North Central Missouri College

Assistant Professor

Sterling worked at North Central Missouri College as a Assistant Professor

Lindenwood University

Adjunct Instructor

Instructor for Adult Accelerated Course. Courses taught: Comparative Politics, World History, and World Religions

Saint Louis University

Adjunct Instructor

Introduction to Political Science
International Organizations and the Management of World Problems

Mavuno (Congo)

Field Operations Officer

Sterling worked at Mavuno (Congo) as a Field Operations Officer

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Instructor

Courses taught: Introduction to Political Science, International Political Economy, the Politics of Development, African Politics, the Politics of Latin America, International Organizations, Natural Resources and War, Issues of War and Peace, American Government

Class sizes ranged from between 5 - 70 undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. The topics are presented from a comparative perspective in order introduce students to a variety of perspectives from the political science discipline.

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

The end of non-intervention: A comparative assessment of Chinese activity in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000 – 2014)

Review of Global Politics

China has a well-established history of non-intervention when it comes to its foreign policy, one that this paper argues is similar to that of the international organization regime that was established after World War II. China’s non-intervention is often a source of criticism, suggesting it allows China to reap the economic benefits of doing business with autocratic regimes and local warlords while ignoring political and human rights abuses. At the same time, the policy is one that has established important relations with numerous governments since the 1940s and must not be considered as significantly different from recognition of state sovereignty that has defined the international organization regime since the end of World War II (Ren 2014). This essay argues that China’s non-intervention policy is similar to the recognition of national sovereignty promoted by the international organization regime since 1945. Further, I argue that we need to revisit the concept of non-intervention itself as China continues to invest heavily in economic sectors that are changing the political and economic landscape of Rwanda and the DRC, albeit in different ways. This essay explores whether or not Chinese interests will be able to remain removed from the politics of the Great Lakes countries as they continue to cultivate relations with the ruling regimes of the region.

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

The end of non-intervention: A comparative assessment of Chinese activity in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000 – 2014)

Review of Global Politics

China has a well-established history of non-intervention when it comes to its foreign policy, one that this paper argues is similar to that of the international organization regime that was established after World War II. China’s non-intervention is often a source of criticism, suggesting it allows China to reap the economic benefits of doing business with autocratic regimes and local warlords while ignoring political and human rights abuses. At the same time, the policy is one that has established important relations with numerous governments since the 1940s and must not be considered as significantly different from recognition of state sovereignty that has defined the international organization regime since the end of World War II (Ren 2014). This essay argues that China’s non-intervention policy is similar to the recognition of national sovereignty promoted by the international organization regime since 1945. Further, I argue that we need to revisit the concept of non-intervention itself as China continues to invest heavily in economic sectors that are changing the political and economic landscape of Rwanda and the DRC, albeit in different ways. This essay explores whether or not Chinese interests will be able to remain removed from the politics of the Great Lakes countries as they continue to cultivate relations with the ruling regimes of the region.

The isolated jihadists: The case of the Allied Democratic Forces in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland

Terrorism and Political Violence

This study investigates the absence of substantive linkages between locally based Salafi Jihadist movements and their more transnational counterparts such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS. While studies have addressed the heterogeneity in Jihadi alliances, the question of why inter-Jihadi ties are completely absent or tenuous at times is under-theorized in the literature. Given ISIS’s recent inexorable advance through the Middle East and North Africa and its ever-growing ties with local Jihadists, it is timely to investigate under what conditions locally based militant Islamists are less likely to forge ties with global Jihadists. Using the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—a militant Islamist group in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland—as an illustrative case study, the research sheds light on conditions under which inter-Jihadi ties are less likely. These include the extent of ideological divergence between local and global Jihadists, the degree of relevance to the local community, and the fear of attracting new enemies in the form of more stringent counter-terrorism operations.

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

The end of non-intervention: A comparative assessment of Chinese activity in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000 – 2014)

Review of Global Politics

China has a well-established history of non-intervention when it comes to its foreign policy, one that this paper argues is similar to that of the international organization regime that was established after World War II. China’s non-intervention is often a source of criticism, suggesting it allows China to reap the economic benefits of doing business with autocratic regimes and local warlords while ignoring political and human rights abuses. At the same time, the policy is one that has established important relations with numerous governments since the 1940s and must not be considered as significantly different from recognition of state sovereignty that has defined the international organization regime since the end of World War II (Ren 2014). This essay argues that China’s non-intervention policy is similar to the recognition of national sovereignty promoted by the international organization regime since 1945. Further, I argue that we need to revisit the concept of non-intervention itself as China continues to invest heavily in economic sectors that are changing the political and economic landscape of Rwanda and the DRC, albeit in different ways. This essay explores whether or not Chinese interests will be able to remain removed from the politics of the Great Lakes countries as they continue to cultivate relations with the ruling regimes of the region.

The isolated jihadists: The case of the Allied Democratic Forces in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland

Terrorism and Political Violence

This study investigates the absence of substantive linkages between locally based Salafi Jihadist movements and their more transnational counterparts such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS. While studies have addressed the heterogeneity in Jihadi alliances, the question of why inter-Jihadi ties are completely absent or tenuous at times is under-theorized in the literature. Given ISIS’s recent inexorable advance through the Middle East and North Africa and its ever-growing ties with local Jihadists, it is timely to investigate under what conditions locally based militant Islamists are less likely to forge ties with global Jihadists. Using the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—a militant Islamist group in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland—as an illustrative case study, the research sheds light on conditions under which inter-Jihadi ties are less likely. These include the extent of ideological divergence between local and global Jihadists, the degree of relevance to the local community, and the fear of attracting new enemies in the form of more stringent counter-terrorism operations.

The Dictionary of African Biography

Oxford University Press

Entries for: Agathe Habyarimana, Augustin Bizimana, Cyprien Rugamba, Theoneste Bagosora, and Joseph Gitera (Rwanda)

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

The end of non-intervention: A comparative assessment of Chinese activity in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000 – 2014)

Review of Global Politics

China has a well-established history of non-intervention when it comes to its foreign policy, one that this paper argues is similar to that of the international organization regime that was established after World War II. China’s non-intervention is often a source of criticism, suggesting it allows China to reap the economic benefits of doing business with autocratic regimes and local warlords while ignoring political and human rights abuses. At the same time, the policy is one that has established important relations with numerous governments since the 1940s and must not be considered as significantly different from recognition of state sovereignty that has defined the international organization regime since the end of World War II (Ren 2014). This essay argues that China’s non-intervention policy is similar to the recognition of national sovereignty promoted by the international organization regime since 1945. Further, I argue that we need to revisit the concept of non-intervention itself as China continues to invest heavily in economic sectors that are changing the political and economic landscape of Rwanda and the DRC, albeit in different ways. This essay explores whether or not Chinese interests will be able to remain removed from the politics of the Great Lakes countries as they continue to cultivate relations with the ruling regimes of the region.

The isolated jihadists: The case of the Allied Democratic Forces in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland

Terrorism and Political Violence

This study investigates the absence of substantive linkages between locally based Salafi Jihadist movements and their more transnational counterparts such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS. While studies have addressed the heterogeneity in Jihadi alliances, the question of why inter-Jihadi ties are completely absent or tenuous at times is under-theorized in the literature. Given ISIS’s recent inexorable advance through the Middle East and North Africa and its ever-growing ties with local Jihadists, it is timely to investigate under what conditions locally based militant Islamists are less likely to forge ties with global Jihadists. Using the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—a militant Islamist group in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland—as an illustrative case study, the research sheds light on conditions under which inter-Jihadi ties are less likely. These include the extent of ideological divergence between local and global Jihadists, the degree of relevance to the local community, and the fear of attracting new enemies in the form of more stringent counter-terrorism operations.

The Dictionary of African Biography

Oxford University Press

Entries for: Agathe Habyarimana, Augustin Bizimana, Cyprien Rugamba, Theoneste Bagosora, and Joseph Gitera (Rwanda)

Book Review: Asylum Denied: A Refugee’s Struggle for Safety in America

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Book Review: The Politics of Innocence: Hutu Identity, Conflict, and Camp Life

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Understanding Sino-African Relations: Neocolonialism or a New Era?

Journal of International and Area Studies, Vol. 20, No.1

What motivates increased relations between China and African countries? While Chinese interests in natural resources throughout Africa is well known, less attention is given to whether these interests are short-term or long-term in nature. We challenge the assumption of Chinese neocolonialism without portraying growing relations as void of problems for African development. Instead of viewing these relations from one of two polarized positions, we suggest that reality is somewhere in the middle, with the potential for deeper mutually beneficial relationships coexisting with some level of exploitation

Identifying the Institutional Effects of Mixed Systems in New Democracies: The Case of Lesotho

Journal of Asian and African Studies

This paper addresses the effects of the mixed system used for the last three elections in Lesotho (2002, 2007 and 2012), a small African country with a turbulent history regarding opposition acceptance of elections. The decision to implement a mixed system was in part to encourage democratic stability, yet whether the electoral system has become more conducive to democratic competition is unclear. Through an analysis of national and district-level results, this paper addresses the following questions. First, at the district level, is competition consistent with Duverger’s law or the contamination thesis and is a progression over time evident? Second, does the population size of a district influence the number of candidates and the concentration of votes? Finally, following recent research on detecting electoral fraud, this paper tackles whether the reports of district results suggest extra-institutional manipulation.

The end of non-intervention: A comparative assessment of Chinese activity in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2000 – 2014)

Review of Global Politics

China has a well-established history of non-intervention when it comes to its foreign policy, one that this paper argues is similar to that of the international organization regime that was established after World War II. China’s non-intervention is often a source of criticism, suggesting it allows China to reap the economic benefits of doing business with autocratic regimes and local warlords while ignoring political and human rights abuses. At the same time, the policy is one that has established important relations with numerous governments since the 1940s and must not be considered as significantly different from recognition of state sovereignty that has defined the international organization regime since the end of World War II (Ren 2014). This essay argues that China’s non-intervention policy is similar to the recognition of national sovereignty promoted by the international organization regime since 1945. Further, I argue that we need to revisit the concept of non-intervention itself as China continues to invest heavily in economic sectors that are changing the political and economic landscape of Rwanda and the DRC, albeit in different ways. This essay explores whether or not Chinese interests will be able to remain removed from the politics of the Great Lakes countries as they continue to cultivate relations with the ruling regimes of the region.

The isolated jihadists: The case of the Allied Democratic Forces in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland

Terrorism and Political Violence

This study investigates the absence of substantive linkages between locally based Salafi Jihadist movements and their more transnational counterparts such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS. While studies have addressed the heterogeneity in Jihadi alliances, the question of why inter-Jihadi ties are completely absent or tenuous at times is under-theorized in the literature. Given ISIS’s recent inexorable advance through the Middle East and North Africa and its ever-growing ties with local Jihadists, it is timely to investigate under what conditions locally based militant Islamists are less likely to forge ties with global Jihadists. Using the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—a militant Islamist group in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland—as an illustrative case study, the research sheds light on conditions under which inter-Jihadi ties are less likely. These include the extent of ideological divergence between local and global Jihadists, the degree of relevance to the local community, and the fear of attracting new enemies in the form of more stringent counter-terrorism operations.

The Dictionary of African Biography

Oxford University Press

Entries for: Agathe Habyarimana, Augustin Bizimana, Cyprien Rugamba, Theoneste Bagosora, and Joseph Gitera (Rwanda)

Book Review: Asylum Denied: A Refugee’s Struggle for Safety in America

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies

Evaluating Sino-African Relations: New Wine in Old Bottles?

International Institute for Asian Studies

How should we view contemporary Sino-African relations? Although the tendency is to view relations as either a departure from Western models or as continued exploitation of the continent, we suggest that the reality is far murkier.

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President

Microfinancing Partners in Africa

Board Member

Mid-America Alliance for African Studies

Vice President