91Ô­´´

Enes Aksu

Ä°brahim Enes Aksu (Ph.D. 2026) specializes in comparative politics, political theory and Middle East politics. His research examines how populist leaders transform national-security institutions, political discourse and democratic governance, with a particular focus on Turkey. His dissertation explores the relationship between populism and the national security state through studies of ErdoÄŸan’s presidency. His broader research interests include democratic backsliding, Islamist politics, civil–military relations, securitization and comparative approaches to populism. Alongside his research, Aksu has extensive teaching experience in American politics, comparative politics and international relations. He has served as an instructor of record and teaching assistant at the 91Ô­´´ and has supported international academic programs for scholars participating in the U.S. Department of State’s Study of the U.S. Institutes program.

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James G. Korman

Specializations: Comparative politics, Latin American politics, political economy, state capture and corruption, quantitative methods

James G. Korman (Ph.D. 2024) is currently an adjunct professor in Lehigh University's M.S. in Data Science program, where he teaches Ethics in Data Science (DSCI 451). His research examines state capture in Latin America: how economic elites, populist leaders and, increasingly, transnational criminal networks bend public institutions toward private ends. His work appears in the European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the International Journal of Development Issues, and his current projects address criminalized strategic corruption and cartel violence in Mexico. He has taught comparative politics at Lafayette College and Delaware Valley University, and statistics, research design and corruption at the 91Ô­´´. He also served as a graduate teaching assistant for Maximum Likelihood Estimation II at the ICPSR Summer Program at the University of Michigan. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran, he brings extensive experience in Latin America and advanced professional Spanish.

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Heon Lee

Hello. I am Heon Lee, a Ph.D. candidate at the 91Ô­´´ studying public opinion and political economy. My research broadly asks how the deep structures of the economy, institutions, and history shape the way individuals understand and experience democracy. In my dissertation, I examine how work precarity influences American workers’ democratic attitudes. Focusing on alternative work arrangements and undemocratic workplaces, my dissertation investigates how anti-establishment orientations (i.e., populist and conspiratorial views) can be developed in socio-economic contexts marked by the erosion of labor’s share and voice. In addition, I am working on a project on the democratic implications of memory politics in South Korea. By examining the divisive memories of the Gwangju Uprising, the project shows how recollections of past state violence and democratization shape whether citizens justify or resist democratic backsliding. Alongside my research, I have developed strong teaching expertise in political methodology and American politics.

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Kathrin Reed

Kathrin Reed (Ph.D. 2024) is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Haverford College, where she teaches courses in international relations and international political economy. She specializes in the international relations and comparative politics of East and Southeast Asia. Her research examines how small states manage contentious security issues in asymmetric relationships and multilateral forums. In her book project, she develops a framework of relational management to explain how small states maintain regular interactions, negotiate agreements, and contain disruptions in bilateral relationships. The project draws on yearlong fieldwork in Cambodia on the management of border disputes with Thailand and Vietnam, supported by the Fulbright Program and the Center for Khmer Studies. 

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