Four Elon professors presented at ISA conference

Several thousands of scholars from all around the world congregate once a year at the International Studies Association (ISA)’s annual conference, which includes disciplines such as political science, international relations, diplomatic studies, international communications, history, international law and more.

This year, four Elon faculty members presented five papers and participated in one panel at ISA’s yearly meeting, which happened from April 4 to 7 in San Francisco, California, at the Hilton Union Square Hotel.

They are Associate Professor Vanessa Bravo (Communications); Assistant Professor Baris Kesgin (Political Science & Policy Studies); Associate Professor Michael Carignan (History & Geography) and Associate Professor Jason A. Kirk (Political Science & Policy Studies). They presented five research papers and participated in one panel, as follows:

• “Bad Hombres” versus “Good Migrants”: The Media Construction of the Figure of the Migrant in the United States and Mexico in the Trump Era, by Vanessa Bravo (Elon University) and Maria DeMoya (DePaul University)
• Unwanted Attention: The Reputational Costs of the Dominican Republic’s Denial of Citizenship for People of Haitian Descent, by Maria DeMoya (DePaul University) and Vanessa Bravo (Elon University)
• Do Political Leaders of Emerging Powers Adapt to Rising Status in World Politics? Cases of Brazil and Turkey, by Baris Kesgin (Elon University) and Leslie E. Wehner (University of Bath)
• State Homophobia? India’s Shifting Positions on LGBTQ Issues at the UN, by Vikash Yadav (Hobart and William Smith Colleges) and Jason A. Kirk (Elon University), and
• Service Learning and Intercultural Competence Development in Short-Term Study Abroad, by Michael Carignan (Elon University) and Andrea Paras (University of Guelph).

Baris Kesgin also participated in a roundtable to honor Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) Distinguished Scholar Award recipient Juliet Kaarbo, who was Kesgin’s dissertation supervisor and co-author in several manuscripts. Besides, he was elected to the Executive Council for the FPA section, where he also serves on the editorial board of its journal.

ISA is one of the oldest interdisciplinary associations dedicated to the understanding of international, transnational and global issues. More information about the International Studies Association (ISA) conference can be found at www.isanet.org