Curriculum Vitae

Courtney I. P. Thomas

527A Major Williams Hall (0331)
Political Science
220 Stanger Street
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg VA 24061

434-515-CIPT (2478)

cipthomas@vt.edu

Education

2006-2010

PhD: Planning, Governance, and Globalization
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
School of Public and International Affairs

Dissertation: The Problem with Purity: Market Failures, Foodborne Contamination, and the Search for Accountability in the U.S. Food Safety Regulatory Regime

Edward Weisband, Diggs Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences, Advisor and Committee Chair
Timothy W. Luke, University Distinguished Professor Political Science, Committee Member
Yannis Stivachtis, Director of International Studies and Professor Political Science, Committee Member
Renee R. Boyer, Associate Professor Food Science and Technology, Committee Member

Graduate Certificates:

Preparing the Future Professoriate
Liberal Arts in a Global Context
Foundations of Political Analysis

2004-2006

Master of Arts: Political Science
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Department of Political Science

Thesis: Politicization, Deadlock, and Dispute: the Impacts and Implications of Post-1995 Linkages Between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization

Edward Weisband, Diggs Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences, Advisor and Committee Chair
Karen Hult, Professor Political Science, Committee Member
Richard Rich, Professor Political Science, Committee Member

1999-2002

Bachelor of Arts: Political Science
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Department of Political Science

Minors

International Studies
History

Honors and Awards

Favorite Faculty Award, Virginia Tech, 2012, 2014, 2016
Richard E. Zody Award for Outstanding Dissertation in Planning, Governance, and Globalization, 2011
Gamma Beta Phi, 2005
Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2005 and 2004
The Frederick H. Harris Award, Department of Political Science, 2002
Phi Kappa Phi Medallion Award, College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech, 2002
Phi Beta Kappa, 2002
Pi Sigma Alpha, 2002
Omicron Delta Kappa, 2001
Phi Kappa Phi, 2001
National Society of Collegiate Scholars, 2000

Academic Positions

2010-Present

Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech
Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies (2015-Present)
Visiting Assistant Professor (2010-Present)
Undergraduate Academic Advisor (2011-Present)
Internship/Co-Op Advisor (2011-Present)
Career Advisor (2014-Present)
Coordinator: Hokies on the Hill Capitol Semester (2011-Present)
Director of Undergraduate Studies (2014-2015)

PSCI/IS/GEOG 2064: The Global Economy and World Politics
Summer 2010 (online); Fall 2010; Spring 2011; Fall 2011; Spring 2012; Fall 2012; Spring 2013; Fall 2013; Fall 2014

PSCI/IS/GEOG 2054: Introduction to World Politics
Spring 2011; Fall 2011; Spring 2012; Fall 2012; Spring 2013; Summer 2013; Fall 2013; Spring 2014; Summer 2014; Fall 2015; Spring 2016; Fall 2016; Spring 2017
Virginia Tech Summer Academy (Summer 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016)

PSCI 1024: Comparative Politics
Fall 2010; Spring 2015; Fall 2015

PSCI/IS 1004: Nations and Nationalities
Summer 2012;  Summer 2013; Spring 2014; Summer 2014 (online); Spring 2015; Summer 2015 (online); Spring 2016; Summer 2016 (online); Spring 2017
Virginia Tech Summer Academy (Summer 2012)

PSCI 2024: Research Methods
Winter 2014 (online); Winter 2015 (online); Winter 2016 (online); Winter 2017 (online)

PSCI/IS 1034: Introduction to PSCI and IS
Fall 2014; Fall 2015; Fall 2016

2004-2010

Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech
Graduate Teaching Assistant

PSCI/SPIA 1004: Nations and Nationalities
Fall 2004, Fall 2005, Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009
Administrative GTA and Recitation Instructor

PSCI/IS/GEOG 2064: The Global Economy and World Politics
Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010
Administrative GTA and Recitation Instructor

PSCI 4614: Senior Seminar in International Political Economy
Spring 2006, Fall 2006
Co-Taught with Edward Weisband

PSCI 4614: Senior Seminar in Nations and Nationalities
Fall 2008; Fall 2009; Fall 2010
Co-Taught with Edward Weisband

PSCI 4314/4624/4644/4754: Washington Semester
Summer 2006
Co-Taught with Edward Weisband

PSCI/GIA 5444: International Political Theory
Spring 2008; Spring 2009; Spring 2010
Administrative GA

2002-2004

Department of Social Studies, Blacksburg High School

World History to 1500
World History from 1500-Present
U.S. Government

SOL Tutor, Social Studies [2003-2004]
Advanced Placement Coordinator [2003-2004]
Forensics (Speech & Debate) Coach [2002-2003]
National History Day Coordinator [2003-2004]

Publications

BOOKS

In Food We Trust: The Politics of Purity in American Food Regulation, University of Nebraska Press (c) 2014

Political Culture and the Making of Modern Nation-States (with Edward Weisband), Paradigm press (c) 2014

Voices of Hunger: Food Insecurity in the United States, Common Ground Publishing (c) 2014 (edited volume)

International Political Economy: Navigating the Logic Streams, an Introduction (with Edward Weisband), Kendall Hunt Publishing © 2010

BOOK CHAPTERS

“When is Food (Not) Functional?” in The Intersection of Food and Public Health, edited by A. Bryce Hoflund, Tyler and Francis  © 2017

“Big Blocks of Cheese and Other Lessons in American Government: 15 Weeks in the West Wing” (with Sandra E. Via) in Teaching Matters: Strategy and Tactics to Engage Students in the Study of American Politics, edited by Daniel M. Shea, Prentice Hall © 2010

“The Biocorporeality of Evil: A Taxonomy” (with Edward Weisband), Inter-Disciplinary Press © 2010

eBOOK CHAPTERS

“The Biocorporeality of Evil: A Taxonomy” (with Edward Weisband) in Inside & Outside of the Law: Perspectives on Evil, Law, and the State edited by Shubhankar Dam and Jonathan Hall, Inter-Disciplinary Press © 2009

“Politicization, Deadlock, and Dispute: the Impacts and Implications of Post-1995 Linkages Between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization,” accepted for publication as part of an edited volume entitled Theorizing power post 9/11 to be placed in the ASPECT e-book series SPECTRA [forthcoming]

PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES

“Food Production Regulation,” Oxford Annotated Bibliographies, Oxford University Press  © 2015

“The Problem with Purity: Market Failures, Foodborne Contamination, and the Search for Accountability in the U.S. Food Safety Regulatory Regime” in Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal © 2012

CUSTOMIZED TEXTS

“Nations and Nationalities: Cultural Constructions of Collective Identity, 7th, 8th, and 9th editions” (with Edward Weisband [7th, 8th, and 9th], Drew Marrs [9th], and Elana DeLozier [7th]), McGraw-Hill Custom Publishing © 2006; 2008; 2010

“The World Economy and Global Politics, 1st and 2nd editions” [with Edward Weisband), McGraw-Hill Custom Publishing © 2005; 2006

BOOK REVIEWS

Arresting Contagion: Science, Policy, and Conflict over Animal Disease Control, American Historical Review (February 2016)

Conference Attendance and Presentations 

“When is Food (Not) Functional”, Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference in Berkeley, CA (October 2016)

“What the Halal? Islamophobia in Contemporary American Culture,” Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference in Blacksburg, VA (September 2015)

“Let them Eat Kiwi: Voices of Hunger in America” (with Ausan Al-Eryani), Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference in Austin, TX (October 2013)

Advising Matters Conference in Blacksburg, VA (March 2013) [attendee]

“Ethical Food Choices: Genocide, Chocolate, and the Ivory Coast,” Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference in Campaign, IL (October 2012)

“The Problem with Purity: Market Failures, Foodborne Contamination, and the Search for Accountability in the U.S. Food Safety Regulatory Regime,” Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference in Las Vegas, NV (December 2011)

“International Political Economy, Economic Cultures, and Regulatory Practices: From Theoretical Frameworks to Policy Implementation in Food Safety Regimes,” International Studies Association-Northeast Conference in Baltimore, MD (November 2010)

“Politicization, Deadlock, and Dispute: The Impacts and Implications of Post-1995 Linkages Between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization,” International Studies Association-Northeast Conference in Baltimore, MD (October 2009)

“Nationality, Catastrophic Annihilation, and Political Evil” (with Edward Weisband); International Association of Genocide Scholars’ 8th Biennial Conference on The Face of Genocide in the 21st Century in Washington, D.C. (June 2009)

“Evil Is As Evil Is Done: Human Hell in the Political,” (with Edward Weisband); Inter-Disciplinary.Net’s 2nd Annual Conference on Evil, Law, and the State in Saltsburg, Austria (March 2009)

“Big Blocks of Cheese and Other Lessons on American Politics: 15 Weeks in the West Wing,” (with Sandra E. Via); American Political Science Association’s Teaching and Learning Conference in Baltimore, MD (February 2009)

“Starvation, Science, and Standards: Food Security, Food Technology, and the Regulatory Capacity of the Codex Alimentarius Commission,” International Studies Association-Northeast Conference in Baltimore, MD (October 2008)

“Specularity and the Bio-Politics of Evil: International Political Theory in Search of the Subject,” (with Edward Weisband); 2nd Global International Studies Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia (July 2008)

“Reification and Revelation: Unpacking the Demons of Difference,” (with Edward Weisband); The American Political Science Association’s Teaching and Learning Conference in Charlotte, NC (February 2007)

“Politicization, Deadlock, and Dispute: the Impacts and Implications of Post-1995 Linkages Between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Trade Organization,” The International Social Theory Consortium Conference in Roanoke, VA (May 2006)

Working Group Presentations

“The Problem with Purity: Market Failures, Foodborne Contamination, and the Search for Accountability in the U.S. Food Safety Regulatory Regime;” Planning, Governance, and Globalization Research Symposium, Virginia Tech (2010)

“Evil Is as Evil Is Done: Human Hell in the Political” (with Edward Weisband) Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPECT) Working Paper Series, Virginia Tech (2009)

“Nations, Nationality, and Nationalism: Hyphenated Identities, Naturalized Ontologies, and Political Sin” (with Edward Weisband) ASPECT Working Paper Series, Virginia Tech (2006)

Symposium Participation

Virginia Food Security Summit [Hosted by: the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Food Science and Technology, the University of Virginia Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, and the University of Virginia Institute for Environmental Negotiation] Charlottesville, VA (2007)

Radio/Television Interviews 

Interview re: In Food We Trust, AmericasDemocrats.org [11-6-2014]

Interview re: In Food We Trust, Lincoln Live KFOR 1240 [8-4-2014]

Interview re: Special Love, Inc, Fox 21/27 News [10-18-2013]

Public Lectures

“Ethical Food Choices: Genocide, Chocolate, and the Ivory Coast,” Hollins University, VA (April 2015)

Keyonote Address; Virginia Family Nutrition Program’s Multi-State Conference; Roanoke, VA (May 2015)

“Why are the Underserved Underserved?” Engaging Underserved Audiences in Innovative Ways – Virginia Cooperative Exension In-Service; Richmond, VA (November 2014)

“Winning Choices,” Blacksburg Middle School and Shawsville Middle School, Montgomery County, VA (September 2014)

AWARE, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (April 2013; April 2014)

“Political Evil, Human Suffering, and Compassion in the 21st Century,” Natural Bridge Men’s Prayer Breakfast, Natural Bridge, VA (June 2009)

“Boundaries, Borders, and Barricades: The Limits of Compassion in the 21st Century,” Presbyterian Women Cluster Gathering, Lynchburg, VA (April 25, 2009)

“One Humankind United: Service to a God Beyond the God of Theism,” Natural Bridge, VA (March 9, 2008)

“Finding Transcendence in Times of Turmoil,” Buchannan, VA (May 2007)

“An Overview of World Religions,” Presbyterian Women Cluster Gathering, Lynchburg Presbyterian Church (April 14, 2007)

Service

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

Faculty Sponsor, Friends of Special Love at Virginia Tech [Spring 2013-Present]

Faculty Sponsor, MEDLIFE [Fall 2014-Present]

Sophomore Scholarship Committee Member, Clyod Scholarship [Spring 2014]

Collaborator, CALS Integrated Internal Competitive Grant, Use of Cross-Disciplinary Teaching in Engaging Students to Improve Critical Thinking and Communication Skills [Fall 2013; Fall 2014]

Sophomore Scholarship Committee Member, Horton Scholarship [Spring 2013]

Moderator and Discussant, Presidential Elections, 2012: What Now? [Public Discussion, November 2012]

Professor, Virginia Tech Summer Academy (Summer 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015)

Moderator, A Critical Discussion: Obama’s Re-Election [Panel Discussion with Dr. Karen Hult (Virginia Tech) and Christopher “Killfile” Thomas (MSNBC’s Newsvine) [March 2012]

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS SERVICE

SPIA Alumni Council (Fall 2014-Present)

College of Architecture and Urban Studies 50th Anniversary Alumni Lecture (Fall 2014)

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND HUMAN SCIENCES (VT) SERVICE

CLAHS Strategic Planning Commission, Undergraduate Education Subcommittee (Spring 2012)

DEPARTMENT SERVICE

Curriculum Committee (2014-Present)

Commencement Committee (2015-Present)

Hokies on the Hill Capitol Semester Program, Blacksburg Coordinator (2011-Present)

Career Advisor (2014-Present)

Internship/Co-op Coordinator for Political Science and International Studies (2011-Present)

Undergraduate Academic Advisor (2011-Present)

Political Science Orientation (2011-2012; Coordinator 2013-Present)

First Year Experience Course Instructor (2014-Present)

Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies (2015-Present)

Director of Undergraduate Studies (2014-2005)

Coordinator, Graduate Teaching Assistant Handbook (Nations and Nationalities/ Global Economy and World Politics), 2005-2010

Administrative Graduate Teaching Assistant (Nations and Nationalities/ Global Economy and World Politics), 2005-2010

Graduate Student Representative to the Department of Political Science Faculty Council, 2005-2006; 2010

GRADUATE COMMITTEES

2016-Present: Vern Ferguson (Rise of Neo-Fascism in Sweden)

2016-Present: Thomas Denson (Estonian Nationalism)

2015-Present: Corey Harlow (Factory Farm Regulation)

2014-2015: Alec Clott (Child Labor) 

2012-2015: Justina Meade (OLMA Candidate, PSCI)

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH/INDEPENDENT STUDY/HONORS MENTORING

2016-2017: Patrick Huddie (Military Technologies); Blake Jeanniton (Neo-Liberal Political Economy and Subnational Identity Movements)

2015-2016: Vern Ferguson (Swedish/Turkish Identity Politics); Alec Clott (Child Labor in the Chocolate Industry); Laura McCarter (Refugees and Syria); Dylan Daniel (GMO Regulation); Mikey Erb (Queer IR Theory); Vern Ferguson (Fascism in Sweden)

2014-2015: Julia Sherry (Water Accountability); Corey Harlow (Food Politics); Dylan Daniel (Food Politics)

2013-2014: Alec Clott (Human Trafficking); Julia Sherry (Virtual Water); Corey Harlow (Food Politics)

2012-2013: Ausan El-Eryani (Food Deserts), Alec Clott (Human Trafficking), Julia Sherry (the Globalization Water), Corinne Moini (Intellectual Property Rights in India)

2011-2012: Ausan El-Eryani (Food Deserts); Alec Clott (Human Trafficking)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Special Love, Inc.—Counselor, Staff, and Ambassador, 2000-Present [www.speciallove.org]

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Hunter Education Instructor, 2010-Present

National Wild Turkey Federation, Juniors Achieving Knowledge, Ethics, and Sportsmanship (JAKES)—Staff/Muzzleloading Instructor, 2000-2009

New River Stage, Inc.—Board of Directors, 2007-2009 [www.newriverstage.org]

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Conference Organizer: International Conference on Food Studies (Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, VA; September 2015)

Associate Editor: Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal  (2012-Present)

Food Studies Advisory Board (2013-Present)

Review, International Economics, Fifteenth Edition, Pugel, McGraw-Hill (November 2012)

Review, The Globalizaiton of World Politics: 4th Edition, Baylis, Smith, and Owens, Oxford University Press (October 2011)

Media Mentions

Eight Virginia Tech Students Trade Campus Life for a Semester of Working on Capitol  Hill

Tech to Hold Presidential Discussion

Evil, Freedom, and Forgiveness

Course Evaluation System All Online

Tech Student Experiences Wall Street

Stinson, Always Profound

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

Food Studies Knowledge Community
American Political Science Association
International Studies Association
International Association of Genocide Scholars
International Association for Food Protection

Teaching Competencies

The Global Economy and World Politics
Introduction to World Politics/International Relations
Nations and Nationalities
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Food Law, Politics, Safety & Security
Genocide Studies
Introduction to International Studies and Political Science
Research Methods

References

Edward Weisband, Diggs Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences
Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech
weisband@vt.edu

Karen Hult
Chair, Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech
khult@vt.edu

Timothy W. Luke, University Distinguished Professor
University Distinguished Professor, Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech
twluke@vt.edu

Anne Khademian
Director, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech
akhademi@vt.edu

Renee Boyer
Department of Food Science &  Technology, Virginia Tech
rraiden@vt.edu