Biography: Justin Clardie is originally from Illinois and completed his Ph.D. in political science at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2009. He has taught at NNU since 2014 but has been teaching since 2009. His research interests are in comparative politics and international relations. Justin is currently working on a project examining protest attitudes and behavior in Russia’s regions. He has previously published work on the effects of military spending on military coups, the legacy of Communism on religious belief in the Baltics and the 1989 Romanian revolution. His dissertation examines how variations in democratic government structure affect the international conflict behavior of democratic countries.
Favorite Thing About Working at NNU: I love working with students who are interested in and curious about the world.
Share a few facts about your specific area(s) of expertise that you bring to the classroom: I have specific expertise in Russian politics and Russian foreign policy. I also bring expertise about the processes and structures of democracy into the classroom.
Share a few pieces of information that represent your teaching experience and why you love working with students: The ideal class is discussing an interesting book with an engaged group of students. I love working with students who are interested in the world and trying to find out more about it. I especially love when a student has an “aha” moment, while discussing the ideas or events presented in a book, that excites them and sparks a passion to learn more.