UCLA Department of Political Science

10/28/2025

Join us!
https://eventsrsvp.ucla.edu/BollensRiesHoffenbergLectureFY26/logon.aspx?Auth=Y

You are invited to attend the 35th annual Bollens-Ries-Hoffenberg Lecture: "Photography, Conflict & Future Narratives" presented by Louie Palu, Photographer, Filmmaker and Author

Thursday, October 30 at 6:00 p.m. PT with reception to follow
James West Alumni Center, Collins Room

About the lecture: Photographer and filmmaker Louie Palu will present his work researching conflicts which are reshaping the geopolitical order. His work is best known for up close, long-term and multi-year studies involving detailed fieldwork, witnessing, and creating visual records in order to make human rights issues visible. In this presentation Louie will share a summary of his work in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Guantanamo Bay, and the US-Mexico border with a focus on his two latest lines of inquiry related to the militarization of the Arctic and a post January 6 U.S. Capitol attack state of government. His current work is focused on visualizing future gaps in our collective understanding of conflict.

About the speaker: Louie Palu is a Canadian/American photographer, filmmaker, and author based in Washington DC whose work has examined social political issues for 30-years. He has been selected for a John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, New America Fellowship, and World Press Photo Award. His work has been widely published including in National Geographic, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg Opinion. His documentary films have been broadcast and screened worldwide. His work has been exhibited widely and is held in numerous collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, National Gallery of Art, and Library of Congress. He is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and holds an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

12/22/2023

Prof. Kirstie McClure, In Memoriam

It is with much sadness that I share with you the news that Prof. Kirstie McClure has passed away. Prof. McClure was a formidable colleague and friend to many of us who will no doubt remember her with fond trepidation for her critical energies, her brilliance, her encyclopedic knowledge of the history of political thought, and her refusal to leave a thought unfinished. Her contributions to political theory, the history of political thought, feminist theory, and critical political theory were many, both published, institutional, and as a mentor to innumerable scholars currently teaching throughout the world.

A Ph.D. graduate from Princeton University, Prof. McClure began her professional career at the Arizona State University, quickly followed by an extended period of teaching at The Johns Hopkins University, finally arriving at UCLA in the late 1990s. *Judging Rights: Lockean Politics and the Limits of Consent (Cornell, 1996)* was a magisterial contribution, both in terms of content and method, to the study of the history of political thought, the history of rights language, and the political theory of John Locke; and the same can be said about her many published essay contributions in various volumes throughout her career. Her work helped defined the interdisciplinary turn in political theory and introduced many of us to critical reading practices from various fields of inquiry not available in traditional American political science inquiry. Indeed, her scholarly achievements are acknowledged by many as culminating in her commitment to multidisciplinary and pluralist reading practices that she forcefully put on display in her engagements with the finished and unfinished works of many of us at conferences, in personal exchanges, and as editor. In this respect, her contributions to the profession of political theory extend to her leadership as a member of the APSA and as Political Theory editor of APSR. Not the least was Prof. McClure's championing of feminist theory and scholarship at a time and a in a discipline where this avenue of inquiry was relegated to a domesticated corner of political science departments. It is safe to say that Kirstie’s contributions to the study of political theory opened a Pandora’s box, and we are all grateful for it.

Prof. McClure was also a devoted teacher who shared her passion for political theory inquiry with her students throughout her professional career. She cared deeply that students learn the complexities of critical thinking through the development of reading and writing practices that one might carry with them beyond the completion of their degree requirements. Never a softie, Prof. McClure made sure that we were all taken to task for our commitments and our political arguments so that we may be sure that our convictions were as brilliant and honest as they could be.

With sadness,
Davide Panagia
Chair, Political Science
UCLA

12/09/2023

Congratulations to our very own Efrén Pérez!

The Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentor Award is presented annually by the APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession to recognize the exemplary mentoring of Latino y Latina students and junior faculty [...]

08/14/2023

Congratulations, Pierre, on this excellent distinction!
(Pierre Weiner received his BA in UCLA's Political Science Honors program, College of Honors, Phi Betta Kappa, summa cm laude, in 1982)

Partner-in-Charge, Los Angeles, Baker McKenzie With over 30 years of experience, Weiner’s practice focuses primarily on securities class action and shareholder derivative litigation and SEC enforcement matters. His practice also includes complex business litigation. Weiner has been approved by Ame...

06/18/2023

Congratulations Political Science class of 2023!

UCLA Political Science Commencement Ceremony on 9:00 am, June 18th 2023

06/17/2023

One of our many amazing 2023 Grads!

After years of foster care and incarceration, the single mom found her calling — and a welcoming space on campus.

05/10/2023

Congratulations to Perrie Weiner (BA, Political Science Honors, College of Honors, Phi Betta Kappa, summa cm laude, 1982) for having been selected one of LA’s top 100 Lawyers for 2023! Bruin Proud!

"I work with a lot of lawyers – in my view, none rise to Baker’s level of service, competence and favorable results. Perrie Weiner ...

08/14/2022

Please join us in welcoming Assistant Professor, Natasha Piano, as our newest faculty member. She will begin teaching at UCLA in Fall, 2023.

Political theorist and historian of political thoughtI am a Harper-Schmidt Fellow and Collegiate Assistant Professor in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. My research combines European social, economic and political theory with the history of the social science disciplines, focusing ....

04/22/2020

Political Science Summer Session 2020 (updated 4/22/20)

06/14/2018

Everyone in the Political Science Department would like to wish many Congratulations to our 2018 Grads! Class dismissed!

06/14/2018

Watch the 2018 Political Science Commencement live here on Facebook Sunday, June 17 9am PST