General Information
Biography
– Dr. Joseph Akpan has a PhD from the University of Nebraska in Political Science with a minor in Economics and expertise in International Political Economy. He has taught courses in International Business (including Foreign Direct Investment, Theory and Practice of International Trade and Regional Economic Integration), Political Science, African Politics, Development and Applied Anthropology, Human Rights, Environment and Development, African History and Culture at the University of Nebraska, both at the Lincoln and Omaha campuses, Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue, Nebraska, and Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Nebraska. Dr. Akpan also taught courses in International Security and Intelligence Studies Program at Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska. He is currently a lecturer in the Political Science and Black Studies departments at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska. He also works as a Resident Scholar and a consultant for the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Nigeria, a national think tank for policy makers and top government officials; Dr. Akpan is a development consultant in International Business and Foreign investments as well as other projects in Nigeria in telecommunication, national security, agriculture and energy.
Teaching Interests
International Relations, International Political Economy, Comparative Politics, African Politics, African Economic Development, Geography of Africa, International Security, Introduction to Political Science, Introduction to Black Studies, Regional Economic Integration and Organizing World Order.
Research Interests
African Politics and Economic Development; Regional Economic Community of West African States; Human Rights and Environment issues in Nigeria; Nigerian National Security; Nigerian Telecommunication, Energy and Agriculture; Democratization of Africa, Political and Economic issues in the Niger Delta of Nigeria (Research Article in Progress); Systemic Corruption in Nigeria(Article Pending Publication).
Service Summary
1988 – 1992 President of Nigerian Students Association, University of Nebraska-LincolnIn 1990 I was engaged in an independent research and public education on the issue of divestment by U.S. companies, colleges and universities from South Africa before the end of apartheid.. The efforts focused on ways and means various university constituents (students, faculty and administration) and community groups could help fight racial injustice in South Africa. We organized symposia, international speakers and activities on South African divestment campaign in U.S. colleges and universities, involving University of Nebraska professors, Administrators, Lincoln civic groups and representatives of African National Congress political party, South Africa.