MELINDA J.ADAMS
Department of Political Science adams2mj@jmu.edu
James Madison University tel: 540.568.3377 (office) 216 Maury Hall, MSC 1101 tel: 540.421.7932 (mobile)
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
POSITIONS
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, James Madison University, 2004-present EDUCATION
Ph.D., Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2004
Dissertation title: Negotiating the Boundaries of Political Action: Transnational Linkages, Women’s Organizations, and the State in Cameroon
Committee: Aili Mari Tripp (chair), Michael Schatzberg, Leigh Payne, Virginia Sapiro, and Myra Marx Ferree
M.A., Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1999
B.A., International Studies and French, summa cum laude, Emory University, 1997 PUBLICATIONS
“Regional Networking among African Women’s Organizations: The Case of the African Union,” In Myra Marx Ferree and Aili Mari Tripp eds., Transnational Feminisms: Women’s Global Activism and Human Rights, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.
“Women in Cameroon.” In Aili Mari Tripp ed., Greenwood Encyclopedia of Women’s Issues Worldwide: Sub-Saharan Africa. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003.
PRESENTATIONS
“Gender Representation and the African Union.” Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., September 2005.
“Appropriating International Discourses for Domestic Aims: State Feminism in Cameroon.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 2004.
“International Norms and Domestic Organizing: The Case of Cameroon.” Paper presented at the Gender in an International Context Workshop, Minneapolis, April 2004.
“Historical Perspectives on Women’s Participation in Public Life: the Case of West Cameroon.”
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the African Studies Association, Boston, November 2003.
“Renegotiating the Boundaries of Political Action: Women’s Organizations and the State in Cameroon.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 2003.
“Women’s Associations in Cameroon, 1950-1966.” Paper presented at the Gender in an International Context Workshop, Minneapolis, April 2003.
“Women’s Associations in Cameroon: The Immediate Post-colonial and Contemporary Eras Compared.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2003.
“Women’s Political Activism in Cameroon.” Invited talk, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Madison, March 2003.
“International Women’s Day: Is it Good for the Women’s Movement in Cameroon?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the African Studies Association, Washington D.C., December 2002.
“Contemporary Women’s Activism in Cameroon: Women’s Organizations and Women in Politics.” Paper presented at the UW-System Women’s Studies Conference, Madison, November 2002.
“State-Society Relations in Cameroon: Women’s Groups, the State, and International Women’s Day,” Invited talk, African Studies Colloquium, Madison, October 2002.
“Women’s Organizations in Cameroon” Invited talk, Pennsylvania BI Chapter of the P.E.O.
Sisterhood, Carlisle, PA, August 2002.
“Organizing Women: An Analysis of the Current State of Women’s Mobilization in Cameroon.”
Invited talk, University of Buea, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Buea, Cameroon, June 2002.
“Women’s Human Rights: An Analysis of the Movement and its Influence in Cameroon.”
Paper presented at the Graduate Conference in African Studies, Chicago, April 2001.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
APSA Small Research Grant, American Political Science Association 2005 Summer Research Grant, James Madison University, College of Arts and Letters 2005
American Dissertation Fellowship, American Association of University Women 2003-2004 (AAUW) Educational Foundation
Murray Edelman Fund Travel Grant, UW-Madison Political Science Summer 2003
Hyde Dissertation Research Award, UW-Madison Women’s Studies Research Spring 2003 Center
Vilas Travel Grant, UW-Madison Graduate Student Council Fall 2002 P.E.O. Scholar Award, P.E.O Sisterhood 2002-2003 Scott Kloeck-Jenson Grant, UW-Madison Global Studies Program Fall 2002
Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Summer Fellowship for Fulfulde, Summer 2001 UW-Madison African Studies Program
Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Academic Year Fellowship for Hausa, 2000-2001 UW-Madison African Studies Program
Global Studies Fellowship, UW-Madison Global Studies Program, 2000-2001 Stanford-Minnesota-Wisconsin MacArthur Consortium
Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Academic Year Fellowship for Hausa, 1999-2000 UW-Madison African Studies Program
University WARF Fellowship, Graduate School of the UW-Madison 1998-1999
Phi Beta Kappa 1997
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Visiting Scholar, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
Conducted field research on women’s organization for dissertation. AY 2001-2002
Research Assistant for Professor Aili Mari Tripp, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Compiled information on civil society organizations and donor assistance in Africa. Spring 2001
Research Associate, Beth Schapiro and Associates, Atlanta, GA
Assisted with survey research by coding polling questions, entering and analyzing data, generating SPSS tables and charts, and proofreading reports. 1997-1998
Intern, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, Lagos, Nigeria
Revised and updated grant proposals. Helped organize and conduct leadership training seminar for Hausa NGO workers in Kano, Nigeria. September-October 2001
Intern, Conflict Resolution Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, GA
Assisted in logistical preparations for Liberian election observation mission. Prepared and updated briefing books for Carter Center missions to Liberia. 1996-1997
Intern, American Foreign Service Association, Washington, D.C.
Successfully lobbied for a Foreign Service Day bill. Monitored legislative hearings.
Researched and analyzed relevant legislation. Fall 1995
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Comparative politics, African politics, women and politics, transnational women’s activism, regional activism, state-society relations, democratic transitions
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, James Madison University
Political Science 361: Democratization Spring 2005, Fall 2004 Political Science 200: Global Politics Spring 2005, Fall 2004 Political Science 361: African Politics Spring 2005
Lecturer, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Political Science 660: African Politics Spring 2003
Teaching Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Political Science 277: Survey of Africa Fall 2002 Political Science 106: Introduction to Comparative Politics Spring 2000
Guest Lecturer, University of Wisconsin-Madison
PS 277 Africa: An Introductory Survey, February 24, 2004 PS 362 African International Relations, November 21, 2002
WS 320 Women and Change in Contemporary Africa, October 15, 2002 PS 106 Introduction to Comparative Politics, July 18, 2002
TEACHING INTERESTS
Comparative Politics, African Politics, African International Relations, Women and Politics, Women and Politics in Africa, Transnational Women’s Movements, State and Society, Democratic
Transitions
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND ACTIVITIES
Presenter, Women around the World Panel Discussion, James Madison University, September 2004
Presenter, Teaching Brownbag Series, UW-Madison Department of Political Science, Fall 2003 Contributor, News and Notes, Wisconsin African Studies, Summer 2002 and Spring 2000 Coordinator, UW-Madison Global Governance Research Circle, September 2000–May 2001 Election Observer, 1997 Liberian Special Elections, The Carter Center, July 1997
Member, American Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association, African Studies Association
LANGUAGE SKILLS
French (Fluency in reading, proficiency in speaking and writing) Hausa (Basic proficiency)
Fulfulde (Basic proficiency)
