Published Mon, Feb 25, 2013 9:50 am Dateline
Ohio University-Chillicothe's Nicholas Kiersey has co-edited a new book, Battlestar Galactica and International Relations, recently published by Routledge, a firm based in New York City and London.
The book is part of the publisher’s "Popular Culture and World Politics" series, which is described as a forum for leading interdisciplinary research that explores the interconnections between popular culture and politics.
Iver B. Neumann, research director at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, is the other co-editor.
The work is intended to be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, popular culture and security studies.
As noted in the book’s introduction, "The genre of science fiction offers the analyst an opportunity … to look at how sets of widely-circulating expectations of the social serve to constrain authors as they work to introduce as yet unexplored problematiques. Tackling some of the key contemporary issues in international relations, the writers of Battlestar Galactica have taken on a range of important political themes and issues…"
The book includes 10 essays written by an array of international academics and scholars.
Kiersey, assistant professor of political science, joined the OU-C faculty in 2008. His expertise is in comparative theories of empire, international relations and foreign policy. He holds a Ph.D. in planning, governance and globalization from Virginia Tech.
Kiersey earned his bachelor’s degree in European public affairs from the National University of Ireland, Limerick, a master’s degree in international studies from the University of Ireland and a second master’s degree in international politics and social science research methodology from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
His research and book reviews have been published in several academic journals, and he has presented papers at numerous conferences in both the United States and internationally. Also, he has received grants and awards to support his teaching and research activities.