Faculty & Staff

International Relations, Comparative Politics

Civil war, ethnic conflict, terrorism, guerrilla warfare, Haiti, extreme poverty

Dr. Scarcelli is a professor of political science, specializing in international relations and comparative politics, who previously taught as visiting faculty at Ohio University and Bowdoin College. He is an elected officer of CPP’s chapter of the faculty union, the CFA, and is a faculty affiliate of the Ahimsa Center for nonviolence studies.

Dr. Scarcelli’s primary research focus is on ethnic conflict and modern civil wars. He also maintains a strong personal interest in matters of extreme poverty, stemming from his involvement, many years ago, with humanitarian development work in Haiti.

He teaches courses on a range of political violence and national security topics: International War & Peace, Terrorism, Ethnic Conflict, Transnational Crime, and Environmental Security. Dr. Scarcelli also runs CPP’s award-winning Model UN team, and was recently chosen to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Model United Nations organization.

SPRING 2025

CLS 4100: MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Exclusively for students who have applied, and been accepted, to CPP’s Model United Nations team. Serves as preparation for the team’s annual Model UN conferences. GE Area C3 or GE Area D4. 

POLITICAL SCIENCE 4531: TERRORISM
Examines the problem of terrorism, including its definition, origins and development, cases of terrorist organizations, its expansion into a global phenomenon, tactics and strategies, the question of causes, and counterterrorism’s tactics, strategies, and policy dilemmas.

POLITICAL SCIENCE 4620: SENIOR THESIS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE II
Selection and completion of a thesis under faculty supervision. Thesis is to be of substantial quality on a significant problem in the student’s major area of interest within political science. Work to be completed over two semesters in PLS 4610 and PLS 4620.