Ralston, Jonah
Jonah Ralston entered the Political Science doctoral program in the fall of 2008. He has a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Washington University. Before coming to Michigan State, Jonah had interned at an economic development organization and then spent three years working as a business analyst with Boeing, two years of which were spent in a leadership development program rotating to a new position every four months. Not surprising given his academic and professional background, Jonah is most comfortable when approaching problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. The following statement from John Dewey best captures the driving force of his academic pursuits: "Philosophy recovers itself when it ceases to be a device for dealing with the problems of philosophers and becomes a method, cultivated by philosophers, for dealing with the problems of men." Jonah's research interests are varied, but he is primarily concerned with voting behavior, state politics, and science and technology policy. On a personal note, he hails from a small town an hour south of Chicago, likes to travel, is an aspiring beer connoisseur, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
American Politics, Public Policy
