Michael Stathis

Professor of Political Science and International Relations Southern Utah University

  • Cedar City UT

Specializing in political science, international relations, and media portrayal of Islamic religion

Contact

Southern Utah University

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Biography

Dr. G. Michael Stathis is a professor of political science and international relations at Southern Utah University. He teaches a number of political science courses including introduction to international relations, introduction to the middle east, international law and organization, theories of international relations, international conflict, the President, Congress, the Constitution and foreign policy, politics and film, and American foreign policy.

Dr. Stathis has taught political science since 1974 and has taught at SUU since 1991. He served as associate instructor at the University of Utah and visiting professor at Brigham Young University. Dr. Stathis has published several scholarly papers and book chapters, as well as numerous newspaper articles. He is a regular radio guest on the British Forces Broadcasting System (SITREP) commenting on world affairs.

Dr. Stathis earned a bachelor of science degree in political science from the University of Utah and his master of arts degree in middle eastern studies (Persian) from the Middle East Center at the University of Utah and completed his Ph.D. in political science: international relations (law, organization and politics) at the University of Utah.

Spotlight

2 min

Midterm Elections - The Day After

The day after … with Democrats taking the House and Republicans stronger in the Senate – what can we expect for the next two years? It was a night most pundits expected – a DNC surge in Congress, as voters held the Trump administration to account. High voter turnout led to a long night and many close races across the country. Surprisingly, the Republicans bolstered their position in the Senate, giving them enough wiggle room now with a comfortable four seat majority. But what can Americans expect moving forward? A Democratic House could see DNC controlled committees putting forward an army of subpoenas from everything including the Russia investigation, to the President’s tax returns and all things in between. A Republican Senate now has a clear and simple path for appointments and nominations. But now that it is over, will the two houses be able to work together to pass legislation and budgets? For the good of the country and for the sake of progress will much needed cooperation and compromise be an opportunity to over come America’s great political divide? Or will this be two years of chaos, bickering and a country stuck between political divisions? What lies ahead is not an easy question – and that’s where the political experts from Southern Utah University can help. Mary Weaver Bennett is the director of the Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service at Southern Utah University. She spent over 25 years in a range of Washington, DC institutions and specializes in U.S. midterm elections and American politics. Dr. G. Michael Stathis is a professor of political science and an expert in the fields of American Government international relations. Donna Law is the Executive Director of Development and Government Relations at Southern Utah University and can speak about the impacts of government and higher education in Utah and across America. Douglas F. Bennett joined Southern Utah University in 2014 after a long and successful career in Washington D.C. He now chairs the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at SUU and is an expert in trade, global relations and political organization. Dr. Angela Pool-Funai is director of the Master of Public Administration program at Southern Utah University and an assistant professor of political science and public administration. She is an expert in the areas of taxation and tax policy. All of these experts are available to speak with media – simply click on any of their icons to arrange an interview today.

Michael StathisMary  BennettDouglas Bennett

Social

Media

Industry Expertise

Education/Learning
Writing and Editing
Political Organization

Areas of Expertise

Theories of International Relations
Islamic State
Fourth Gulf War
International Conflict
American Government
International Law
Middle Eastern Politics
Political Science/International Relations
American Foreign Policy
Media Portrayal of Islamic Religion
Democracy and Islam

Education

University of Utah

Ph.D.

Political Science: International Relations

University of Utah

M.A.

Middle Eastern Studies

University of Utah

B.A.

Political Science

Accomplishments

Outstanding Paper Award Winner,

Literati Network Award for Excellence, 2013)

Affiliations

  • American Political Science Association
  • International Studies Association
  • Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters
  • Western Political Science Association

Languages

  • French
  • Farsi

Media Appearances

The threat of ISIS is real, SUU professor says

The Spectrum  online

2016-03-03

The tension building in the Middle East seem to be on the minds of a lot of people these days, and questions involving the safety of the United States, terrorism in the homeland and whether or not to allow Syrian refugees to enter the country are forefront of almost every political discussion this election season.

Michael Stathis, professor of political science and criminal justice at Southern Utah University, gave a presentation Thursday on the prospects of a fourth gulf war — Stathis was the distinguished faculty lecturer in SUU’s Convocation series.

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University Provost gives lecture on Islam and Hope

SUU News  online

2016-02-08

Dr. Bradley J. Cook, the provost of Southern Utah University and also a scholar of Middle Eastern Studies, will give a lecture on Islam and Hope for the Future on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Sterling Church Auditorium of the Student Center. The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion with Michael Stathis, professor of Political Science, and Samha Hussein, professor of Chemistry. The panel will be moderated by Doug Bennett, chair of the Political Science and Criminal Justice Department. Co-sponsors include SUU Convocations, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning. This event is free and open to the general public.

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So. Utah Democrats present lecture on ISIS, media’s portrayal of Islamic Religion

St. George News  online

2014-10-27

The Southern Utah Democrats are hosting a lecture titled “ISIS and the Media’s Portrayal of the Islamic Religion” to be led by Michael Stathis, a professor of political science on Tuesday at Southern Utah University.

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Islamic State, rules through Sharia law and aims to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria. The group currently controls hundreds of square miles, ignores international borders and has a presence from Syria’s Mediterranean coast to south of Baghdad.

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Articles

Democracy and Islam: Promises and Perils for the Arab Spring Protests

Journal of Global Responsibility

Michael Stathis & Bradley J. Cook

While other observers have explored the compatibility question of Islam and democracy, very little has been written on the recent political upheavals situating the question within this context.

The Crusades: A Modern Perspective on the 900th Anniversary of the Event

Southern Utah University

G. Michael Stathis

November 27, 1995, marked the 900th anniversary of Pope Urban II’s call for holy Crusade at Clermont Ferrand. The general objective of these ‘holy wars’ was to establish Christian control over the holy places of Palestine, especially the church of the Holy Sepulchre. From 1095 to 1493 the nobility and common folk of Europe sewed crosses on their tunics and took oaths to defend Christendom from the scourge of Islam and to attempt the capture of Jerusalem.

Courses

POLS 1100 American National Government

Source of democratic ideas and principles of the constitutional system. Cultural, group, party and governmental influences on the process of public policymaking. The administration and impact of public policy.

POLS 2100 - Introduction to International Relations

A fundamental introduction to the essential definitions, concepts, theories, authors, institutions, and contemporary background for an understanding of current international affairs.

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POLS 2300 - Introduction to Political Thought

An introductory survey of key political ideas, concepts, and movements from antiquity to the 21st century.

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