Professor Kathleen Dowley divides her time between teaching comparative politics at SUNY New Paltz and studying democratic transitions in ethnically divided nations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

One of few American researchers who studies local politics abroad, Professor Dowley tries to instill the importance of subnational politics in her students at New Paltz. She brings guest speakers from abroad into her classes and last year took a group of students to St. Petersburg, Russia for a new academic program.

Professor Dowley spends a significant amount of time in rural areas of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. In October of 2000, she was invited by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe local elections in a countryside town in Albania.

Now, Professor Dowley is studying the role of university towns as centers for resistance. "The Universities were the source of the resistance movements under the authoritarian regimes in Serbia, Georgia and the Ukraine," said Professor Dowley.

She has been published nine times in journals and book chapters on subjects related to her research.

Professor Dowley often engages in discussion with other faculty members, comparing the resistance movements she is studying to American movements.

Why New Paltz? SUNY New Paltz was Professor Dowley's first choice because of its size, location and faculty

Goals: To work on research and understand the role of university towns as centers for resistance

Interests: Spending time with her two children