Stephen Moncrief

Why Political Science?

Western’s department provided a well-rounded introduction to the discipline, and I had a blast in my IR and comparative politics classes. Comparative Electoral Systems, IR of East Asia, and the Politics of Democratization were some of my favorites. Dr. Donovan taught an excellent Research in Politics course that introduced me to the quantitative dimension of social science.

When the time came to apply to grad programs, I received outstanding guidance from Dr. Parris and Dr. Abedi. I finished an MA at the University of British Columbia in 2012, and came back to Western to teach in the Communication Studies department for two years.

What are your future plans?

While I’m sad to be leaving Western, I’m looking forward to starting Yale’s PhD program in political science. Western’s department has an excellent faculty that will challenge you to think critically about the most important political phenomena of our time, so take advantage of the opportunity!

If you are ever interested in applying to PhD programs and would like to talk with someone who's recently been through the process, please feel free to contact me.

The Latest Update

Stephen is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Center for Strategic Studies at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. He earned his PhD in Political Science from Yale University, where his dissertation won the James G. March Prize for an outstanding dissertation in Political Science. His current research focuses on United Nations peacekeeping, international intervention, state-building, and political violence.