Rate My Professor John Ishiyama

Ishiyama's research specializes in comparative politics, with focuses on democratization, political parties in post-communist Russia, Europe, Eurasia, and Africa (particularly Ethiopia), ethnic conflict, ethnic politics, rebel groups transforming into political parties, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. His major publications include books such as The Effects of Rebel Parties on Governance, Democracy and Stability after Civil Wars: From Guns to Governing (2022, co-edited with Gyda Sindre), From Bullets to Ballots: The Transformation of Rebel Groups into Political Parties (2017), Comparative Politics: Principles of Democracy and Democratization (2012), and Communist Successor Parties in Post-Communist Politics (1999). Recent articles feature 'Why do civil war successor parties renounce violence?' in the Journal of Politics (2025) and 'Who is attracted to the Chinese Model in Africa?' in the Journal of Asian and African Studies (2023). He has received numerous awards, including the UNT Foundation Eminent Faculty Award (2020), Minnie Stevens Piper Professorship (2017), APSA Frank J. Goodnow Award for Service (2018), APSA Distinguished Teaching Award (2015), and ISA-Midwest Excellence in Teaching & Mentoring Award (2020). Ishiyama serves on editorial boards for journals like Party Politics, Social Science Quarterly, and International Studies Perspectives, and has garnered over 12,500 citations on Google Scholar.