Center Research Profile

The Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics conducts foundational research in central areas of PPE and collaborates with researches in fields that have social, ethical, economic, and political dimensions.

RESEARCH EXPERTISE. Despite its interdisciplinary nature, PPE is a distinct research field. The Center has expertise in central areas of PPE, in particular the history of moral, political, and economic thought, the methodology of the social sciences (including the philosophy of economics), formal methods (including rational choice theory), well-being and welfare theory, political economy, public choice, social choice, democratic theory, institutional design, social and economic growth, development, poverty, distributive justice, social justice, global justice, and foundational questions of public policy.

Q&A at PPE Lecture Series 

PPE as a research field is well-established and institutionalized. The field has several successful interdisciplinary journals, including Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Economics & Philosophy, Economics & Politics, Œconomia, and the Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, as well as several undergraduate research journals, such as The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Review. In addition, Oxford University Press publishes a PPE Book Series, there are regular sessions in PPE at the American Philosophical Association meetings and, each year, there is a large international conference organized by the PPE Society.

RESEARCH FACULTY. The Center’s faculty bring valuable research expertise in PPE from across the globe. In addition to the U.S., our faculty members are from the U.K., Canada, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Cyprus, Israel, India, Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Africa. The Center’s faculty regularly publish original research in well-respected venues in PPE and present their work at professional conferences. In addition, the Center organizes PPE research events, such as conferences, workshops, and panels, and hosts its own undergraduate journal. Here is more information about the Center’s most recent research.

RELATED DISCIPLINES. In addition to foundational research in central areas of PPE, the Center maintains relationships with disciplines on campus that work on problems that have social, ethical, economic, and political dimensions. Such disciplines include public and international affairs, business, engineering, geography, agricultural and applied economics, fish and wildlife conservation, and forest resources and environmental conservation

COLLABORATIONS. Due to its broad relevance, the Center has co‑organized and co‑sponsored events with various other units on campus, including the Data and Decisions Destination Area, the Equity and Social Disparity in the Human Condition Strategic Growth Area, the +Policy Destination Area, Adaptive Brain and Behavior Strategic Growth Area, the Center for Humanities, the Department of Science, Technology, and Society, the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought, the Women’s Center, the Bradley Study Center, and the Global Forum on Urban and Regional Resilience. Please contact the Center to explore opportunities for collaborations.

PPE Core Faculty

Dan Gibbs

Ph.D. Princeton University
Assistant Professor
820 University City Blvd
gibbsd@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

U.S. political institutions, formal and quantitative methods, bureaucracy, political agency, political economy

Gil Hersch

Ph.D. UC San Diego
Associate Professor
820 University City Blvd
hersch@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

Philosophy of social science, philosophy of economics, well-being theory, economic thought, business ethics, public policy

Melinda Miller

Ph.D. University of Michigan
Assistant Professor
820 University City Blvd
millermc@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

Economic history, labor economics, racial inequality, demography, applied microeconomics

Michael Moehler

Ph.D. London School of Economics
Professor and Director
820 University City Blvd
moehler@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

Social contract theory, rational choice theory, political economy, welfare state, distributive justice, global justice

Fabian Wendt

Ph.D. LMU Munich
Assistant Professor
820 University City Blvd
fabianwendt@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

Property rights, compromise, authority, distributive justice, history of moral, political, and economic thought

PPE Research Fellows

The Center offers fellowships that support interdisciplinary research in PPE and provide scholars with the opportunity to present their work to faculty and students. PPE Research Fellows are active members in the PPE community at Virginia Tech and help to bring new perspectives to the Center through their research, teaching, and outreach. 

Ariel Ahram

PPE Research Fellow
Arlington, VA
ahram@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

International security and terrorism, cross-national and cross-regional analysis, environmental security, social movements, Middle East politics

Xu Lin

PPE Research Fellow
880 West Campus Drive
xulin88@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

Applied econometrics, labor economics, health economics

Clara Suong

PPE Research Fellow
820 University City Blvd. Suite 6
clara.suong@nullvt.edu

/ PPE Expertise

International relations, international security, diplomacy, U.S. foreign policy

PPE Affiliated Faculty

Ariel Ahram

Professor, Program Chair
Govt & International Affairs
ahram@nullvt.edu

Kathy Alexander

Professor
Fish & Wildlife Conservation
kathyalx@nullvt.edu

Eric Bahel

Associate Professor
Economics
erbahel@nullvt.edu

Sheryl Ball

Professor
Economics
sball@nullvt.edu

Sergio Barrera

Assistant Professor
Economics
sbarrera@nullvt.edu

David Bieri

Associate Professor
Urban Affairs and Planning
bieri@nullvt.edu

Daniel Breslau

Associate Professor
STS
dbreslau@nullvt.edu

Mauro Caraccioli

Associate Professor
Political Science
mauroj@nullvt.edu

Mercedes Corredor

Assistant Professor
Philosophy
mcorredor@nullvt.edu

Claudio D'Amato

PPE Associate
Philosophy
claudio1@nullvt.edu

Giselle Datz

Associate Professor
Govt and Int'l Affairs
gdatz@nullvt.edu

Adam Dominiak

Associate Professor
Economics
dominiak@nullvt.edu

Michael Ellerbrock

Professor
Ag. & Applied Economics
mebrock@nullvt.edu

Luis Escobar

Assistant Professor
Fish & Wildlife Conservation
escobar1@nullvt.edu

Lillian Frost

Assistant Professor
Political Science
lfrost@nullvt.edu

Gebremeskel Gebremariam

Advanced Instructor
Economics
gebre@nullvt.edu

Nicholas Goedert

Assistant Professor
Political Science
ngoedert@nullvt.edu

Ali Habibnia

Assistant Professor
Economics
habibnia@nullvt.edu

Hans Haller

Professor
Economics
haller@nullvt.edu

Daniel Hoek

Assistant Professor
Philosophy
dhoek@nullvt.edu

Justin Horn

Assistant Professor
Philosophy
justinhorn@nullvt.edu

Karen Hult

Professor
Political Science
khult@nullvt.edu

Caitlin Jewitt

Associate Professor
Political Science
cjewitt@nullvt.edu

James C. Klagge

Professor
Philosophy
jklagge@nullvt.edu

Douglas Lind

Professor
Philosophy
douglas.lind@nullvt.edu

Timothy W. Luke

Uni. Distinguished Professor
Political Science
twluke@nullvt.edu

Sharon Mastracci

Professor
Public Admin & Policy
smastracci@nullvt.edu

Deborah Mayo

Professor
Philosophy
mayod@nullvt.edu

Wayne Moore

Associate Professor
Political Science
wmoore@nullvt.edu

Scott Nelson

Associate Professor
Political Science
scnelson@nullvt.edu

Greg Novack

Assistant Professor
Philosophy
gmnovack@nullvt.edu

Ken Reid

Associate Professor
Engineering Education
kenreid@nullvt.edu

Sudipta Sarangi

Professor
Economics
ssarangi@nullvt.edu

Karen Schnatterly

Associate Professor
Management
schnatterlyk@nullvt.edu

Alec Smith

Assistant Professor
Economics
alecsmith@nullvt.edu

Dan Simundza

Research Scientist
Global Forum
simundza@nullvt.edu

Aris Spanos

Professor
Economics
aris@nullvt.edu

Clara Suong

Assistant Professor
Political Science
clara.suong@nullvt.edu

Byron Tsang

Associate Professor
Economics
aris@nullvt.edu

Hector Tzavellas

Assistant Professor
Economics
hectortz@nullvt.edu

Edward Weisband

Professor
Political Science
weisband@nullvt.edu

Donna Wertalik

Professor
Marketing
wertalikd@nullvt.edu

Richard Wokutch

Professor
Management
wokutch@nullvt.edu

Philip Yaure

Assistant Professor
Philosophy
philipyaure@nullvt.edu