Welcome! My name is Dr. Robert Tanner Bivens (PhD, Northern Illinois University) and I am a scholar of international relations and comparative politics. My research interests include postcolonial theory, LGBTQ+ rights in sub-Saharan Africa, comparative regionalism, and global governance. My work has been published in outlets such as Africa Today and Pacific Affairs and has received awards from organizations such as the American Political Science Association (APSA). My current book project is centered on the role of identity formed in regional organizations and how that identity shapes domestic norms.I currently hold a position at Eastern Illinois University where I teach graduate and undergraduate courses on international relations, comparative politics, and public policy.