We're excited to introduce new program directors in the Institute for European Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program, and South Asia Program. Below, meet the directors and learn about their plans for the year.

IES: Chris Way

Chris Way is an associate professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). His research focuses on OECD democracies, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the relationship between economic interdependence and conflict.

“Europe is at the center of many consequential questions in international affairs," Way said, "including the war in Ukraine and the future of European security, changing relations with the United States, migration, and economic transformation. IES brings together scholars across disciplines and approaches, so we are well-positioned to shed light on these and other challenges facing Europe and the world.”

LACS: Ken Roberts

Ken Roberts is the Susan August Rubinstein Professor of Government in A&S. His current research focuses on political parties, populism, and polarization in contemporary Latin American democracies and crises of democracy in the global arena.

"LACS continues to be a meeting ground for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and members of the larger community who take a special interest in Latin America," said Roberts. "We've planned a full year of activities, including seminars, cultural events, a research symposium, and support for student internships, research, and study abroad opportunities."

SAP: Robert Travers

Robert Travers is a professor in the Department of History in A&S. His research on the consolidation of the British empire in India focuses on encounters between British and South Asian forms of political life. Travers kicked off the South Asia Program's fall seminars with his August 31 talk, Sex, Lies, and the Company State: An Indo-Persian Counter-History of the Early British Empire in India.

“Our seminar series this fall will showcase new directions in South Asian studies across many disciplines," Travers said. "We are especially excited to welcome back two professors who received their PhDs at Cornell, Anaar Desai-Stephens (CUNY Graduate Center) and Rishad Choudhury (Oberlin).”