the RCAHD, coding transcriptions from listening sessions, and helping improve community engagement practices. Additionally, they are working on a white paper summarizing available harm reduction practices in the United States and identifying areas of improvement for rural areas.
When Quinn is not studying or working, they love to bake and garden. They spend most of their free time with their dog, cats, and the Hokie horses.
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Dr. Eric Hodges is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Longwood University. He was recently featured on Virginia Public Media's podcast, With Good Reason for his NEH-sponsored research that explored the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the homecoming experiences of African-American Vietnam veterans. Eric is very grateful for Dr. Stephenson's tireless and generous guidance on his dissertation, which focused on civic education in the U.S. military. In 2013, Eric presented his research at the VT TEDx conference. He also greatly enjoyed his time associated with VTIPG, particularly on the Community Voices project (now the Community Change Collaborative).
While at Virginia Tech, Eric was one of the founders of the Veterans in Society initiative and the conference chairperson for the inaugural Veterans in Society conference, which will be holding its 6th meeting in April 2024 at the University of South Carolina. Before coming to Virginia Tech, Eric worked as an adventure travel guide where he led hiking, biking, and camping trips in locations such as Provence, France and the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
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Institute for Policy and Governance
201 W. Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
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