About Me

I am a political scientist by training, which I received at The Ohio State University. My research broadly focuses on politics in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular interests in traditional leadership, the legacies of early statehood, and the long-term effects of colonialism. My regional expertise lies in Southern Africa. I was born in the Czech Republic in 1991, at the dawn of a new era that allowed me to travel and attend several educational institutions abroad, thus fulfilling a dream that was denied to my parents. I spent an academic year as a high school exchange student at Gig Harbor High School near Seattle, ultimately deciding to pursue higher education in the US. After graduating from high school however, I first spent a year studying business in Denmark before switching to what I am much better suited for - political science and economics. I received my BA at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, before enrolling in the PhD program at Ohio State. As a university exchange student, I also spent time at universities in Germany and Namibia. It was in the tranquil Namibian veld (see photo below) where my interest in African politics turned into a life-long passion. Currently, I live with my wife and daughters in Bon Air, Virginia, only a few minutes from the University of Richmond's beautiful campus.