Ryan Brunette is a doctoral candidate in our political science department, an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College, chair of the Comparative Politics Workshop, and a research associate at the Public Affairs Research Institute at the University of Johannesburg. His research interests include the political theory of the state, policy strategy, urban government, state formation, clientelism, corruption, and the politics of development. With a focus on South Africa, he is actively engaged in policy processes and debates on issues of public administrative reform and anti-corruption. His publications include some 16 opinion pieces, assorted policy briefs and research papers, a journal article in Development Southern Africa, and chapters in four books including Populists and the Pandemic, the Routledge Handbook of Public Procurement Corruption, State Capture in South Africa, and Reforming Public Administration in South Africa. Ryan is, nevertheless, still learning to write, and he has found that he learns best when helping others.

The Political Science Program MA Writing Fellow will assist our students in transitioning from undergraduate- to graduate-level writing.  Support will be provided for a variety of areas including structuring and organizing of papers, citing sources, coping with writer’s block, performing close readings of texts, and crafting thesis statements.  Additional support will be available for those new to writing conference papers as well as students working on their MA theses.

Ryan Brunette will hold Fall 2023 office hours on Tuesday from 4-8pm in room 5200.06 and over zoom by appointment. You can contact him at rbrunette@gradcenter.cuny.edu.  He will offer an orientation and introduction at the beginning of each semester and return for mid-semester and finals support. Writing consultation via email will be available throughout the year.

Ryan can only assist students who are enrolled as MA students in the Political Science Program at the Graduate Center.