SIUE Department of Political Science

Dr. Sophia Wilson was interviewed about her book, Maidan: Ukraine's Democratic Revolution, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as part of the REEEC New Directions Lecture series, commemorating the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou8kKvO6B40

Earlier, on the same UIUC podcast, she had the honor to interview Maksym Butkevych, Ukrainian human rights defender, who was kept in captivity by the Russian forces. In this conversation, Mr. Butkevych discussed the meaning of freedom and justice, his lifelong work defending human rights on and off the battlefield, survival in Russian captivity, the Russian judicial theater, and his family's story during the Soviet repressions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxK5luYB43o

Human Rights Defender Maksym Butkevych: On Surviving Russian Captivity and Russian Judicial Theater A human rights defender and former POW, Maksym Butkevych, visited t...

Congratulations to all the Political Science majors and minors who graduated this weekend, including those pictured here: Michael Taylor and Emma York, Chloe LeBlanc and Lucia Knapp, and Valentine Kenyon!

We're proud of all of you and can't wait to see what you'll do.

It's one of our favorite times of year when students present their senior projects!

17 students completed projects this Spring where they conducted original research to test hypotheses related to timely and pressing political issues in the U.S. and around the world. With so many great projects, we found ourselves wishing the event was longer.

Thanks Eli Kaul, Ph.D for teaching the senior assignment class and to all the faculty mentors who provide guidance to our students along the way.

Thanks also to all our students in Dr. Suranjan Weeraratne's Research Design in Political Science class for coming and asking such good questions. It's great to see political science majors supporting each other!

Recognize a student in the pictures? Please join us in recognizing them for a job well done by tagging them in a congratulatory comment.

Thanks Chloe LeBlanc for representing at this year's Undergraduate Scholars Showcase and providing a great example of the high quality research projects our students produce!

Dr. Sophia Wilson presented her research at the University of Copenhagen. First, at the University's Centre for Military Studies, participating at a public seminar on the role of civil society in the Russo-Ukrainian war. And secondly, at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Anthropology lecture series, presenting her new book, Maidan: Ukraine’s Democratic Revolution.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, we were able to recognize some of our outstanding students with awards and scholarships at last night's College of Arts and Sciences' Celebration of Student Excellence.

Congratulations to:
Samantha Angelo, recipient of the Political Science Senior Project Award

Bay Baltayev, recipient of the Lloyd "Curly" Harris Award in Government

Barrvone Bonner, recipient of the Study of Diversity in Politics Award

Jackson Burge, recipient of the Gordon D. Bush Political Science Scholarship

Vance Hays, recipient of the Gordon D. Bush Political Science Scholarship

Destiny Hughes, recipient of the Pi Sigma Alpha Award of Excellence

Valentine Kenyon, recipient of the Political Science Association Community Service Award

Lucia Knapp, recipient of the Evelyn Bowles Public Service Scholarship

Marcell Scurlark, recipient of the Charles W. Chapman Memorial Scholarship in Pre-Law

Dr. Laurie Rice was part of the team providing expert analysis for First Alert 4/KMOV’s special coverage of the 2026 Illinois primaries. Thanks for taking outside the classroom walls!

Dr. Eli Kaul, Ph.D, Visiting Assistant Professor, gave a public lecture, "The Ingenuity of the Ukrainian Popular Resistance" as part of an event series organized by Lovejoy Library, in collaboration with the John Martinson Honors Program and the Department of Political Science. The series also includes the exhibit, "Unissued Diplomas," an international exhibition that commemorates 40 Ukrainian students whose academic journeys were cut short by the Russian invasion. All are welcome to view the exhibit on the first floor of Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville through November 8.

Dr. Sophia Wilson, a faculty member, recently delivered a public lecture "Why Did Russia Invade Ukraine?" for SIUE students and faculty on the causes of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, discussing Kremlin propaganda, and Russia's systematic war crimes as a deliberate war tactic. The lecture is part of an event series, organized by Lovejoy Library, in collaboration with the John Martinson Honors Program and the Department of Political Science, which also includes the exhibit, "Unissued Diplomas," an international exhibition that commemorates 40 Ukrainian students whose academic journeys were cut short by the Russian invasion. If you haven't seen the exhibit yet, be sure to stop by the first floor of the library this month!

Professor Laurie Rice and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Women's Basketball Coach Samantha Quigley Smith joined Eric Reveno and La J'ai R.. for ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge's 2025 Athletic Huddle to talk about the importance of encouraging nonpartisan voter engagement among student athletes.