Sidita Kushi
Sidita received her PhD in Political Science at Northeastern University in 2018, specializing in International Relations, Political Economy, and Quantitative Methods. Her regional specialties are Eastern Europe and the Balkans. She also possesses a strong foundation in economic theory. While at Northeastern, Sidita taught a variety of courses, including Quantitative Techniques (Statistics) and Introduction to International Relations. She has served as a Teaching Assistant and co-lecturer for Comparative Politics, Globalization and International Affairs, and International Relations.
Research Interests
Sidita’s research interests primarily relate to International Political Economy (IPE) dynamics as they influence post-conflict rebuilding and security in ethnically fragmented regions. Sidita’s dissertation, entitled Saving Our Western Neighbors: Regional Interests, Institutions, and Perceptions in Humanitarian Military Interventions, examines the causal pathways and selectivity of humanitarian military interventions, via statistical modeling and case study analysis – already producing a new dataset on all post-1987 intrastate conflicts and third-party military responses. Moreover, Sidita researches the role of economic structures, such as welfare regimes, on gender inequalities across both developed and developing countries. As a secondary focus, Sidita is also interested in the relationship between policy, technology, and scientific innovation.
Sidita is a frequent contributor to Atlantic Community, an open think tank on transatlantic relations. Aside from academic publications, Sidita publishes regularly on public media and analytical outlets, such as Washington Post, openDemocracy, E-International Relations, Aspen Institute, New Eastern Europe, and TransConflict.
Prior Work
In the recent past, Sidita is pleased to have worked for the New York State Department of Labor, researching labor market and economic trends and instructing clients on new policies. She has also worked within the Poli/Econ section of the US Embassy Tirana – where she conducted extensive research on Albanian domestic policy and US-Balkans relations – and as a research intern for Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter.
Most recently, in recognition of her academic teaching, Sidita was nominated for and selected as the recipient of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) Outstanding Teaching Award. Sidita has over 5 years of experience in teaching at the university level.
Biography
While born and raised in Albania, Sidita migrated to the US with her family at a young age. She earned BA degrees in Economics and International Studies from St. John Fisher College. Throughout this time, she founded and led Economics Club and maintained numerous academic scholarships. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, gaining the title of “Top Distinguished Scholar” and receiving top departmental honors. Sidita continued her studies as an MA student in Political Science and Economics at Northeastern University, where she was awarded a full scholarship and assistantship.
Outside of her academic pursuits, Sidita enjoys spending time with family and exploring new lands and cultures. She also loves classic literature (The Count of Monte Cristo being her favorite book), watching both classic and modern films, and checking out new coffee shops, bookstores, and museums.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Sidita Kushi and Ian McManus. “Gendered Costs of Austerity: Effects of the Great Recession and Government Policies on Employment across the OECD,” International Labour Review (2017). doi: 10.1111/ilr.12059.
Aeshna Badruzzaman, Michael Cohen, and Sidita Kushi. “Contending Image Framings of Equality, Nationalism, and Religion in Turkey’s Headscarf Debate: A Mixed Methods Approach,” Mediterranean Quarterly (Forthcoming).
Sidita Kushi and Ian McManus. “Gender, Crisis, and the Welfare State: Female Labor Market Outcomes across OECD Countries,” Comparative European Politics (2016). doi: 10.1057/cep.2016.21.
Sidita Kushi. “Combating a Shared Security Threat through Unified Narratives: Politicized Terrorism in the Western Balkans,” Global Outlook (2016), 1(1), 135-144.
Michael Becker, Matthew Cohen, Sidita Kushi, and Ian McManus. “Reviving the Russian Empire: The Crimean Intervention through a Neoclassical Realist Lens,” European Security (2016), 25(1), 112-133. doi: 10.1080/09662839.2015.1084290.
Sidita Kushi. “Breaking Science Stereotypes: Examining the Effects of Party Politics on Federal R&D Funding,” Journal of Science Policy & Governance (August 2015), 7(1).
Book Chapters
Sidita Kushi and Ian McManus. “Social policies don’t always help women and men equally. Which ones work best?” in Current Debates in Comparative Politics, edited by Dickovick and Eastwood (2nd ed). Oxford University Press (Pending December 2017).
Other Selected Publications
Sidita Kushi. “A Long Road Ahead for Women in Kosovo,” New Eastern Europe (May-Aug. 2017), 27(3-4), 38-47.
Sidita Kushi and Ian McManus. “Social policies don’t always help women and men equally. Which ones work best?” Monkey Cage in Washington Post (January 10, 2017).
Sidita Kushi. “A Tale of Two Countries: Motherhood in Albania and the US.” Balkanist, March 2016.
Sidita Kushi. “Ancient Hatreds Made Me Do It?” New Eastern Europe, February 2016.
Sidita Kushi. “Romani Women of the Balkans: Battling Intersectional Oppression,” openDemocracy, January 2016. ). [Republished in Italian, “Essere donne, essere rom,” Frontiere News, July 3, 2016].
Sidita Kushi. “Mitrovica’s Symbol: Reconciliation amidst Inevitability, History, and Violence in Kosovo,” openDemocracy, November 2015.
Sidita Kushi. “Combating a Shared Menace: Terrorism as a Security and Social Threat in the Western Balkans and Beyond,” Aspen Institute Policy Program, September 2015.
Sidita Kushi and Odeta Kushi. “Albanians and the Greek Crisis: A Briefing of Economic and Social Concerns,” Balkanist, July 2015.
Sidita Kushi. “Gendered Legacies of Communist Albania,” openDemocracy, July 2015. [Translated in Albanian leading newspaper, “Trashëgimia Gjinore e Shqipërisë Komuniste – Paradoks i Përparimit,” Koha Ditore, August 1, 2015, p. 22].
Sidita Kushi. “Women of Kosovo: A Mirage of Freedom and Equality,” openDemocracy, July 2015. [Republished in TransConflict, July 2015].
Sidita Kushi. “Balkanizing the War on Terror,” E-International Relations (E-IR), March 2015.
Sidita Kushi and Odeta Kushi. “Seven Years of Kosovo’s Hollow Sovereignty,” New Eastern Europe, February 2015.
Sidita Kushi. “The Reality of Greece’s Elections: A Double-edged Sword,” Balkanist, January 2015.
Sidita Kushi and Odeta Kushi. “Paranoia over Greater Albania Returns,” New Eastern Europe, January 2015.
Sidita Kushi. “Ancient Discontent between Serbs and Albanians: Why Real and Imagined Stories Matter Today,” TransConflict, November 2014.
Sidita Kushi. “Iran: The Next Big Transatlantic Crisis,” Atlantic Community, July 2013.
Sidita Kushi. “NATO Burden-Sharing in the 21st Century: Divisions of Labor and Global Missions,” Atlantic Community, June 2013.
Sidita Kushi. “The Transatlantic Alliance: Challenges of Identity Polarization and Politics of Power,” Atlantic Community, May 2013.
Conference Presentations
“Ambivalent Effects of Corruption on Political and Economic Progress across Post-Communist Eastern Europe,” January 2017. Presented at Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA.
“Contending Narratives of Equality, Nationalism, and Religion: The Progression of Image Framing in Turkey’s Headscarf Debate,” July 2016. Presented at International Political Science Association, Poznan, PL.
“Combating a Shared Menace: Terrorism as a Security and Social Threat in the Western Balkans and Beyond,” September 2015. Presented at Aspen Institute, Budva, ME.
“Making Modern Humanitarian Interventions: Interplay of Interests and Norms in the Kosovo Crisis,” April 2015. Presented at Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
“Reviving the Russian Empire: A Rationalist Model of State Intervention,” November 2014. Presented at Northeastern Political Science Association, Boston, MA – with Michael Becker, Matthew Cohen, & Ian McManus.
“Effects of Cigarette Excise Tax on State Smoking Rates and Healthcare Cost,” January 2014. Presented at Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA.
“Divergent Perspectives on the Kosovo Crisis through a Realist Lens,” November 2013. Presented at Northeastern Political Science Association, Philadelphia, PA.
Degrees Earned and Institutions
BA, Economics & International Studies, St. John Fisher College
MA, Political Science with interdisciplinary Economics, Northeastern University
PhD, Political Science, Northeastern University
Research Interests
International Political Economy; Economic Development in Eastern Europe; Humanitarian Military Interventions; the Balkans; Financial Crisis and Gender