Comparative Politics Professor Joins UCF

The UCF College of Sciences welcomed Assistant Professor Konstantin Ash, Ph.D., to the Department of Political Science in fall 2016.

Originally from Russia, Ash moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old, living in Philadelphia, PA until graduating high school. Ash attended New York University, earning a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in politics and then earned his doctoral degree in political science at the University of California – San Diego.

Ash’s research focuses on participation in protests and political violence, especially in autocracies and newly democratic countries. His interests were shaped, in part, by political events in Russia during his early childhood, including the fall of the USSR, a coup attempt in 1993 and the First Chechen War. His research has taken him to locations throughout the Islamic World, including Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.

From the Color Revolutions to the Arab Spring and the subsequent conflicts, Ash is drawn to the explaining questions that revolve around current world events: why does the spirit of revolutions die out once protesters overthrow the government? What are the ways in which protests can lead to civil war? And how can individual preferences shape the likelihood of intergroup conflict?

He has now arrived at the University of Central Florida, teaching courses about comparative politics, conflict and GIS.

When he’s not teaching, Ash spends his time running, hiking and baking – now, with ingredients from Clemons Produce, a local fruit and vegetable store.

The College of Sciences and Department of Political Science is happy to have Ash on board.