James H. Sunday

EDUCATION

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Ph.D. Politics (2015)

School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London, United Kingdom

Thesis: In the Shadow of the Pyramids: Power, Politics, and Participation in Contemporary Egypt

M.A. Political Science / Grad.Dip. Middle East Studies (2008/2012)

American University in Cairo, Egypt

Thesis: The Power of the Box: Legislative Elections under Authoritarian Rule in Mubarak’s Egypt, 1984-2005

B.A. Politics and Medieval Studies (2004)

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

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Fellow, 2019-Until

Johns Hopkins University, Department of Near Eastern Studies

Assistant Professor for Methods with emphasis on Comparative Politics, 2016-2019

American University in Cairo, Department of Political Science

Research Assistant Professor, 2013-2016

American University in Cairo, Department of Political Science

Adjunct Faculty (Lecturer), 2012-2013

American University in Cairo, Department of Political Science

Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant

American University in Cairo, Department of Economics, 2008

American University in Cairo, Department of Political Science, 2005-2006

ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS

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Program Director, Joint MA in Comparative & Middle East Politics and Society, 2013-2019

Department of Political Science, the American University in Cairo and the Institute of 

Political Science at the University of Tübingen

• Directed program of 20 students per year (up to 40 total at any point) between Cairo and Tübingen
• Oversaw recruitment, admissions, stipend selection, fellowship allocation, course advising, visa paperwork, travel and housing arrangements, language training for all students
• Traveled to Beirut, London, New York, Washington, and San Antonio for recruitment/raising profile
• Led each semester’s orientation and open house/recruitment events
• Served on program Board with near-weekly conference calls and near-daily communication
• Managed an initial budget of €1,300,000 from launch grant from DAAD
• Secured over €230,000 in additional (renewable funding) for AUC students
• Coordinated with Office of Sponsored Programs/Grants Offices for external funding and student stipends
• Ran various thesis workshops in both Cairo and Tübingen (including annual Research Colloquium)

Academic Coordinator, 2012-2013

Joint MA in Comparative & Middle East Politics and Society (CMEPS)

• Managed initial budget which included library and equipment procurements, publications and literature, retreats, travel, salaries and student stipends
• Registered program in catalog and with Office of Recruitment and Enrollment
• Recruited students for initial intake
• Coordinated daily with AUC and Tübingen stake-holders for launch of program

Associate Editor for Khamasin: Reflections on the Social and Political, 2006-2007

Journal for Department of Political Science, the American University in Cairo

• Launched journal as a graduate student, with unanimous support from faculty
• Developed layout, manuscript requirements/style sheet, and submission platform
• Solicited and edited first submissions for inaugural publication

UNIVERSITY-WIDE SERVICE

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• National Accreditation Steering Committee (NAQAAE), 2018-2019
  • Served on committees for Standards 6/7 (Students/Alumni and Education) for development of working group reports for national accreditation
  • Collaborated with various state-holders for drafting and final submission
  • Translated from Arabic to English and edited for native English reporting
  • Prepared for site visits from national authorities for university accreditation process
• Graduate Advisory Council, 2013-2019
  • Represented joint graduate programme and Department
  • Served on the Task Force on Thesis Submission Unit, 2018
  • Served on the Task Force on Graduate Student Manual, 2015-2016
  • Served on the Fellowship Selection Committee, reviewing applications and allocation, 2013-2019
• CORE Curriculum Committee, 2018-2019
  • Represented Department
  • Reviewed and evaluated syllabi submissions for CORE and for Centennial competition
• Academic Integrity Committee (Appeals Committee), 2018-2019
  • Reviewed cases and evidence to adjudicate appeals
• Community Standards Committee (HUSS Representative), 2017-2018
  • Assisted in transition to new committee structure
  • Reviewed dozens of cases for academic integrity and conduct-related violations
  • Developed innovative sanctions based on varied cases; oversaw completion of sanctions
• Academic Integrity Committee (HUSS Representative) , 2016-2017
  • Investigated various student cases and reviewed academic evidence weekly
• Transportation Committee, 2014-2016 
  • Represented faculty (part-time and full-time) interests on the committee

DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE

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• POLS Graduate Committee, 2013-2019
  • Led recruitment efforts, orientation, Open House events
  • Reviewed applications for admissions and fellowship allocation, including interviews
  • Evaluated and assessed graduate thesis proposals for over 170 candidates
• POLS Curriculum Committee, 2013-2019
  • Developed modifications and changes for comparative politics, methods, and graduate studies
• POLS Coordinator, Introduction to Political Science, 2015-2019
  • Convened six-seven sections per term (120+ students), including coordination with each faculty
  • Arranged for special topics and guest lectures
  • Developed elaborate course website with schedule, required and further readings
  • Oriented new faculty each semester
  • Served as a liaison between course and Department for grievances/cases in particular sections
• POLS Coordinator, Introduction to Political Science Methods, 2015-2019
  • Developed complimentary syllabi across sections and levels
  • Oriented new faculty with methods courses in the Department
• POLS First-Year Experience Representative, 2013-2019
  • Represented Department at FYE booth, recruiting majors and increasing student registration
• POLS Strategic Planning Committee, 2015-2019
  • Developed strategic plan for Department, presenting to Department and uploading to central system
• POLS Social Media Coordination, 2012-2019
  • Founded and strategised Departmental social media presence (i.e. Facebook, Twitter) for the Department and for the Joint MA in CMEPS
  • Amassed thousands of followers through advertising (spending hundreds of dollars of own money)
  • Announced Departmental and University lectures, workshops, and student opportunities
  • Posted frequent calls for applications to graduate programme and responded to inquiries weekly
• POLS Task Force - Evaluation Benchmarks, 2017
  • Developed benchmarks for Department in terms of teaching, research, and service requirements for promotion and tenure
• POLS Self-Assessment Committee

GRANTS

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• Faculty/Coordinator, DAAD, “Transformation Partnership— Change by Exchange” funded Joint MA Program in Comparative & Middle East Politics and Society
  • Grant amount: €1,300,000 EUR overall (with approximately €350,000 EUR on AUC side alone)
• Co-Principal Investigator, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), CMEPS Student Stipends
  • Grant amount: €234,275 EUR for 2016-2019 (approximately €78,125 EUR per annum)
• Recipient, Conference Grant, The American University in Cairo (MESA Conference, San Antonio 2018)
  • Grant amount: $2,622 USD.
• Recipient, Conference Grant, The American University in Cairo (MESA Conference, Washington 2017) 
  • Grant amount: $1,142 USD.
• Recipient, Teaching and Learning Enhancement Support Grant, The American University in Cairo (CMEPS Thesis Workshop, Tübingen, 2017) 
  • Grant amount: $1,630 USD
• Co-Principal Investigator, Ford Foundation, “Effectiveness of University Political Science Programs- Egypt”
  • Grant amount: approximately $200,000 USD
• Recipient, Conference Grant, The American University in Cairo (ISA Conference, Toronto 2014)
  • Grant amount: $2,280 USD

PUBLICATIONS & MANUSCRIPTS 

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• Two book-length manuscripts in prep.
• Sunday, James H. (under review) “Neoliberal Encounters: Youth Subject Formation and the State in Egypt,” submitted.
• Sunday, James H. (under review) “Taking Part, Making Space: Everyday Politics and Participation in Greater Cairo,” submitted.
• Sunday, James H. (under review) “Governing Structure and Agency under Neoliberalism in Contemporary Egypt: A View from Popular Quarters,” submitted.
• Sunday, James H. (in progress) The Power of the Subject: Revisiting Political Participation in Neoliberal Cairo’s Popular Quarters. Book-length manuscript complete with proposals out in early 2019.
• Bertini, Louise C. and James H. Sunday. (In Prep.) “From Time to Time? An Exploration of  Ethnoarchaeology for Understanding Continuity and Change in the Husbandry Practices o(Ancient) Egypt.”

CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION

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• Sunday, James H. (2020) “Symposium on Egyptian Popular Culture: Produce, Consume, Conserve,” (Chair/Discussant), American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE): Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2019) “Dressed to Conceal/Dressed to Impress,” (Chair), the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting: New Orleans.
• Sunday, James H. (2019) “Colonial Politics, Practices, and Perspectives,” (Chair), the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting: New Orleans.
• Sunday, James H. (2018) “Gendered Encounters: Youth and the Security State in Contemporary Egypt,” presented at the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting on panel Men and Masculinities: Negotiating Gender, Body Politics, and Racialized Violence: San Antonio.
• Sunday, James H. (2018) “Cross-National Research on Contemporary Middle East Politics,” (Chair), the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting: San Antonio.
• Sunday, James H. (2018) “Democratization and Revolution: Bridging the Divide in the Literatures,” (Moderator), the Political Science Department Annual Workshop A New Political Science for A Changing World: The American University in Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2017) “Governing Structure and Agency under Neoliberalism in the Post-2011 Middle East and North Africa: A View from Popular Quarters,” presented at the APSA MENA Workshop Structure and Agency Revisited: New Modes of Political Mobilization in the Changing Middle East and North Africa: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2017) “Making Space: Taking Part in the Everyday Politics of Cairo’s Popular Quarters,” presented at the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting on panel Activism, Contestation and Political Participation in the Middle East and North Africa: Washington, DC.
• Sunday, James H. (2014) “Bonded by Choice: Shebabi Sociality and Neoliberal Governmentality in Contemporary Egypt,” presented at the International Studies Association Annual Convention on the panel “Global Politics of Resistance in the Middle East: Contestations of Power as Everyday Practices and Beyond" (Conference): Toronto.
• Sunday, James H. (2012) “Defying Homo Economicus: Youth Subjectivity, Competition and Informal Networks in Neoliberal Cairo,” presented at Negotiating State-Society Relations in the Developing World: From Micro-Politics to Political Settlements (Workshop). 16 August 2012. London School of Economics and Political Science (International Development) and University of Oxford (Development Studies): London/Cairo (Video Conference).
• Sunday, James H. (2012) “Generation Tahrir: Europe in the Youth Imaginary in Times of Change,” presented at The EU and Arab Spring (Workshop). 20 January 2012. London School of Economics and Political Science: London.
• Sunday, James H. (2011) “Shirking the Basha: Youth Encounters with the Everyday Security State in Cairo,” presented at Democracy, Governance and Development: Between the Institutional and the Political (Conference). 26-28 June 2011. Department of International Development, University of Oxford: Oxford.

PRESENTATIONS, LECTURES & INTERVIEWS

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• Gabr, M. Shafik, Thomas Goldberger and James H. Sunday. (2018) “Egypt-U.S. Relations in the Trump Era.” 30 October 2018. Invited Lecture: Egypt’s International Economic Forum: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2018) “Words We Live By: Constituting the Social.” 17 September 2018. Invited Lecture: American University in Cairo: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2016) “Making Sense of the Outcome.” 11 November 2016. Invited Lecture: Faculty of Economics and Political Science. Giza: Cairo University.
• Shahin, Magda, Aly Arfan, and James H. Sunday. (2016) “US Elections… What Now?” 10 November 2016. Invited Lecture: CASAR, MESC, POLS, American University in Cairo: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2015) “Life of the Party: Politics, Power, and Ideology in Presidential Selection.” 5 November 2015. Invited Lecture: Faculty of Economics and Political Science. Giza: Cairo University.
• Elnur, Ibrahim and James H. Sunday. (2015) "How to Reflect on Politics in a Rapidly Changing MENA" panel presentation as part of the Alumni Lectures Series. DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2015) "Collaborative Social Sciences in a Global Age" panel discussion prepared for the workshop Study Programs Tailored for the Labor Market hosted by DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst: Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2014) “Shifting Balance by Design: Power, Parties, and Election Politics.” 19 November 2014. Invited Lecture: Faculty of Economics and Political Science. Giza: Cairo University.
• Sunday, James H. (2013) “Protest: The Politics of Participation.” 20 March 2013. English Language Institute (Live Lecture Series): The American University in Cairo.
• Sunday, James H. (2011) “The U.S. and the MENA: Implications for the Arab Spring.” 8 March 2011. School of Oriental and African Studies & Iraqi News Agencies: London.
• Sunday, James H. (2009) “State Terrorism and Neoliberalism: The North in the South” (Chair). 4 February 2009. Department of Politics, School of Oriental & African Studies: London.

COURSES TAUGHT (with number of sections)

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Undergraduate-Level:

• Introduction to Political Science (5)*
• Introduction to Political Science II (9)*
• Introduction to Political Science Research Methods (11)*
• Introduction to Comparative Politics (4)
• Comparative Politics of the Middle East (3)
• The Arab State and Neoliberal Globalisation (1)
• Revisiting the Urban: Space, Power and Politics (1)
• History and Theory of Political Economy (1)
• Global Political Economy (2)
• International Financial Institutions (1)

*Coordinator/Convenor for ‘Introduction to Political Science’ and ‘Introduction to Research Methods’

Graduate-Level:

• Comparative Political Theory (2)
• Development Politics and International Cooperation (5)
• Economic Development in the MENA (1)
• Research Guidance and Thesis (see below)

GRADUATE SUPERVISION

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• Karim Abdoun, MA thesis: “Egyptian-American Relations under Obama’s Presidency: A Defensive Realist Analysis”
• Yasser Aboraya, MA thesis: “A Well-Oiled Machine: The Limits of Rentierism: The Case of Saudi Arabia”
• Salma T. Abousenna, MA thesis: “Failed Democracy: An Examination of Azerbaijan”
• Hood S. Ahmed, MA thesis: “Authoritarian Regimes, the Arab Uprisings and State Repression”
• Abdelrahman Y. Badawy, BA thesis: “The Fading of a Phoenician State: A Russian and American Collaboration, 2011-2016”
• Reem A. El-Balshy, MA thesis: “Civil-Military Relations during and after Popular Mass Uprising: A Comparative Study of Egypt (2011-2013) and Indonesia (1998-2001)”
• Ulrich Hermann Wolfram Berger, MA thesis: “Conceptualizing Compromise”
• Waleed Beshr, MA thesis: “Revisiting Tribalism: Power and Politics in Tribal Relations in Post-2011 Yemen”
• Amna Elnour, MA thesis: “A Comparative Analysis of the Role of Foreign Aid in Post-Conflict Reconstruction of Rwanda and Sierra Leone”
• Brandon M. Espina, MA thesis: “From Hashemite Kingdom to a Kingdom of Exodus: Et Maintenant On va Où? An Examination of Jordan's Refugee Regime and Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis”
• Dalia El-Gamal, MA thesis: “Faith-Based Education in Cairo: An Assessment of the Role and Quality”
• Marwa Helmy, MA thesis: “A Comparative Study on the Effect of Male Migration on Female Spouses in Middle Class and Working Class in Egypt”
• Amira Abdel Fattah Hussein, MA thesis: “Assessing Community-Based Education in Upper Egypt: Failure and Success”
• Mona A. El Husseiny, MA thesis: “Democratization and The Role of the Military: Cases of Serbia and Tunisia”
• Yasmine Khalil, MA thesis: “Effect of Microfinance Programmes on Poverty Alleviation among Egyptian Women”
• Andrew MacDougall, MA project: “The Threat of State-Sponsored Cyber Attacks in Canada: To Serve and Protect”
• Salma M. Mashhour, MA thesis: “The Interaction Between Donors and Recipients: A Case Study on Egypt’s Bilateral Aid Regime”
• Bassant B. Mohamed, MA thesis: “Continuity and Change in the Garbage Village of Muqattam”
• Dragana Prvulovic, MA thesis: “The End of ‘Black-Blanc-Beur’: Identity Formation and Marital Practices of Second Generation French Muslims”
• Nora Rafea, MA thesis: “Livelihood Coping Strategies of Women Heads of Households in Cairo Informal Settlements: The Case of Izbet El Haggana”
• Mai Abdel Rahman, MA thesis: “The Role of the United Nations in Supporting Women's Participation in Elections during Political Transitions: The Cases of Egypt and Tunisia”
• Dina El-Rashidy, MA thesis: “The Construction of Sectarianism: How Intermestics shaped “Other”ing in Iraq and Syria”
• Mohamed T. Sadek, MA thesis: “Competitive Authoritarianism, Survival and Adaptation: The Case of Egypt and Ukraine”
• Bassem Z. Al-Samragy, MA thesis: “Politics on the Margins: A Case Study of Neoliberal Subject Formation in the Popular Quarters of Cairo”
• Alaa El-Shamy, MA thesis: “The Return of the Sacred: Collective Action of Copts during Muslim Brotherhood Rule”
• Brandon Shinhearl, MA thesis: “Acculturating Autocrats: Tracing Compliance with the International Counter-Terror Regime through an Analysis of Chad and Libya (1998-2008)”
• Mason L. Sims, MA thesis: “Nationhood and Revolution: A Comparative Study of Cuba and Iran”
• Žilvinas Švedkauskas, MA thesis: “Quo Vadis, Aegyptus?”
• Victoria Tiemeier, MA thesis: “Informal and Formal Modes of Local Governance in Cairo”
• Catherine Walsh, Middle East Studies Comprehensive Exams (Chair)
• Catherine Walsh, MA thesis: “Political Economy of Tourism Development and Crisis: Sharm El Sheikh on the Periphery?”
• Melissa Yoong, MA thesis: “Bread, Freedom, Dignity: The Impact of Food Insecurity on Political Instability in Egypt”
• Shireen Naguib Zayed, MA thesis: “Latent Heat: Changing Forms of Activism under Repressive Authoritarian regimes: A Case Study of Egypt, 2000-2008”
• Jan-Philipp Zychla, MA thesis: “Branding as a Regime Strategy of Legitimation”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

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• Reviewer for Oxford University Press
• Reviewer for International Sociology
• Member, American Political Science Association
• Member, British Society for Middle Eastern Studies
• Member, International Studies Association
• Member, London International Development Centre
• Member, London Middle East Institute
• Member, Middle East Studies Association
• Member, Political Studies Association

NON-ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

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• Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (International Relations Coordinator) Jul-Oct 2006
• Graduate Student Orientation, American University in Cairo (Student Leader) 2004-2007
• UNDP HIV/AIDS Regional Programme in the Arab States (HARPAS) (Intern) 2004-2005
• Embassy of Jordan, Information Bureau (Researcher) Winter 2003-2004
• Office of Residence Life, University of Virginia (RA) 2003-2004
• New Student Programs, University of Virginia (Transfer Student Peer Advisor) 2002-2004

CERTIFICATIONS

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• American Red Cross: CPR, HIV/AIDS Education & Awareness, Infectious Diseases
• Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI): Emergency First Response
• PADI Divemaster (266915)

VOLUNTEER SERVICE

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• American Cancer Society
• American Red Cross
• Children’s Miracle Network
• March of Dimes
• Salvation Army
• UNICEF

LANGUAGES

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• English (Native); Egyptian Arabic (Fluent)
• Modern Standard Arabic (Advanced/Fluent, i.e. research capable)
• German, Latin, Spanish, Speech-reading (Intermediate reading)

Last updated: 16 September 2019