He earned his Ph.D. in International Relations from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. He specializes in religion and politics in Africa, with particular expertise on the role of prophetic Christianity as an agent for social change in selected historically deeply divided societies. His teaching interests also include the role of truth commissions as societies are in transition from authoritarian to democratic rule. His next major project will explore the transition processes as southern Sudan declares its independence in 2011.