Our Current Grad Students

I'm the department's resident Hawaiian (I'm originally from Hawai'i, though I've been living here on the mainland for more years than I'd like to count now). I'm a good person to talk to about getting into the outdoors here in the Bay Area (I like hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, and sailing among other outdoor pursuits), as well as where to eat for cheap (I love to eat out, and I try not to let being a impovershed graduate student stop me). And movies, I love movies. Academically, I'm generally interested in social movements, contentious politics, and the role of nongovernmental organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. If these and/or any other Pacific-related topics interest you, please come and talk to me--I'm always looking for more people interested in the Pacific region like me. haig@socrates.berkeley.edu .

I started the program in 2002, and my fields are American, Comparative and Public Law. My dissertation is a comparison of the interpretation of international law in asylum decisions in the U.S, Canada and Australia. I got my BA from University of Chicago, and currently live in the city of San Francisco. Please feel free to email me with questions about the program or life in the Bay Area. rhamlin@berkeley.edu

I started at Berkeley in 2006, and sub-fields are going to be Comparative Politics, Area studies (East Asia, particularly China) and Research Methods. Currently, my academic interest generally centers on but not limited to rural China. To mention a little about my previous background: I got my BA from Peking University(Beida) and MA from National University of Singapore (NUS). I can be reached at rongbin@berkeley.edu

I started graduate school in 2004, and study American Politics, Public Law and Political Behavior. Or, as I like to think of it, Congress, constitutional law and what makes voters tick. I came to Berkeley in a roundabout way from South Dakota, making stops at Harvard for my undergraduate degree, the Senate for six great years, and finally to Berkeley where I taught middle school. I enjoy riding my bike around town, growing raspberries and kale in my backyard, and scuba diving when I get the chance. My latest love is the state of Alaska, where I enjoy kayaking and generally being scared out of my wits by bears.

After receiving my BA from Amherst College in 2002, I tried working for a year as a paralegal in New York and came to a dual decision -- I had to get back to school, preferably for a long time, and it had to not be law school. Consequently, here I am at Berkeley, enjoying weather very much better than both the North East and my native Memphis. I am tentatively interested in studying elite political mobility and the succession process in China, or at least something to make all those grinding years of studying Chinese worthwhile. Feel free to contact me at jhhassid@yahoo.com.

Justin Hastings

I started at Berkeley in 2002, and my sub-fields are International Relations, Area Studies (East Asia), and Comparative Politics. In between graduating from Princeton and entering Berkeley, I worked for a year in Tokyo in a job completely unrelated to political science (but if you need any prescription medications, look me up). Right now I have two main focuses in political science. My dissertation focuses on how the physical geography and political conditions of a region combine with the ideas of violent networks to influence the location and nature of their transnational activities. I'm especially interested in terrorist networks, insurgencies, and maritime piracy and smuggling networks in China and Southeast Asia. On a somewhat related note, I am involved in a program devoted to creating the next generation of nuclear experts, and my interests in that area have to do with nuclear weapons doctrine, nuclear counter-proliferation policy, and the structure of nuclear proliferation networks. For my dissertation, I'm spending April 2005 through January 2006 in Singapore, and possibly Summer 2006 in China doing fieldwork. I do research in Mandarin Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia, read Spanish passably and can ask for the location of the nearest English speaker in Japanese. My hobbies include being outside, manufacturing dissent against leftist dogma, performing Chinese folk dance, writing overwrought missives, reading fiction with interesting concepts, and whimsical travel. I am also involved with Veritas Fellowship on campus. Prospective students can feel free to contact me with any questions at justinvh@Berkeley.edu.

John Henderson

I study American politics and methodology, with a primary interest in voting behavior and elections, formal theory, and American economic and political development. Before entering the Berkeley graduate program in the Fall of 2006, I was a Junior Fellow at the Center for Democracy and Election Management at American University in Washington, D.C. and worked for the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform. I hold a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University and a M.Phil. in Comparative Politics from Oxford University, where I studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

Besides academics, I am an avid Cardinals baseball fan, a wine and BBQ snob, and a music junky, especially British invasion, jazz, and indie rock. More recent distractions include wine trips across California and Oregon, digital photography, high definition television, and netflix.

Veronica Herrera

Veronica Herrera is a doctoral candidate in Political Science at UC Berkeley, with research interests in water politics, regulation, consumer movements, comparative political economy and Latin America. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Swarthmore before joining the PhD program at Berkeley in 2004. As of the fall of 2007, she will be conducting dissertation field research on the politics of regulating privatized water and sanitation delivery services in Mexican and Argentine municipalities. Her research examines the factors that lead to divergent levels of contestation and renegotiation of water and sanitation delivery contracts as well as how regulatory authorities affect the renegotiation process. She welcomes emails at vherrera@berkeley.edu.

Amanda made the big move from Boston to Berkeley in the Fall of 2004 and now lives with her husband (Sean) and papillon (Frank) across the bridge in San Francisco. Though a lifelong Bostonian and avid Boston sports fan she couldn't be happier in her new Bay Area home. Great food, good wine and wonderful weather have won this east coast girl over. Her academic sub-fields include American Politics, Public Law and Political Theory and she is currently hard at work on a dissertation that uses the Federalist Society - and to a lesser extent, the American Constitution Society - as a window into understanding the influence of non-judicial and non-governemental actors on the development of American constitutional meaning. All of that aside, Amanda is perhaps best known as the short-stop and manager of the department's fierce co-rec softball team, Leviathan. You can contact her at ahollisATberkeleyDOTedu.

I'm an unreformed political junkie who started my doctoral studies in the fall of 2001 after deciding, based on two years spent in the political world, that I preferred to observe the behavior of elected officials from a safe distance. Here at Berkeley, I've had the opportunity to pursue my interests in both the institutional and behavioral aspects of American politics, especially political parties, elections, voting behavior, Congress, and state politics. My dissertation attempts to account for the growing geographic polarization of party strength in recent American elections, and to consider the consequences of this phenomenon for the future of national politics. When I'm not hanging around the Institute of Governmental Studies, I'm usually trying to take advantage of the high quality of life in the Bay Area. I'm especially devoted to the great live music scene here, and like to watch the A's (although the Red Sox will always be first in my heart). I'm happy to answer questions from prospective students at dhopkins@berkeley.edu.

I began the Ph.D. program in Political Science in the Fall of 2007. I am primarily interested in political theory/philosophy and plan to engage in a comparative study of political theory/philosophy from the Islamic and Western traditions. I am also interested in modern and contemporary political thought in Iran, including Ayatollah Khomeini's theory of guardianship by the jurist.

I graduated from Harvard in 2006 with a BA in government and then spent a year in the seminaries of Qom, Iran studying Islamic theology, Islamic political philosophy, and theories of contemporary Iranian political thought. Outside of reading political science, I enjoy singing in choir and spending time with family, especially with my five younger sisters! If you have any questions about the Ph.D. program in political science, do not hesitate to e-mail me at hossainzadeh@berkeley.edu.

Roselyn Hsueh

My fields of study are Comparative Politics, International Relations and Research Methods. My dissertation lies within the realm of international and comparative political economy of development. The project investigates existing institutional arrangements (center-local relations) and internationalization (local-global relations) to understand marketization and regulatory change across industrial sectors in China. My other research interests include applying IR Theory to assess how interests, ideas and existing political and economics arrangements impact the relationship between major and minor powers to determine a state’s relative position in the international system. When not pursuing academics, I can be found traveling to exotic places around the world, browsing book stores, writing poetry and cooking up gourmet cuisine to satisfy my culinary curiosity.
Website: https://webfiles.berkeley.edu/~rhsueh/.

Bruce Huber

I began the program in the fall of 2005. My primary subfield is Public Law; American and Comparative are the other two. I did my undergraduate work at Stanford and have a J.D. from Boalt Hall right here at Berkeley. Religion and law/politics is probably my main area of interest although I'm also fascinated by the law of public lands and natural resource management. Beyond the department, I have three daughters who, for all practical purposes, control my life. Please excuse me if I seem sleep-deprived, preoccupied, or am simply never around

Francesca Jensenius

Hi! I am a first-year in the department, studying comparative politics with a focus on South Asia. On a theoretical level I am interested in a wide range of topics, such as institutional choice in new democracies, the importance of institutions in authoritarian regimes, the interaction between institutions and political culture in non-western societies, power structures in politics etc. In addition to doing course work, I am currently working on a project about the political representation of underrepresented groups in India. Before starting Grad school I studied in Norway and India, I therefore know a fair bit about what it means to apply to US universities from abroad. Feel free to contact me at frj@berkeley.edu if you have any questions about how it is to be an international student here, or if you just want to hear about how fantastic Berkeley is!

Martha Johnson

Martha Johnson is finishing her dissertation on the politics of bureaucratic capacity in Senegal. She studies public organizations in the developing world and is interested how the interests and priorities of political leaders and donor agencies come together to either strengthen or weaken the public organizations that make up the state. She has spent several years in Senegal, most recently as a Fulbright Hays fellow conducting dissertation research. In addition, she has studied the political economy of the livestock sector in both Senegal and Burkina Faso for the FAO. Her research interests also include public administration more generally and organization theory. When not working on her dissertation, she enjoys living in old Oakland--visiting Chinatown, Jack London Square, and local farmer's markets--and hiking (both in the hills and in the city) in the East Bay and SF. If you would like to know more about studying African politics or public administration at UC Berkeley, please contact her at martha_johnson@berkeley.edu.

Asaf Kedar

I joined the department in 2004, after 7 years of undergraduate and graduate study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. My interests lie at various intersections of history, political theory, and philosophy of social science. These interests include particularly 19th- and 20th-century European political thought, ideologies, and culture; nationalist forms of socialism; the Holocaust; bourgeois culture and its politicizations; the concept of the political; historicism; hermeneutics; conceptual analysis and conceptual history; cultural analysis; and interpretive political science.

Robyn Klein

I entered the department in the fall of 2005 following a two-year Master's program in International Policy Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. My specialization in Monterey was international security and nonproliferation, with a particular focus on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction proliferation in the Middle East. I also worked at the Institute's Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) from 2003-2005. Currently, I am continuing my focus on terrorism studies and other international security concerns at UCB. In addition, I am a part-time employee within the Nonproliferation, Homeland and International Security directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. When I don't have my nose in a book, I am typically being nosed by one of my furry, four-legged friends, enjoying life in the spectacular Bay Area, or dreaming of lying on a beach somewhere tropical. I am happy to answer questions from prospective students. Feel free to contact me at robyn_klein@berkeley.edu.

Jason Koenig studies political theory and is a devotee of the Modern European canon of political thought from Machiavelli to Weber with additional soft spots for Plato and Xenophon. He is currently focused on radical democratic theory while attempting to understand and explain how "Democracy" has come to stand for either nothing in particular or for anything that's politically/socially expedient, including imperialism. He loves Karl Marx and his mother and is thankful that punk rock saved his life. A reformed East-Coaster (who nevertheless continues to manifest Bi-Coastal tendencies despite his best efforts), he has developed fanatical, hyperbolic, irrational, devotion to the San Francisco Giants and the 49ers over the past fifteen years. He also likes long walks on the beach and often enjoys talking about himself in the third person. He may be reached at jasonkoenig@comcast.net.

In August 2004, I made the brutally long trip south from Oregon to begin the PhD program at UC-Berkeley. While focusing on political ethics and the American presidency (I know, quite an appropriate field these days), I’ve also been known to dabble in the philosophy of language and in theorizing measures of political support. Recent work has focused on the Office of Management and Budget and the relationship between democracy and police reform. When not reading, writing or finding creative ways to support my rock n’ roll lifestyle I enjoy all forms of competitive sport, gardening, cooking, and playing ‘fetch’ with my cat. I completed my undergraduate degree at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon in 2003, majoring in Politics and Philosophy, and have worked for a variety of politicians and political institutions in Oregon and Washington, DC. Catch you on the flip side. btkrupicka@berkeley.edu

My fields of study are comparative politics and East Asia. I'm interested in topics such as the effects of an increase in foreign direct investment on domestic politics and bureaucratic control in countries like Japan and Korea, how national markets and domestic politics form the basis of "global markets" in areas such as telecom, and various policy issues surrounding corporate governance. I lived in Tokyo until attending Stanford as an undergrad, where I majored in econ and got an MA in East Asian Studies. I also absolutely love to play soccer, and have devoted much time to international comparative fieldwork... I've been comparing the different types of dirt in Eastern versus Western Japan, and the different breeds of grass and astroturf between Tokyo, Stanford, and the Berkeley area. In fact, the political explanation behind why a country as rich as Japan still uses dirt fields is a fascinating topic that... but I digress. I'm also working on a project with BRIE examining next-generation telecom networks in Asia. My email is kkushida@berkeley.edu.

I entered the department in Fall 2001, with an emphasis on comparative politics and international relations in East Asia. My dissertation research is focused on China's bilateral relations and its implications for regional economic and political integration. Other academic interests include labor and development economics and all things related to social policy. Prior to Berkeley, I did my MPA at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. Outside of school I enjoy motorcycling, running, hiking, mountain biking, and softball. I can be reached at: kweier at berkeley dot edu.

Arriving in Berkeley in the fall of 2007, my concentrations are political behavior, international relations, and research methodology. I am particularly interested in studying the psychology of perpetrators of government-sponsored atrocities and other forms of political violence. A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a BS in political science, history, and neurobiology and with a minor in East Asian studies. In my spare time, I love playing video games, watching independent movies and documentaries, and wandering the annals of Wikipedia. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at rengyeelee@berkeley.edu.

I started at Berkeley in 2002. My dissertation looks at the effects of prison culture (particularly the attitudes and behaviors of Correctional Officers) on the political participation and social capital of recent parolees, and more generally how street level bureaucrats shape policy feedback effects. I have been teaching at San Quentin State Prison for the last four years, and like many others in the department I struggle to keep one foot in academia and the other in the policy world. I have a complete obsession with surveys, and am doing my best to survey the entire state of California before I complete my PhD. When not hovering like a troll in front of my computer at the Survey Research Center, I take all possible advantage of the Bay Area’s beautiful hiking trails, fantastic restaurants, and endlessly entertaining people. Feel free to get in touch to talk about American public policy, political psychology, prisons and corrections, survey research, or Bay Area life. alerman@berkeley.edu

I study the use of history education in the construction of national identity in the former Yugoslavia and in Israel and the occupied territories. I have taken field exams in theory and methodology and am coursing out of comparative politics. My social life revolves around one of several poli sci i.m. teams (soccer tease), and i also enjoy rock climbing and river rafting. Email:naolevy@yahoo.com.

I joined the department in 2004 and my three fields are comparative politics, East Europe/Eurasia area studies, and political behavior. I am particularly interested in mass politics in post-communist Europe, but I also have an interest in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. I received my BA from Wesleyan University and worked in policy research and analysis before coming to graduate school. In my free time I play music with the Sari Raras Javanese Gamelan ensemble in Berkeley. I also take advantage of the Bay area's two greatest assets--tremendous weather and inexpensive, high quality produce--to indulge my tastes for long distance running and vegan cooking.

I joined the department in the Fall of 2003 and my subfields are Public Law, Comparative, and American politics. I also did my undergraduate work here at Berkeley, and received a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000. My dissertation focuses on a study of the Indian Supreme Court and the expansion of judicial power in a comparative context. Email me at mmate@berkeley.edu.
Website: http://manojmate.googlepages.com/

I entered the department in Fall 2001 and am currently working on my dissertation which analyzes ethnic minority political mobilization in Western Europe. I am particularly interested in explaining why different ethnic groups have different forms of political influence. I have also worked on food safety politics in Western Europe, with a focus on the impact of multilevel governance. While my fieldwork has taken me to pleasant European cities where my passion for wine is properly pursued, I enjoy Berkeley for the tremendous quality of produce and fruit, as well as all the delightful flowers and trees, which seem pleasantly exotic to my New York City native self. I can be reached at rahsaanm@berkeley.edu.

Sebastián Mazzuca is a doctoral student in Political Science and M.A. candidate in Economics, UC Berkeley. He currently holds a Social Science Research Council Fellowship for advanced training in formal theory. An Argentine citizen who has been a Researcher (1996-98) and Lecturer (1998-99) at the Di Tella University in Argentina, he is the founding editor of the political science journal Agora. In 1999 he was Visiting Scholar at the Kellogg Institute, University of Notre Dame, and the Woodrow Wilson Center (Washington, D.C.). His publications include: "Qué es Democratización" (Estudios Políticos, México), "Los Silencios de la Poliarquía" (Revista Argentina de Ciencia Política), and "Access to Power versus Exercise of Power: Democratization and Bureaucratization in Latin America," (forthcoming). During the summer of 2001, Mazzuca conducted preliminary field research in Argentina for the CIRELA project.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Political Science and Classics at the University of California, Berkeley and Magdalen College, Oxford, receiving my BA in May 2006. Convinced that Berkeley is heaven on earth, I began the Ph.D. program in political science in August of 2006. There isn't any place better than California and Berkeley in particular, from natural beauty, culture, and cuisine to friendly people. This department is characterized by an impressive breadth and variety of intellectual expertise and inquiry. I am continually impressed by and thankful for the camaraderie that we share here. The most intriguing aspect of this program is the people (graduate and faculty) that you will have the opportunity to work with-their experience, genuine enthusiasm, and desire to test the limits of ideas and theories have proved invaluable to my work. In addition to the political science department, Berkeley has numerous other top departments, the presence and strength of which encourage a refreshing interdisciplinary approach. Personally, I am completely and utterly devoted to international relations and also work as a research associate at the Institute of International Studies. My interests include the role of Islam in political conflict, Chechnya, terrorist tactics, deterrence, political psychology, nationalism, political behavior, and Anti-Americanism. In my free time, I enjoy traveling as often as possible. I would be happy to answer any questions about the program. mlmcadam@berkeley.edu

I joined the department in Fall 2006 and my three fields are comparative politics, Post-Soviet area studies and methodology. I am especially interested in the politics of public health and health care reform in Russia, but I also have an interest in expanding my horizons to Latin America, particularly Brazil. I received my B.A. from Swarthmore College in 2002 and my M.A. in Russian and Eurasian Studies from Harvard in 2004. I then worked in policy research at the Kennedy School. Right before coming to grad school, I spent 5 months traveling and studying Portuguese in Brazil. I am a native Californian (Los Angeles) and it's great to be back west after so many years. Please feel free to e-mail me at mmccull@berkeley.edu if you have any questions!

I began my studies at Berkeley in the fall of 2002 with a focus on American Politics, Political Behavior, and Methodology. My research agenda includes the political assimilation of Hispanic immigrants, race and ethnicity in congressional elections, party identification, and congressional careers. My dissertation is on the attitudinal and behavioral consequences of party polarization. In my free time I like to work out, go to concerts, and play in the University Orchestra.