Faculty
Director, Global Studies Program, and Professor
Dr. Tracy Pintchman
PhD, U. C. Santa Barbara
Professor Pintchman is the director of the Global Studies Program and a professor of religious studies, with a focus on the history of religion in South Asia. She has been at Loyola University Chicago since 1992 and teaches courses on Hinduism, Asian religions, women and religion, and ethnography of religion. She has published more than two dozen articles, book chapters, and essays, and she is the author, editor, or co-editor of seven books.
EmailInternship Director, Advanced Lecturer-- On Leave 2025-26
Dr. Chris Hasselmann
PhD, Washington University in St. Louis
Professor Hasselmann regularly offers Introduction to Global Studies as well the Program's Capstone experience; he is also the coordinator of the internship program in Global Studies (GLST 370). His research interests center on the European Union and European politics more generally. His recent publications have examined the interaction between the financial (Euro) crisis, public support, and government decision-making.
EmailLecturer
Dr. Matthew S. Williams
PhD, Boston College
Professor Williams joined the Sociology Department and Global Studies Program at Loyola University in the fall of 2013, following a year as an Assistant Visiting Professor at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. The overall focus of his teaching and research interests is the exercise of power on a global scale. In particular, he is interested in the ways that ordinary people have successfully mobilized through social movements to challenge those in power and bring about positive change, addressing major social ills and creating greater democracy globally.
Assistant Professor
Connor Mautner
Connor Mautner is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science whose research focuses on political communication, conflict, and political strategy. His dissertation examines Northern Ireland, analyzing how ethno- and trauma-narratives shaped public perceptions of movement legitimacy. At Loyola University Chicago, he has taught Media and International Relations. Mautner is the Founder and Strategy Director of the Chicago Refugee Coalition (2018–present), where he has led initiatives in food security, education, and community partnerships. Under his leadership, the organization has raised more than $700,000 to support refugee programs, generating an estimated $5 million in community impact. His career also includes staff service in the U.S. Senate (2015–2018), a research assistantship at the National Opinion Research Center (2022–2024), and independent consultation for policy groups, governments, and global media outlets. His work has been featured in nearly 50 articles worldwide. He has twice been invited to serve as a consultant for refugee policy roundtables hosted by the Canadian government and has provided analysis for Tokyo TV, Le Monde, WBEZ, WGN, ABC, NBC, and The Daily Mail (Sydney), among others. He holds a B.A. from Rollins College and an M.P.P.A. from Northwestern University.
EmailAssistant Professor
Dr. Tofigh Maboudi
PhD, American University
Professor Maboudi joined the Department of Political Science and Global Studies Program at Loyola in the fall of 2016. His research interests include democratization, social movements, and Middle Eastern politics. His work focuses on constitution-making processes and citizen participation in post-conflict and transitional states. His work has appeared in the American Political Science Review and Political Research Quarterly. He teaches courses on Middle East politics, authoritarianism, and international relations. He also teaches the Introduction to Global Studies course.
EmailDirector of Islamic World Studies
Dr. Ghazal Nadi
PhD, American University
Professor Nadi is a Lecturer in the Global Studies Program and the Interdisciplinary Honors Program at Loyola University Chicago. She teaches Introduction to Global Studies as well as Globalization and Environmental Sustainability. Her research interests include democratization, comparative constitutional studies, and quantitative methodology. Her research has appeared in Political Research Quarterly.
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