Matt Murphy
Assistant Professor of Political Science
email
Phone: (318) 869-5186
At Centenary College since 2012, Matt Murphy teaches on a wide range of topics in Comparative and International Politics, such as the challenges posed by transitions to democracy, ethnic and nationalist conflict, European politics, transitional justice and human rights, international law, international war and cooperation, foreign policy, and research methods.
His research interests focus on problems of democratization, including "transitional justice" or dealing with the legacies of an authoritarian or violent past, and the development of party systems in new democracies of post-communist Europe, South Africa, and India. His most recent work concerns the effects of transitional justice policies, such as criminal trials and screening/purge policies, in post-communist Eastern Europe.
Before coming to Centenary he taught at Swarthmore College and Reed College. He received his PhD in Political Science from UC San Diego. Before deciding to pursue academics, Matt worked for this and that international development consulting organization in Washington, DC for several years, got a Master's degree in German and European Studies, and held many temp jobs, some much more interesting than others.
Check out his blog, "Politics on Mars". The blog does not represent the views or opinions of Centenary College, it is purely Professor Murphy's responsibilty.
Education
A.B., Princeton University
M.A., Georgetown University
Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Curriculum Vita (pdf)
Teaching
PSC 110: Introduction to Comparative Politics (every Fall)
PSC 111: Global Politics (every Spring)
PSC 258: Political Analysis (Spring 2014)
PSC 310: U.S. Foreign Policy (Fall 2013)
PSC 311: International Conflict and Cooperation (Spring 2014)
PSC 324S: International Law and Organizations (Fall 2014)
PSC 325: European Politics (Fall 2013)
PSC 327: Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict (Spring 2013)
PSC 329W: Comparative Democratization (Spring 2013)
PSC 3XX: Comparative Capitalism (Fall 2014)
PSC 473: Seminar in Political Science (Spring 2013)
Research & Publications
Dissertation: Transitional Justice and Democratic Consolidation in Eastern Europe
"Transitional Justice" annotated bibliography in Oxford Bibliographies Online, 2011. http://www.oxfordbibliographiesonline.com
"Has the East Become the West or Vice Versa?" (with Ellen Comisso) in Evaluating Success and Failure in Post-Communist Reform, ed. Hilary Appel, Keck Center for International & Strategic Studies, 2005.
Collaborative Projects with Students:
Professor Murphy enjoys conducting in-depth collaborative research projects with his undergraduate students. He received supporting grants to work with a student during Summer 2005 on political parties in South Africa, and in 2008 on justice during the US occupations of Japan and Germany after World War II.