Table of contents
Education
| 1999 - 2004 | University of Massachusetts (Ph.D. in Sociology) |
| Thesis: "Latvian Nationalist Ideas and Intellectuals 19th century - 1939" The dissertation provides a historical and comparative account of the development of Latvian nationalism as it was shaped by changing political contexts as well as borrowed ideologies. Using data from intellectuals' political publications, historical materials, numerous secondary studies, interviews, autobiographies and memoirs, and comparisons with other nationalisms, I argue that Latvian nationalism was a result of the work of intellectuals rather than elites, mass movements or particular political organizations. As a result it was more likely to accommodate authoritarian and non-democratic political goals. This research supports theories that differentiate between state-building and cultural nationalisms and spans about 100 years covering three periods - the early cultural nationalism of the 19th century, the politics of culture and authoritarian leader between 1921 and 1939, and exile nationalism in the United States of America after World War II. | |
| 1997 - 1999 | The Ohio State University (M.A. in Women's Studies) |
| Thesis: "Exploring Political Subjectivity in Post-Soviet Latvia: A Trope Analysis of Secretaries' Narratives about Work, Citizenship, and Sexual Harassment" | |
| 1992 - 1997 | University of Latvia (B.A. in Philosophy) |
| 1980 - 1992 | Ogre Secondary School. Ogre, Latvia |
Work experience
Teaching |
|
| September 2009 - present | Rowan University, Department of Sociology, Associate Professor |
| September 2004 - 2009 | Rowan University, Department of Sociology, Assistant Professor |
| September 2003 - December 2003 | Eastern Connecticut State University, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, Part-time Faculty |
| January 2002 - May 2004 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Department of Sociology, Part-time Faculty |
| July 2000 - July 2002 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Division of Continuing Education, Teaching Associate |
| September 1999 - January 2002 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Department of Sociology, Graduate Teaching Assistant |
| June - August 1999 | The Ohio State University, Department of Women's Studies, Lecturer |
| August 1997 - June 1999 | The Ohio State University, Department of Women's Studies, Teaching Assistant |
Research |
|
| 1993 - 1998 | Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, Research Associate |
Administrative |
|
| July 2011 - present | Rowan University, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Associate Dean |
| July 2010 - June 2011 | Rowan University, Bantivoglio Honors Concentration, Coordinator |
| July 2005 - September 2009 | Rowan University, Women's Studies Program, Coordinator |
| May - August 1997 | The Baltic-Nordic Gender Equality Conference "Women and Men in Dialogue," Press Center |
| March - May 1995 | European Union Youth Campaign Against Racism, Xenophobia and Anti-Semitism, Director of Staff |
Publications
Books |
| "New Directions in Sociology: Essays on Theory and Methodology in the 21st Century" co-edited with Michael DeCesare (McFarland, 2011) |
| "American Latvians: Politics of a Refugee Community" (Transaction Publishers, 2010) |
| "Anti-Communist Minorities in the US: Political Activism of Ethnic Refugees" (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2009) |
| "Nineteenth-Century Nationalism and Twentieth-Century Anti-democratic Ideals: The Case of Latvia, 1840s to 1980s" (The Edwin Mellen Press, 2008) |
Journal articles |
| “Republican Ethnic Politics in the late 1960s and early 1970s: Nixon vs. GOP” Polish American Studies LXVII: 2 (2010) pp. 53-74 | Co-authored with Graham Gormley, "Integration or separation? Nationality groups in the US and the Republican Party's ethnic politics, 1960s–1980s" Nationalities Papers 38:4 (2010) pp.469 |
| "Politicians Versus Intellectuals in the Lustration Debates in Transitional Latvia" Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics 26:3 (2010) pp.389 |
| "Soviet Campaigns against Capitalist Ideological Subversives during the Cold War: The Latvian Experience" The Journal of Cold War Studies 12:3 (2010) pp.91-114 |
| "'The Secret Nazi Network': Post-World War II Latvian Emigres and the Hunt for Nazis in the United States" Journal of Baltic Studies 41:1 (2010) pp.89-115 |
| "The Controversies of US-USSR Cultural Contacts during the Cold War: The Perspective of Latvian Refugees" Journal of Historical Sociology 21:1 (2008) pp.55–81 |
| "Inventing Culture and Nation: Intellectuals and the Early Latvian Nationalism" National Identities 9:4 (2007) pp.307-329 |
| "Authoritarianism and Political Ideas of Latvian Nationalist Intellectuals" Journal of Baltic Studies 38:3 (2007) pp. 291-315 |
| "Etatist Elements of Small Nation Nationalism" Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism 32 (2005) pp. 2-17 |
| "Latvian Nationalist Intellectuals and the Crisis of Democracy in the Interwar Period" Nationalities Papers Vol. 33:1 (2005) pp. 99-119 |
| "The Construction of National(ist) Subject: Applying the Ideas of Louis Althusser and Michel Foucault to Nationalism" Social Thought and Research Vol. 25 (2003) |
| "Gendered Political Subjectivity in Post-Soviet Latvia" Women's Studies International Forum 25:6 (2003) pp. 631-640. |
| "The People's Party in Latvia: Neo-Liberalism and the New Politics of Independence" Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics 18:3 (2002) pp. 109-131. |
| "Trope Analysis of Women's Political Subjectivity: Women Secretaries and the Issue of Sexual Harassment in Latvia" Feminist Theory 2:3 (2001) pp. 282-310. |
| "Trope Analysis of Subjectivity and Agency in the Narratives of Female Secretaries" Humanities and Social Sciences Latvia 4:25 (1999) pp. 29-52 |
| "The Discursive Analysis of Economic Narrative and Gender Studies in Latvia" in The Newsletter of the Gender Studies Center of the University of Latvia 1:1 (1998) |
| Numerous articles The Newsletter of the Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies (1993-1998) |
Book chapters |
| "Nationalism and Statism in Latvia: The Past and Current Trends" in Nationalism in Contemporary Europe, edited by Pawel Karolewski and Andrzej Marcin Suszycki. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books (2009) pp. 195-212 |
| "From Identity to Coalitions: Suggestions for the Feminist Theory and Politics in the Baltics" in Gender Matters in the Baltics, edited by Irina Novikova. Riga: University of Latvia Press (2008) pp. 55-74 |
| "Feminist Analysis of International Relations: Work and Gender in the Context of Global Changes" in Too Early? Too Late?: Feminist Ideas, Contexts, Perspectives, edited by Irina Novikova and Elizabete Picukane. Riga: Holda (2001) pp. 12-27 |
| "Feminist Methodology," and "Feminism and Philosophy" in Contemporary Feminist Theories. edited by Irina Novikova. Riga: Jumava (2001) pp. 17-19, pp. 123-127 |
| "The Trope of Borders and Construction of Difference" in Coexistence of Difference and Narrative in Modernity, edited by Mara Rubene. Riga: University of Latvia (1998) pp. 42-51 |
| "The Latvian Press and Violence Against Women in the Context of Gender Equality" in Invitation to Dialogue: Beyond Gender (In)Equality, edited by Ilze Koroleva. Riga: Latvian Academy of Sciences (1997) pp. 56-69 |
Book reviews |
| Review essay "Émigré Experiences and the Cold War in the United States" Journal of American Ethnic History (forthcoming Winter 2012) |
| Review of Vieda Skultans "Empathy and Healing: Essays in Medical and Narrative Anthropology" Journal of Baltic Studies 41:2 (2010) pp. 269-271 |
| Review of Anna D. Jaroszyńska-Kirchmann "Exile Mission: The Polish Political Diaspora and Polish Americans, 1939-1956" Journal of American Ethnic History 29:1 (2009) pp. 117-119 |
| Review of Michal Kopeček, ed. "Past in the Making: Historical Revisionism in Central Europe after 1989" Journal of Baltic Studies 40:2 (2009) pp. 267-271 |
| Review of Andrew Ezergailis "Nazi/Soviet Disinformation about the Holocaust in Nazi-Occupied Latvia: Daugavas Vanagi: Who are They? – Revisited" Nordost Archiv (Germany) volume XVII (2009) pp. 347-351 |
| Review of Hollace Ava Weiner "Jewish ‘Junior League’: The Rise and Demise of the Forth Worth Council of Jewish Women" Journal of Southern Jewish History volume 11 (2008) pp. 149-151 |
| "Review Essay: The Many Causes and Manifestations of Nationalism" Sociological Forum 19:3 (2004) pp. 495-503 |
| "Begona Aretaxaga. 'Shattering Silence: Women, Nationalism, and Political Subjectivity in Northern Ireland,'" The Journal of Women's History 10:3 (1998) |
Newspapers and magazines |
| "Breasts, Beauty and Silicone," Ieva September 2, 1998 |
| "Sexual Harassment - Not an Issue for Latvian Women?" Baltic Times August 14-20, 1997 |
| "Forms of Gender Discrimination in Latvia," Latvijas Vestnesis August 1, 1997 |
| "Reaction to Feminism in Latvia," Diena July 17, 1997 |
| "Teaching Human Rights in Latvia's Schools," Izglitiba un Kultura March 9, 1995 |
| "Practical Human Rights Education," Izglitiba un Kultura September 15, 1994 |
Educational brochures |
| Gender Equality and Ethnic Integration. Contributing editor. Riga: Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, 2002 |
| Women's Rights Movements in the Past and Today. Riga: Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, 1997 |
| Sexual Harassment: Existing but without a Name? co-author with E. Alere. Riga: Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, 1997 |
| Domestic Violence: Don't Put up with It! co-author with K. Dzelme and A. Kamenska. Riga: Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, 1996 |
| Teaching Human Rights and Tolerance: a Manual for High-School Teachers. Riga: Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, 1996 |
Professional organizations and service
University service |
| - Rowan University |
| All University Tenure and Re-contracting Committee (Member, 2010-2011) |
| College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Strategic Planning Task Force, Graduate Education Committee (Member, 2010-2011) |
| University Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Centers and Coordinators (Member, Spring 2011) |
| College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences Curriculum Committee (Chair, 2009-2010) |
| Honors Program’s Advisory Committee (Member, 2009-2010) |
| University Senate Curriculum Committee (Member, 2009-2010) |
| Women’s and Gender Studies Program (Council Member, 2009-2012) |
| Cultural Programming Committee (Member, 2008-2009) |
| Liberal Studies: Humanities/Social Sciences Program (Council Member, 2008-2009) |
| University Senate (Senator, 2007-2011) |
| Student Relations Committee (Member, 2007-2008) |
| International Student Services (Mentor, 2007-2008) |
| International Education Council (Member, 2006-2007) |
| Recruitment, Admissions and Retention Committee (Member, 2006-2007, 2008-2009) |
Department service |
| - Rowan University, Department of Sociology |
| Tenure and Promotion (Member, 2009-2010) |
| Policies and Procedures (Member, 2008-2009) |
| Career Development Committee (Member, 2007-2008) |
| Special Programs Committee (Convener, 2006-2007) |
| Paper Contest/ Student Awards Committee (Convener, 2006-2007) |
| Curriculum Committee (Member, 2005-2006) |
| Alumni Tracking Committee (Member, 2004-2005) |
Professional service and training |
Special Issue “The Cold War and American Ethnic Groups” of the Journal of American Ethnic History, 2009-2010
Guest Editor |
| Annual Convention of the Association of the Study of Nationalities, Columbia University, April 24, 2009
Discussant |
| Baltic Crossroads: Examining Cultural, Social, and Historical Diversity, 21st Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, Indiana University, May 30, 2008
Panel Chair |
| The Legacy of 1968 Conference, Chestnut Hill College, April 5, 2008
Panel Chair |
| Research Symposium "The Cold War Warriors: Political Activism of Ethnic Groups during the Cold War in the US” at Rowan University (part of the 1968 Hollybush Summit Commemoration program), April 1, 2008
Organizer and Moderator |
| Research Project at Oxford University, UK. "Social Inequality and Why it Matters for the Economic and Democratic Development of Europe and its Citizens: Post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe in Comparative Perspective" (funded by the European Commission, Framework 6 Programme), July-August 2007
Expert/Consultant |
| 101st Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal, Canada, August 11, 2006
Teaching Workshop "Teaching Sociology in an Interdisciplinary Honors Program." Panelist |
| 20th Annual Conference of the Association for the Baltic Studies, George Washington University, Washington DC., June 15, 2006
Panel Chair |
| Second Undergraduate Political Science and Sociology Student Convention, Monmouth University, April 7, 2006
Panel Chair |
| Second Annual New Jersey Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Student Research Colloquium "Dangerous Liaisons" at Rowan University, February 24, 2006
Organizing Committee Chair |
| Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies
Reviewer |
| Journal "Sociological Forum"
Reviewer |
| Journal of Baltic Studies
Referee |
| Journal "Social Thought and Research"
Referee |
| Rowan University, Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning Certificate of Accomplishment for the Completion of Training Workshops in the Faculty Essentials Series, Fall 2004 |
| Central European University Training Program in Feminist Pedagogy, Spring 2000 |
Professional organizations |
| Member of |
| Eastern Sociological Society |
| Immigration and Ethnic History Society |
| American Sociological Association |
| Association for the Advancement of the Baltic Studies |
| Association for the Study of Nationalities |
| Social Science History Association |
| Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Society |
| Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars |
Awards, scholarships, and grants
| 2009 | Grant-in-Aid, Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota |
| 2009-2010 | Emerging Scholar Grant, Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies |
| 2008-2009 | Non-Salary Financial Support Grant, Rowan University |
| Spring 2008 | Wall of Fame of Academic Advising, Rowan University |
| 2006-2007 | Non-Salary Financial Support Grant, Rowan University |
| April 2006 | Rowan University’s Person of the Week (for work on Women’s History Month), Rowan University Alumni Association |
| Summer 2002 | Certificate of Appreciation for Demonstrating Excellence in Teaching, Division of Continuing Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| 2002 | Graduate School Travel Grant, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA |
| 2002 | Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA |
| 2001-2002 | Graduate School Fellowship, University of Massachusetts,Amherst, USA |
| May 3, 2001 | Comprehensive Examination in Political Sociology, passed With Distinction, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA |
| 1999 | PEO International Peace Scholarship at the Ohio State University, USA |
| 1997-1999 | Fulbright Scholarship at the Ohio State University, USA |
| 1997 | Award for the Best BA Thesis from Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster, Germany |
| 1995-1996 | American Collegiate Consortium Scholarship at the University of Michigan, USA |
Conferences and presentations
Refereed presentations |
| November 15, 2009 | National Convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Boston, MA
Presentation: "The Multiple Fronts of the Cold War: Ethnic Anti-Communism of Latvian Émigrés" |
| January 2, 2009 | 123rd Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association, New York City, NY.
Presentation: "Latvian Émigrés, the Cold War and Comparative Analysis of the Experience of Political Refugees" |
| November 15, 2008 | International Research Conference "Secret Weapon or Victims of the Cold War? Central and Eastern European Political Emigres," Lublin, Poland.
Presentation: "The Latvian Cultural Committee for Relations with the Countrymen Abroad: The Soviet Instrument of Divide and Rule" Photo1 Photo2 |
| June 14, 2008 | 66th Annual Meeting of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, Philadelphia, PA.
Presentation: "Political Activism of Latvians in the U.S." |
| May 30-31, 2008 | Baltic Crossroads: Examining Cultural, Social, and Historical Diversity, 21st Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, Indiana University.
Presentations "Lustration that Failed?: The Latvian Case" and "Multiple Fronts of the Cold War: Anti-Communism of the Latvian Emigres in the US" |
| April 5, 2008 | The Legacy of 1968 Conference, Chestnut Hill College.
Presentation "’Communist Infiltration Everywhere’: the 1960s through the Eyes of Political Refugees" |
| March 16, 2007 | Annual Meeting of the Eastern Sociological Association, Philadelphia.
Presentation: "Controversies in Refugee Politics: the Case of American Latvians during the Cold War" |
| June 15, 2006 | 20th Annual Conference of the Association for the Baltic Studies, George Washington University, Washington DC
Presentation "'The secret network of Nazi collaborators': The image of post-WWII Latvian emigres in the United States" |
| November 19, 2004 | 29th Annual Meeting of the Social Science History Association at Chicago, IL
Presentation "Anti-democratic and anti-market sentiments in nationalism: The case of Latvian intellectuals, 1921-1934" |
| May 3, 2003 | Conference at the New School University, New York, NY "History Matters, Social Movements: Past, Present and Future."
Presentation: "Latvian Intellectuals and Nationalist Ideology in the 1920s and 30s" |
| October 24-27, 2002 | The 27th Annual Meeting of the Social Science History Association at St. Louis, MO
Presentation: "Russian and German Nationalism and Latvian Intellectuals 19th century - 1920" |
| May 16-18, 2001 | Conference at the University of Toronto, Canada "Bridging Divides."
Presentation: "Post-nationalist Politics and the People's Party in Latvia" |
| September 2000 | Conference at the University of Massachusetts "Re-thinking Marxism."
Presentation: "The People's Party in Latvia: Neo-liberalism and Independence" |
| April 10, 1999 | Graduate Research Forum at the Ohio State University.
Presentation: "Post-Soviet Capitalism and Women in Private Business" |
| March, 1999 | 13th Annual National Feminist Graduate Student Conference at the University of Texas, Austin.
Presentation: "'Breast-feeding Capitalism': Women Secretaries in Private Business in post-Soviet Latvia" |
| Spring, 1997 | Curriculum Development in Feminist Philosophy Training at the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary |
| Summer, 1995 | 15th International Annual Human Rights Foundation Summer School, Montreal, Canada |
| Spring, 1994 | Eastern European Human Rights Training Program, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia |
Invited presentations |
| November 21, 2009 | Center of American Latvian Organizations, Washington, D.C.
Plenary presentation: "Latvian Anti-Communism: Past Lessons and Future Directions" |
| November, 15, 2009 | Boston Latvian Community Center.
Plenary talk: "Latvians and Anti-Communism" |
| September 11, 2009 | International conference "Twenty Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Democratization in Europe," University of Latvia.
Plenary presentation: "To Remember or Forget?: The Problem of Intellectuals in Lustration Debates" |
| April 7, 2009 | Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota.
Presentation "American Latvians: A Socio-Political Portrait" |
| February 22, 2007 | Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota.
Presentation: "The Dark Side of the USSR-US Cultural Contacts during the Cold War - the Perspective of Latvian Immigrants" |
| November 24, 2006 | 54th Congress of the American Latvian Youth Association
Presentation: "Naïve Fellow-travelers? Latvian Intelligentsia's Relationship with Authoritarianism and Democracy during the First Republic 1921-1940" |
| October 18, 2006 | Philosophy Club, Rowan University.
Presentation: "Contemporary Trends in Feminist Philosophy" |
Research and Teaching Interests
| Historical and Comparative Sociology |
| Sociological Theory |
| Political Sociology |
| Sociology of Nationalism |
| Sociology of Intellectuals |
| Sociology of Gender and Feminist Theory |
| Eastern and Western Europe, former Soviet Union |
| Qualitative Methods |
Languages
| Latvian | native |
| Russian | near native |
| English | read, write, and speak fluently |
| Hebrew | read and write fairly, speak with difficulty |