Department of Government and Justice Studies

Dr. Curtis R. Ryan joined the Department of Government in Justice Studies at Appalachian State University in 2002. He received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Drew University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at a Chapel Hill. Professor Ryan served as a Fulbright Scholar (1992-93) at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and was twice named a Peace Scholar by the United States Institute of Peace.

In addition to his contributions to Middle East Report, Dr. Ryan’s articles on Middle East politics have been published in the Middle East Journal, The British Journal of Middle East Studies, Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, World Politics Review, Middle East Insight, Arab Studies Quarterly, Israel Affairs, Orient, Southeastern Political Review, Journal of Third World Studies, Middle East Policy, and the Journal of Middle East Law and Governance. He is the author of three books: Jordan in Transition: From Hussein to Abdullah (Lynne Rienner, 2002),  Inter-Arab Alliances: Regime Security and Jordanian Foreign Policy (University Press of Florida, 2009) and Jordan and the Arab Uprisings - Regime Survival and Politics Beyond the State (Columbia University Press, 2018).

Areas of Interest and Expertise:

• International Relations and Foreign Policy
• International and Regional Security
• Comparative Politics
• Middle East politics
• Inter-Arab Relations and Alliance Politics

Education:

• B.A. Drew University
• M.A. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Courses Taught:

• International Politics & Foreign Policy
• Comparative Politics
• Middle East Politics
• Islam and Politics 
• Current Political Issues
• International Terrorism
• Seminar in International Relations Theory (Graduate class)