JCU Welcomes New Professor of Political Science Bridget Welsh 

John Cabot University is pleased to welcome new professor of Political Science  Bridget Welsh. After coming to JCU as a Visiting Professor in January of 2017, Dr. Welsh now joins the JCU community as a full-time tenure track Associate Professor and as Director of Asian Outreach.

Professor Bridget Welsh

Professor Bridget Welsh

Prof. Welsh holds a Ph.D.in Political Science from Columbia University and is an expert on Asia and gender studies. In addition to being an academic and author, she is a Senior Research Associate at the Center for East Asia Democratic Studies of the National Taiwan University, a Senior Associate Fellow of The Habibie Center, a University Fellow of Charles Darwin University and Senior Advisor to Freedom House. She focuses on Southeast Asian politics, especially Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Indonesia, concentrating on democratic governance and rights. She is a core member of the Asian Barometer Survey, and leads the Malaysia and Myanmar survey teams.

Her most recent book is entitled The End of UMNO: Essays on Malaysia’s Dominant Party (2016). She has edited Reflections: The Mahathir Years (2004), Legacy of Engagement in Southeast Asia (2008), Impressions of the Goh Chok Tong Years in Singapore (2009), Democracy Takeoff?: Reflections on the BJ Habibie Period (2012), Awakening: Abdullah Badawi’s Years in Malaysia (2013) (the Malay abridged edition Bangkit 2014).

Prof. Welsh is currently working on a number of projects examining democracy, internet freedom, electoral behavior and polling in Malaysia, and regime support across Asia, notably among millennials. She is also studying women and gender in politics in Asia, and has ongoing projects examining electoral politics, millennials in East Asia, freedom in Southeast Asia, Great Power relations in Southeast Asia, and political conditions in Myanmar/Burma.

Responding to her appointment, Professor Welsh expressed her enthusiasm about joining the JCU community in her new position: “JCU is a great place to work, with wonderful students and colleagues. I hope to strengthen ties between JCU and Asia, further enriching the diversity of JCU’s community and connections between Europe and Asia.”

In Fall 2017, Prof. Welsh will be teaching Introduction to Political Science, Comparative Politics, and Politics of South-East Asia.

Learn more about  Professor Bridget Welsh.

Learn more about studying Political Science and International Affairs in Rome.