Research Opportunities
SIA students have the opportunity to conduct and publish research with real-world impact.
Collaborate with professors
Our faculty embrace working with students on research projects—an invaluable way for you to gain research experience while still in graduate school. Some recent examples of SIA students assisting professors with projects and publications:
- Co-authored a journal article with Professor Larry Catá Backer, “The algorithmic law of business and human rights: constructing private transnational law of ratings, social credit and accountability measures,” published in the International Journal of Law in Context (2022).
- Co-authored a book chapter with Professor Elizabeth Ransom, “Overview of the Strategic Role of Agriculture in the Economic Space of the Southern Africa Region,” published in Transforming Agriculture in Southern Africa: Constraints, Technologies, Policies, and Processes (Routledge, 2020).
- Worked with Professor Sophia McClennen and Serbian activist Srdja Popovic to gather and analyze case studies to develop the first-ever empirical data on the efficacy of creative dilemma action tactics; this research culminated in a book, Pranksters vs. Autocrats: Why Dilemma Actions Advance Nonviolent Activism (Cornell University Press, 2020).
- Contributed to a large, interdisciplinary research project at Penn State, “Food Resilience in the Face of Catastrophic Global Events,” which has received more than $3M in research funding (2020-2024).
Publish in the Journal of Law & International Affairs
The Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (JLIA) is a digital, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal, jointly published by Penn State Law and the Penn State School of International Affairs. The journal promotes academic and public discourse at the intersection of law and international affairs, featuring contributions in the areas of public and private international law, international relations, comparative law and politics, geography, economics, history, and policy issues in the various sciences. It is available online and indexed by LEXIS and Westlaw.
For more information, visit the Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs online.