Leona Pallansch, Ph.D.

Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
M.A., Georgetown University
B.A., University of Virginia

Applied Research Methods
International Political Economy
Scope and Methods in International Relations
Theories on the Causes of War
Understanding Politics

Leona Pallansch, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Political Science and most recently served as Interim Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences before being named Director of Pre-law at St. Mary’s. She received her B.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and her M.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs from Georgetown University. After completing a dissertation that explored the relationship between U.S. foreign assistance and alignment behavior of recipient governments, she received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Her research utilizes quantitative analyses to study political behavior in international and local contexts. Recent papers include an analysis of microlending strategies using local microlenders as case studies, an examination of the impact of social media on the Arab Spring, the use of development assistance as a counterinsurgency strategy, and longitudinal studies of risk factors associated with problem behaviors in children adopted from the former Soviet Union. She has worked with students on various research projects, including an evaluation of capital punishment as a deterrent of homicides, the efficacy of civic engagement classes on students’ civic attitudes and behaviors, an evaluation of the services offered by the Battered Women’s Shelter, an evaluation of San Antonio’s public park system, and a survey analysis of local employers’ perceptions of immigrants.

Pallansch teaches a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. Her teaching interests include international relations theory, international political economy, research methodology and ethical issues in international relations. She has also offered courses that focus on gender and international relations.

Pallansch is involved with internationalization efforts and civic engagement initiatives at St. Mary’s and has been involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts. In addition, Pallansch has been a faculty participant in numerous St. Mary’s study abroad programs including Spain, the UK, Austria, and the Southern Cone and has participated in faculty development activities in the Middle East, the Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Bangladesh.

She has been part of the following workshops and seminars between 2000 and 2017:

Geographic Information System (GIS) Webinar (July, 2014)
Hierarchical Linear Model Statistics Workshop, University of Texas at Austin (May, 2011)
Mediation Training, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX (December, 2003)
Transculturation Faculty Workshop, NEH funded, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX (Spring, 2003)
Faculty Development Program, Southern Cone Studies, through the Center for International Business Education and Research, Florida International University (May, 2002)
Faculty Development Program, South East Asian Studies with focus on the Philippines, through the Center for South East Asian Studies, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HI and Cebu City, Philippines (June, 2000)

“Problem Behaviors of Children Adopted From the Former Soviet Union,” co-authored with Cheryl B. Robinson, Teena McGuiness, and Andres Aruero, Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 28 (2015)

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, But Will It Be Tweeted? Social Media, Civil Society, and the Arab Spring,” co-authored with Sandra Nannini, International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Vancouver, Canada (June, 2014)

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised but Will It Be Tweeted: Social Media and Political Mobilization in the Middle East,” co-authored with Sandra Nannini, International Studies Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (April, 2012)

“San Antonio City Parks: An Analysis,” sponsored research by the City of San Antonio in conjunction with SABÉR and Dr. Steven Nivin (Spring, 2010)

“The Militarization of Development: Microloans as Counterinsurgency,” co-authored with Sandra Nannini, and Michael Donnelly, International Studies Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada (March, 2011)

“Learning from the South: The Promise and Perils of Microlending in the US,” co-authored with Sandra Nannini, Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL (April, 2010)

“Buying Friends and Influencing Countries: Coincidence Rates in the UN General Assembly and Distribution of US Foreign Assistance,” Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (March, 2008)

“Problem Behaviors of Children Adopted from the Former Soviet Union,” co-authored with Teena McGuinnes, Journal of Pediatric Health Care, (Fall, 2007)

“A Multidimensional Scaling Analysis of the United Nations General Assembly,” Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (March, 2006)

“Buying Friends and Influencing Countries: Coincidence Rates in the UN General Assembly and US Foreign Assistance,” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL (April, 2004)

“Understanding Voting Blocs in the United Nations General Assembly,” Poster Session, International Studies Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (March, 2002)

“Understanding the Middle East,” Presentation before the President’s Peace Commission, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX (October, 2001)

“Globalizing Minorities,” Roundtable Panel for the Southwest International Relations Association Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO (October, 2000)

“Competence of Children Adopted from the Former Soviet Union,” co-authored with Teena McGuinness, University of South Alabama, Family Relations (October, 2000)

“Empowering Women in Rural Bangladesh: An Empirical Analysis of Strategic Behavior in Households,” International Studies Association Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (March, 2000)

“Motor Voter Law in Rural Pennsylvania,” (co-authored with Irwin Gertzog, Allegheny College), American Review of Politics (Fall, 1999)

“Women in the Global Assembly Line,” Presentation before the President’s Peace Commission, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX (April, 1999)

“Backscratching or Blackmailing: A Statistical Analysis of Conditional Aid, 1982-1995” with Timothy

McKeown, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Strom Thacker, Boston University, International Studies Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (February, 1999)

“Demise of Voting Blocs in the UN General Assembly?” with Frank Zinni, SUNY-Buffalo, Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA (November, 1996)

“Can’t Buy Me Love: US Foreign Assistance and Alignment,” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL (April, 1992)

“Foreign Assistance: Compliance in Asymmetrical Power Relations,” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL (April, 1990)

“US Foreign Assistance since WW II,” Northeast Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA (November, 1989)

2014-Present
Association for Institutional Research (AIR)
Texas Association for Institutional Research (TAIR)

1998-2010
International Studies Association

1998-2008
American Political Science Association