Several West Virginia University faculty members are available to offer reaction and expert commentary related to issues surrounding the 2016 presidential campaign and Election Day.

WVU faculty who can offer analysis include:

Atiba Ellis is a professor of law whose research focuses on voting rights law with specific attention to how varying conceptions of the right to vote exclude voters on the margins. In particular he has written about voter fraud, economic entry barriers posed by voter ID laws, formal and informal voter suppression, the theoretical effects of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and related topics. He can be reached at atiba.ellis@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.4810.

John Kilwein’s teaching and research include judicial politics, public law and public policy. He can address questions tied to legal issues surrounding the election, including election laws. Kilwein, an associate professor of political science, can be reached at John.Kilwein@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.9576.

Erin Cassese is an associate professor of political science. Her research on gender and race in American Politics has appeared in Politics & Gender, Legislative Studies Quarterly, The Journal of Politics, PS: Political Science & Policy, and The Journal of Political Science Education. Her teaching interests focus on women and politics and quantitative political methodology. She can be reached at erin.cassese@mail.wvu.edu

David Fryson, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion. Fryson, an attorney and ordained minister, has spent his entire life working on issues of diversity. He can be reached at 304.293.3431 or by email at david.fryson@mail.wvu.edu

Patrick Hickey is an assistant professor of political science. His research investigates how presidents build winning legislative coalitions in Congress. Hickey recently co-authored a chapter for the Miller Center of Public Affair’s book 42: Inside the Presidency of Bill Clinton. He can be reached at Patrick.Hickey@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.9575.

Erik Herron, Eberly Family Professor of Political Science, can speak to questions related to cyber attacks and concerns about Russia’s role in the presidential election. His research on Ukraine and the political turmoil that erupted after Russia’s annexation of Crimea has been featured in numerous political science journals and in the Washington Post. Herron can be reached at esherron@mail.wvu.edu 304.293.3811.

Scott Crichlow, chair of the WVU Department of Political Science, specializes in U.S. foreign policy and Middle Eastern politics. He can be reached at 304.293.3198 or scott.crichlow@mail.wvu.edu

Karen Culcasi, associate professor of geography, has been working with Syrian refugees in Jordan for two years. She has documented the daily and long-term challenges of displacement. She can be reached at 304.293.0383 or by email at Karen.culcasi@mail.wvu.edu

James Friedberg from the WVU College of Law offers expertise in international law, including the law of war, human rights law and United Nations law. He can be reached at 304.293.7400 or james.friedberg@mail.wvu.edu

Michael Blumenthal, visiting professor of law and director of the Immigration Clinic at the College of Law. He can be reached at 304.293.6835, 304.241.1518 or michael.blumenthal@mail.wvu.edu

Elizabeth Cohen, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies, specializes in understanding the emotional benefits of media experiences such as live tweeting, TV binge watching, and relationships with celebrities. She recently presented her findings on the uses and effects of social network sites during the 2016 U.S. presidential election at WVU’s inaugural Academic Media Day. She can be reached at elcohen@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.3905.

Julia Daisy Fraustino is an assistant professor at the WVU Reed College of Media who uses quantitative and qualitative methods to research strategic communication surrounding risks, disasters and crises; ethics; and digital and social media. She is also a research affiliate at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). She can be reached at 304.293.7005 or jdfraustino@mail.wvu.edu

Jason MacDonald is an associate professor of political science specializing in American politics, and more specially, the U.S. Congress and bureaucracy. He can be reached at Jason.MacDonald@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.9665.

Matthew Wilson is an assistant professor of political science. His work centers on interactions of leaders and institutions, particularly with regard to regime change and conflict outcomes. He can be reached at mhwilson1@mail.wvu.edu or 304.293.3811.

James Nolan, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, teaches courses in the area of crime and social control. His research currently focuses on police procedures, crime measurement and hate crimes. He is available by phone at 304.293.8582 or jim.nolan@mail.wvu.edu. Additional information is also available at the WVU Research Center on Violence.

West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics. Search for an expert by name, title, area of expertise, or college/school/department in the Experts Database at WVU Today.

-WVU-

ak/11/01/16

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