TXST Department of Political Science

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TXST Department of Political Science

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The Department of Political Science is a part of the College of Liberal Arts at TXST. PS) and public administration (BPA). PS), legal studies (M.A.

We are the academic home for about 800 undergraduate majors & minors and 380 graduate students. As a liberal arts discipline, the department offers two undergraduate degrees, political science (B.A. In addition, we offer three graduate degrees including political science (M.A. LS), and public administration (MPA), as well as graduate certificates in mediation and paralegal studies. We house the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service and the Center for Research, Public Policy, and Training (CRPPT), as well as the Armed Forces and Society Journal and the Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy.

10/27/2026

On September 17, Dr. Paul DeHart participated in a three-part series of lectures on Constitution Day at the University of West Florida that centered on examining the ideas, debates and historical traditions that shaped the U.S. Constitution and the nation’s founding. At noon, Dr. DeHart presented “Is There No Virtue Among Us?: Interest, Ambition, and the Common Good in the Framers’ Constitutional Design” in order to stimulate a discussion on the origins of the U.S. Constitution. At 3PM, Dr. DeHart was joined by Dr. James Hankins, foremost scholar of Renaissance political thought and a former professor of Harvard University with 40 years of experience in academia, in a public forum titled “Federalists of Antifederalists: The Verdict After 250 Years.” The event concluded with a final lecture at 6:30PM presented by Dr. Hankins titled “The Constitution and the Western Republican Tradition”.

Dr. DeHart is Professor of Political Science at Texas State University, where he has taught since August 2009. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. DeHart specializes in the American founding, early modern political theory, the grounds of political authority and obligation, the relationship between religion and political order, and natural law. and constitutional design.

10/23/2026

Are you interested in a flexible program that culminates in a practical, professional certificate? The Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA) certification program may be for you! Visit the website ( https://www.polisci.txst.edu/affiliated-centers/crppt/ppac.html ) to learn more.

10/21/2026

On Thursday, September 17, faculty, staff and graduate students attended the first Inklings gathering of the Fall 2026 semester. Dr. David Levy, associate professor of instruction within Texas State University’s Department of Political Science, gave a presentation titled “The Process of International Commercial Law Harmonization and Unification: My Experiences with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law”.

The presentation centered around the purpose and process by which states can coalesce existing legal systems in order to create legal environments conducive to smooth trade and transactions across state borders. Dr. Levy articulates that a failure to reach “unified and harmonized” trade processes can create an environment of uncertainty and risk between states aiming to trade with one another, and that very same uncertainty and risk can create higher costs for both parties and their consumers. Some examples discussed differing legal systems might come from cultural backgrounds like legal systems born out of Western and Islamic Sharia traditions, market versus non-market economics, or differences born from language barriers.

Following this introduction, the presentation transitioned to a discussion on examples of international intergovernmental organizations that oversee international trade, such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). UNCITRAL plays a key role in furthering the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law by preparing and promoting the adoption of legislative and non-legislative instruments in a number of key areas of commercial law. This process allows for states to begin developing common legal languages between one another via conventions, model laws, and rules that are acceptable to states across the world, allowing for participating states to facilitate trade on equal footing and with equivalent understandings on the legal frameworks used to conduct a given commercial transaction. The discussion concluded with comments on Dr. Levy’s experiences while serving at UNCITRAL, including how he acquired the position, former job duties, observations on the job, and his reasons for leaving.

Dr. David A. Levy is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Graduate Legal Studies program at Texas State University. His undergraduate degree is in music from Texas Wesleyan College, and he holds a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University and an LL.M. (with distinction) in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center. He has published in the area of artificial intelligence and legal ethics, as well as comparative law and international commercial law harmonization. Dr. Levy has significant work experience in the field of law, including working for the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the American Society of International Law, and the International Law Institute. Dr. Levy has also held elected office as the County Attorney of Archer County, Texas as well as having served as Mayor of Archer City.

The original Inklings consisted of a small group of intellectuals (whose ranks included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis) who met weekly at Oxford University to read aloud and discuss their works in a spirit of fellowship and civil conversation. In the spirit of these Inklings, the Department of Political Science at Texas State University has held similar gatherings for more than two decades. Meeting monthly, TXST Inklings participants discuss research, exchange ideas, and address a wide variety of issues reflecting diverse interests.

10/20/2026

On September 10th, student organizations such as Pi Sigma Alpha and Supporting Women in Political Science (SWIPS), with the support of Dr. McMahan, sponsored and orchestrated an interactive Q&A Panel consisting of former interns of Texas State affiliated public-sector internships. The panelists, consisting of Eduardo “Eddie” Almanza, Ethan Crowder, and Mikaela Kram, delivered encouraging yet honest advice for what internships entail. In particular, the Internship Panel provided an opportunity for students to learn about the application process for several available government-oriented internship opportunities facilitated by Texas State for offerings in Austin, Texas, and Washington D.C.

Through the event, discussion centered on qualitative advice on how prospective applicants for public-sector internships might prepare themselves for service and how to stand out in the application and selection process. Mr. Almanza highlighted the role that having a strong presence in the office has on their peers, allowing for individuals to stand out in an effort to translate their internship experience into a full-time position in the public-sector. Ms. Kram’s discussion focused on the highly learning-oriented environment that internships provide, indicating the need for applicants and future interns to ask questions and be proactive in their learning without fear of repercussions or leaving potentially negative impressions on their superiors and colleagues in order to make the most of their time as an intern. Finally, Mr. Crowder explained the value of establishing clear, concise, and quick communication channels and patterns between oneself and their associates in an office environment due to the fast-paced nature of many public-sector internships. Finally, Capitol Cats was highlighted as an excellent source for students interested in internship opportunities, especially among those in Austin, Texas.

10/14/2026

On Monday, August 17, 2026, Dr. Ricardo Sánchez Méndez presented his new book titled “El Servicio Exterior Mexicano en el siglo XXI” (The Mexican Foreign Service in the 21st Century), at the headquarters of the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP) in Mexico City. The event was attended by Dr. Eber Betanzos, President of the Institute, accompanied by Drs. Ricardo Uvalle, Federico Seyde, and Juan Pablo Pampillo—who served as commentators on the book—as well as distinguished academics, officials, students, and diplomats.

Within the presentation, Dr. Sánchez expounded upon the fundamental objectives of his text. The first objective is to explain the historical and political development of the Mexican Foreign Service since its inception, as well as that of the career civil service. To this end, it analyzes the national and international legal frameworks governing the Mexican Foreign Service (SEM) and reviews public administration performance evaluation systems, emphasizing the importance of performance assessments and promotion competitions.

The second objective is to present a series of proposals and recommendations that, from an academic and non-partisan perspective, seek to improve, continuously professionalize, and institutionally strengthen both the career SEM and the Mexican Foreign Ministry. The aim is for these insights to be considered in the academic training of international relations students—including those aspiring to join the Mexican Foreign Service (SEM)—and by those responsible for formulating Mexico’s foreign policy.

Dr. Ricardo Sánchez Méndez is a Mexican diplomat, academic, author, and specialist in international relations, Mexican foreign policy, diplomacy, and public administration. He served for 35 years as a career diplomat in the Mexican Foreign Service, retiring with the rank of Minister. He has taught at UNAM’s FES Acatlán and ENEP Aragón, as well as at the Universidad del Valle de México, where he also served as academic coordinator of the International Relations program.

He currently serves as a lecturer in Political Science at Texas State University. His scholarly interests include Mexican foreign policy, international relations, diplomacy, public administration, and the geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific region. His publications include works on Mexico’s relations with Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific, Mexican foreign policy, and international economic relations. He is the author of the book El Servicio Exterior Mexicano en el siglo XXI, published by Tirant Lo Blanch, which examines the challenges and evolution of Mexico’s Foreign Service in the 21st century.

10/13/2026

On August 9 2026, Dr. Howard R. Balanoff and municipal attorney Alan Bojorquez were interviewed by James-Christian Blockwood of Management Matters, a podcast of the National Academy of Public Administration centered around bringing together government and private sector leaders for in-depth conversations about the big issues impacting public service and government.

The interview focused on defining “good government” amid declining public trust and growing conflict at even local meetings. In particular, the discussion was built around dictating how to define good government, discussing the role of ethics in governance, public cynicism, the ten traits of good governance, training elected officials, and transparency in the public-sector. Dr. Balanoff captures the ten traits of good governance by articulating them sequentially – respect, responsiveness, effectiveness, transparency, competence, ethics, lawfulness, innovative, sound fiscal management, and accountability.

Dr. Howard Balanoff holds the Texas State University William P. Hobby Endowed Professorship for Public Service and directs the Texas State University William P. Hobby Center for Public Service. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and the recipient of the 2019 International/County Management Association (ICMA) Academic Award for Excellence in Education. He is a Public Administration generalist and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in public policy administration, international and comparative public administration, and personnel and human resources administration.

10/06/2026

On July 30, 2026. Dr. Ionut C. Popescu published an article in The American Conservative titled The Iran War Is Lose-Lose. In the article, Dr. Popescu argues that The Iran War promulgates a vicious cycle between Washington and Tehran that is born out of a misunderstanding in the relationship between coercive military pressure and regime capitulation.

In particular, Dr. Popescu highlights that although the United States has achieved short-term tactical successes through the aerial bombardment of key Iranian infrastructure, the war has failed in a strategic manner due to how it has failed to achieve long-term goals such as thwarting the development of Iranian military / nuclear capabilities and inciting the capitulation of the regime through popular revolt. In essence, the United States’s reliance on coercive pressure has only led to entrenchment of Iran’s regime and its “doctrine of resistance.”

Dr. Popescu writes “Further U.S. military force is in fact actively counterproductive to creating favorable political change in Iran because the perception of foreign sponsorship delegitimizes opposition movements, as shown in this case by the ascendancy of hardliners to positions of power after the killing of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other leaders.”

Using the realist school of thought, Dr. Popescu concludes that the Iranian war leads to the continued depletion of American financial and military resources in a way that actively inhibits its capacity for international deterrence. In effect, as the United States continues pursuing a strategy of coercive pressure, it will continue to lose financial and military resources that will create vulnerability in the Pacific, where rising hegemonies such as China are incentivized to take action against U.S. allies and interests. As opposed to continuing the conflict, it is mutually beneficial to both states for the war to end so that the United States is able to rebuild the capital / arms necessary for deterrence in the Pacific, and to allow for capital to flow back into the Middle East so that adjacent states are less vulnerable and volatile.

Ionut Popescu is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas State University and Graduate Director of the Masters in Political Science program. Dr. Popescu is the author of No Peer Rivals: American Grand Strategy in the Era of Great Power Competition (University of Michigan Press, 2025) and Emergent Strategy and Grand Strategy: How American Presidents Succeed in Foreign Policy (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017).

09/21/2026

On Wednesday, September 2nd, more than 250 students, faculty, and staff gathered for the Department of Political Science’s Fall Open House event. The event welcomed both new and returning students and highlighted the department’s academic programs and available resources.

Those in attendance connected with faculty members, met departmental staff, and built relationships with graduate students in a welcoming environment. Attendees learned more about the department’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, student services, internship opportunities, and upcoming events for the semester.

Sarah Trayhan, a graduate student of Political Science who attended the event, said, “I love that Texas State University hosts an Open House for its students; it allows for our community to grow and fosters engagement for our incoming students!”

09/10/2026

On Tuesday, September 1st, more than 60 students attended the Department of Political Science’s annual “Meet the Professors” event, hosted by Discourse in Democracy. The event gave political science and public administration majors / minors the opportunity to meet with faculty and to learn about the courses they teach, their backgrounds, and their areas of interest.

Students in attendance had a chance to learn about their majors and about various groups associated with the department including Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society; Supporting Women in Political Science (SWIPS); Model Organization of American States; Mock Trial, and Model United Nations. Afterwards, students mingled with faculty and representatives over pizza, cookies, and sodas.

Isabel Duarte, a graduate student of Political Science and TA for the Department who attended the event, said, “Meet the Professors was such a great opportunity to chat with professors in a casual setting and learn more about what the Department of Political Science at TXST has to offer to new students!”

08/31/2026

Join us tomorrow for Meet the Professors!!

This event is a great way for PoliSci majors and minors to meet, mingle, and makes themselves known by future (or current) instructors.

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601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX
78666

Website

http://www.polisci.txstate.edu/

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