Samuel S. Stanton

What is your educational background?

• Ph.D. (2004), Texas Tech University
• B.A. (1996) and M.A. (1998), Arkansas State University

What are the main focuses of your research?

The main focuses of my research are International Security Issues, Ethnic Conflict, Terrorism/Counterterrorism, and South China Sea conflict.

What specific courses or specialties do you teach?

I teach Research Methods in Political Science, International Relations, Great Power Politics, National Security, Terrorism/Counterterrorism, African Politics, and Asian Politics.

My focus is on understanding politically-motivated violent behavior at the state and sub-state level. This focus has led me to study ethnic conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa, interstate conflicts in East and Southeast Asia, and non-state transnational sources of political violence in Asia and Africa. I am trained as an empirical behavioral social scientist, and I enjoy passing on this method of learning and understanding political phenomenon to students.

What is the most important piece of advice you give your students to help them succeed?

To engage in scientific study of political phenomenon means understanding causality; that all political actions were caused by something, and that these political actions cause other outcomes. This idea is stressed in all of my classes through my course requirements.

Selected Publications

• “The Shadow Economy; The Forgotten Infrastructure of Terrorist Financing,” in James J.F. Forest, Ed. Essentials of Counterterrorism, Praeger Security International, October 2015.
• “The Rise and Fall of War Crimes Trials, From Charles I to Bush II,” Special Edition: Rule of Law Post 9/11, Law and Politics Book Review, October 2013.
• "Ethnic and Religious Dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” in Copeland etal. Eds, Drawing a Line in the Sea.
• The 2010 Gaza Flotilla Incident and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Lexington Books.
• How Environmental Scarcity Contributes to Conflict: Statistical and Case Studies, 1985-2000, Edwin Mellen Press.
• “Americans at the Gate, the United States and Refugees During the Cold War, A Review Essay,” Law and Politics Book Review, April 2009.
• The Colonial Origins of Human Security” Politics and Policy.
• “Global Shift: Emerging Economies and Globalization,” International Journal of Trade and Global Markets.
• Order and Anarchy, Civil Society, Social Disorder and War. A Review Essay. NY: Cambridge University Press. Journal of Political and Military Sociology, (Winter).
• “Sanctuary, Illegal Immigration and the Relations of Church and State,” in Ann Duncan and Steven Jones, Eds Church-State Issues in America Today, Volume 3, Greenwood Publishing.

Is there any additional personal experience you would like for us to share?

I am married to Vicki R. Stanton, who handles the artistic duties in the family. We have two sons, Sam and Nathan, who fill our lives.

Staff/Faculty Image
Lastname	Stanton
Title	Professor of Political Science
Grove City College Alumni
Office Phone Number	724-458-3854
Email Address	ssstanton@gcc.edu