Who we are
University of St. Gallen Assistant Professor of Political Science
Oliver Westerwinter, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of political science at the Department of Political Science at the University of St. Gallen. His research interests include informal international institutions, transnational public-private governance, bargaining, international security, network theory, and political methodology. Oliver received his Ph.D. in June 2014 at the European University Institute. His dissertation analyzed the formation and evolution of transnational institutions in which public and private actors cooperate on global security issues. Oliver joined the Department of Political Science at St. Gallen in 2013. In 2011, he conducted his research as a visiting fellow at the University of California, San Diego, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies.
Arizona State University Jack E. Brown Professor of Law, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
A leading scholar in international law, Kenneth Abbott's teaching and research focus on the interdisciplinary study of international law and international relations, including public and private institutions, environmental issues, development policy, global health, and international trade and economic law. He also has a faculty appointment in the ASU School of Politics and Global Studies. In 2017 he received the inaugural Distinghished Scholar Award from the International Law Section of the International Studies Association. Professor Abbott is a member of the editorial boards of International Theory, the Journal of International Economic Law and the Journal of International Law and International Relations.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Vilas Distinguished Professor of Political Science: International Relations | Political Methodology
Professor Pevehouse’s research interests lie in international relations, international political economy, American foreign policy, international organizations, and political methodology. Professor Pevehouse’s work examines the relationship between domestic and international politics. Topics on which he has recently published include regional trade agreements, human rights institutions, exchange rate politics, and international organizations. He is the author, with Joshua Goldstein, of International Relations, the leading textbook on international politics. From 2012-2017, he was the editor of International Organization, the leading journal in the field of international relations. He is the co-editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of International Political Economy, co-editor of the Cambridge Elements Series in International Relations, and co-editor of the Chicago Series on International and Domestic Institutions (University of Chicago Press).
NacJune Choi
University of St. Gallen
Doctoral Researcher
NacJune Choi is a PhD candidate at the School of Economics and Political Science, University of St.Gallen. He has worked for IOM-MRTC (International Organization for Migration - Migration Research & Training Centre) where he participated in several academic projects and published "Lesson from Germany guest worker program and how to accept Turkish migrants"(Co-author Dr. Seori Choi). His research interests include international organizations, regime complexity, institutional design and international migration.
Amy E. P. Kasper joins the team from Leiden University, where she graduated cum laude from the International Relations and Diplomacy MSc., was a teaching assistant at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, and then was the tutor/lecturer for the minor program Global Affairs. Previously, Amy worked for the World Affairs Council of Seattle, where she designed and ran professional exchange programs for the U.S. Department of State. Her research interests include global governance, human rights, American foreign policy, conflict resolution, and international norms.
Alexander Köhne Godoy
University of St. Gallen
Research Associate
Alexander Köhne Godoy is a double Master’s degree student in International Affairs and International Management at the University of St. Gallen. Previously, he studied Chinese, Hindi and Asian history at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and graduated cum laude from a BSc in International Business at Maastricht University. His current academic focus lies in the governance of climate change, international law and the formation of national identities. Alexander is targeting a career in diplomacy, academia or global governance.
Sara Fontanet is a Master student in Economics at the University of St.Gallen. After having graduated from a BSc in Economics at the University of St.Gallen , she joined the Swiss Institute of International Economics and Applied Economic Research (SIAW) where she worked as a Research and Teaching Assistant. Her areas of concentration include global & political economy as well as international affairs. Later, she aims at pursuing a career in either academia, research or policy making.
David Brendinger
University of St. Gallen
Research Associate
David Brendinger is a Bachelor Student in International Affairs at the University of St. Gallen. In addition to
his work as a Research Assistant, he works as a PC-Tutor and helps students with their IT problems.
After graduation, David plans to intern in the field of International Security or Conflict Research,
and later pursue a Master's degree in that field as well.
His research interests include Mediation, International Security and Conflict Research.
ALUMNI MEMBERS
JeongA Kim is a double Master’s degree candidate in International Affairs and Governance from University of St.Gallen and Global Economy and Strategy from Yonsei University. She worked for International Organization for Migration(IOM) assisting capacity building programme "Essentials of Migration Management 2.0" and the United Nations Project office on Governance(UNPOG) where she assisted "Capacity needs assessment of Government to implement the 2030 Agenda". Her academic focus encompasses global governance, private-public partnership, climate change, environment management, and sustainable development.