Meet the Team

Eric Shiraev is a Mason professor, researcher and author. He has written, co-authored, and co-edited numerous books and scholarly publications in the fields of international relations, political psychology, and cross-cultural studies. His current research focuses on the cross-cultural dynamics of character attacks, the strategic use of character assassination in international affairs, and the role of historical analogies in shaping modern political discourse.

He is particularly interested in historical memory and the ways it is manipulated through character attacks to shape public perception, influence political narratives, and redefine reputations over time. His publications include International Relations 4/e (Oxford University Press), Cross-Cultural Psychology 8/e (Routledge), Personality: Theories and Applications (Sage), and Russian Government and Politics, 4/e (Bloomsbury).

Martijn Icks is a Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Amsterdam. His PhD thesis was published under the title The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome’s Decadent Boy Emperor (2011). His current research interests include the visibility of Roman imperial power and character assassination from an historical perspective.

He also explores how historical cases of reputation attacks can inform the analysis of modern public relations strategies and political communication. His major publication includes The Crimes of Elagabalus: The Life and Legacy of Rome’s Decadent Boy Emperor (Harvard University Press).

Jennifer Keohane is Associate Professor of communication in the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Baltimore. She holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her 2018 book examined the feminist activism of American Communist women during the early Cold War.

Her research is especially focused on red-baiting as a form of character assassination, and she also studies questions of authenticity in public image and the role of gender in political reputation. Her notable publication includes Communist Rhetoric and Feminist Voices in Cold War America (Taylor and Francis).

Sergei Samoilenko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at George Mason University. He has published extensively and conducted numerous workshops and webinars in the U.S. and abroad on topics related to strategic messaging and influence.

His comparative, interdisciplinary research explores areas such as strategic communication, reputation management, and subversive communication campaigns, particularly in the context of elections, climate debates, and media campaigns. His notable publication includes Handbook of Research on Deception, Fake News, and Misinformation Online (IGI Global).

Edwina Hagen is a Dutch cultural historian, and Assistant Professor at the Free University of Amsterdam. She is an expert of the revolutionary period in the Netherlands (1780-1815). In a broader sense, her research explores (the historical problem of) individual agency, as evidenced by people’s changing practices, emotions and attitudes toward power and political authority.

Her work highlights in- and exclusionary processes that are at play in the creation of political subjects, reinforced by religion (antipapism related to civic virtues and national identity) and changing cultural norms about gender and (political) emotions. Character assassination is particularly relevant to the period of Hagen’s research, because this phenomenon occurred especially in times of revolution.

Alessandro Nai is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam and a political communication scholar whose research focuses on negative campaigning, political psychology, and the effects of character attacks on voter behavior. In 2024, he won the Juliette and Alexander L. George Outstanding Political Psychology Book Award for Dark Politics: The Personality of Politicians and the Future of Democracy.

He is also co-editor of the academic series Studies in Character Assassination and Reputation Protection (Routledge), contributing significantly to the theoretical framework of character assassination research.

Andrew Armstrong is a lecturer in Global Education at George Mason University and board member of the American College Program at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. His research combines political science, technology, and epistemology; with particular focus on the spread of misinformation in the public sphere.

He is also a co-editor of the volume in the academic series Studies in Character Assassination and Reputation Protection (Routledge), and co-author on publications assessing the rise of digital propaganda in international relations.

Nancy Snow (Ph.D., American SIS) is a leading authority in public diplomacy (reputation, credibility, gender diplomacy) and propaganda studies. She was Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Information Agency during the Bill Clinton Administration. Snow is Professor Emeritus of Communications at California State University, Fullerton.

A resident of Tokyo, Japan, she holds a distinguished professor appointment as Pax Mundi Professor of Public Diplomacy, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, the first such public diplomacy position in the country. Her thirteen books include The Sage Handbook of Propaganda, the Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy, Japan’s Information War, Propaganda, Inc., and Propaganda and American Democracy.

Holger Mölder is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia. His research focuses on international security, Global Knowledge Warfare, hybrid threats, and the role of information warfare in shaping global politics. He has written extensively on the intersections of political communication, soft power, and reputational strategies in conflict environments.

Dr. Mölder also explores how character assassination is employed in geopolitical narratives, particularly in the context of post-Soviet states and transatlantic relations.

Martina Klicperova is a political psychologist affiliated with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and San Diego State University (USA). Over the years, she has held prominent professional roles, including serving on the Executive Committee of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology and on the Governing Council of the International Society of Political Psychology.

Her research spans a wide range of topics: the psychology of media influence, democratic political culture, civic engagement, and the conditions that foster—or hinder—democratic transitions. She studies how individuals interpret political information, how societies internalize democratic norms, and how citizens respond to rapid political and social change.

Troy Mitchell is a political scientist, author, and research intern at the Character Assassination and Reputation Politics Lab. He holds a BA in Government and International Politics from George Mason University and is currently pursuing a law degree at Macquarie University in Sydney.

His research includes an innovative study on “antiheroes” and the reputational rehabilitation of mercenaries, contributing fresh insight to debates on modern conflict and political narratives. Having lived in five different countries, he brings an international, cosmopolitan perspective to his academic and professional work.

Nia Christy is a Government and International Politics major at George Mason University with a strong interest in political narratives, media, and the ways public perception is shaped and challenged. Nia plans to attend law school and pursue a career that blends advocacy, research, and policy.

Outside of academics, she loves listening to all the different genres of music and exploring different cultures through language and travel. She also loves listening to music from all around the world, bringing a global cultural perspective to her research work at CARP.

Abhishek Solipuram is a graduate of George Mason University and is currently pursuing a law degree. His research focuses on the legal and psychological determinants of defamation litigation, examining why some individuals choose to pursue legal remedies to protect their reputation while others do not.

His work contributes to a deeper understanding of decision-making in civil law and the broader dynamics of reputational harm and legal redress, bridging the gap between legal scholarship and character assassination research.

Raghu holds a Master’s degree in Data Analytics Engineering from George Mason University and has been collaborating with CARP Lab for over a year to enhance learning experiences through innovative digital solutions. His work seamlessly blends his passion for animation and digital learning with CARP’s mission to advance character assassination research education.

His contributions to CARP include producing 2D animated videos and motion graphics, recording and animating lecture videos based on key research articles and conference presentations, and expanding into marketing, data analysis, and web development. Currently, Raghu is developing an AI-integrated micro-certification platform designed to make CARP’s courses available worldwide, featuring AI chatbots and scenario-sandboxing to create immersive learning environments that transform CARP’s research into dynamic, accessible educational experiences.

Pooja holds a Master’s degree in Data Analytics Engineering from George Mason University and leads the comprehensive redevelopment of CARP Lab’s digital infrastructure. She specializes in translating CARP’s research and teaching mission into clear, modern, and user-friendly online experiences that make character assassination research accessible to diverse audiences.

Her technical expertise includes migrating content from the original WordPress site to new hosting environments while preserving CARP’s rich archival content. Working closely with CARP faculty, she designs and develops experimental AI-based micro-certification platforms featuring structured learning modules, integrated resources, and interactive chatbots. Her work ensures improved accessibility for researchers, students, journalists, and the wider public, bridging the gap between academic research and practical digital engagement.