We are excited to introduce several outstanding scholars who have joined the School
of Interdisciplinary Global Studies this semester.
Get to know our newest faculty, Dr. Michael Luke, Dr. Youngjoon Lee, and Dr. Stephen Cucharo in this feature and join us in welcoming them to our vibrant community here at USF!
Dr. Michael Luke
Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, a small city in the Hudson Valley. Growing up
at the fringes of the New York suburbs meant that my childhood was split between exploring
the city and hiking in the Adirondacks.
I went away to college, attending Boston University for my BA in Political Science
(I actually graduated in the same class as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez).
It was there that I developed my interest in European Politics. Thanks to some wonderful
mentors, European politics became a window into what was possible, and so I became
fascinated with how other countries approach public policy. After my BA, I returned
to New York and lived in Brooklyn while I served in AmeriCorps, helping with the Hurricane
Sandy recovery effort. After my stint concluded, I came back to Boston University
to earn my PhD.
What are your main research interests or areas of expertise?
My research has been driven by a question that has vexed me for years: "why are social
democratic parties cutting welfare programs in Europe?" This question has led me to
study the European Union and the pressure it applies to national governments as well
as the growth of radical right parties.
These topics overlap with the courses I am teaching this semester: European Union
Politics, Comparative Political Economy, and International Organizations. I like to
incorporate a lot of discussion into my classes to get students critically thinking
about the subject matter. My students this semester have really embraced this, and
you can often catch them continuing that discussion in the hallway long after class
has ended. In the spring, I am teaching a special topics course on political extremism
that will cover everything from conspiracy theories to international terrorism that
I am sure will lead to some exciting discussions.
What do you like about USF so far?
My first semester at USF has been a great experience and everyone has been very welcoming. In many ways Tampa feels familiar (every third person seems to originally be from New York), so the cultural adjustment has been easy. I am a big soccer fan, and so experiencing the city's soccer culture has been a fun part of joining the community.
dr. youngjoon lee
Assistant Professor
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I am a tenure-track assistant professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies. I am from South Korea, but I earned a PhD degree from the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. In August 2025, I started my position here!
What are your main research interests or areas of expertise?
With a focus on non-democratic countries, I am working on state-business relations, investment in emerging technologies, and its implications for global security and U.S. foreign policy. I am also interested in how the state of Florida deals with the issues related to seven countries of concern.
What classes are you teaching this semester?
This semester I am teaching INR 2002: Introduction to International Relations. In Spring 2026, I’ll be teaching this course again (online/asynchronous). I’ll also be teaching INR 3038: International Wealth and Power at the Tampa campus.
What do you like about USF so far?
I am very satisfied with everything. I really like our University of South Florida and the Tampa area. I have been learning a lot from the SIGS community. Everything is really organized and structured.
Dr. stephen cucharo
visiting Assistant professor of instruction
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I was born and raised on Long Island and I mostly stayed in the area until I left to do graduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles. Until I left for Los Angeles, I was a bit itinerant in my academic life. I received my BA in Political Science from Fordham University, an MS in Global Affairs from New York University, and an MA in Politics from the New School for Social Research, and it was only until I made it to the New School that I had a clear idea I wanted to do research in political theory. Until then, I had done some non- profit work and tried to acquire concrete skills to pursue a practical and applied work in peacebuilding. However, in all this applied work I was neglecting basic conceptual and theoretical questions, which led me to my core interests in the field of political theory.
What are your main research interests or areas of expertise?
Broadly speaking, I’m interested in how the tradition of political theory gives us resources to make sense of human suffering. More specifically, I’m interested in how forms of emotional suffering like despair, demoralization, guilt, and resentment might bring us into political life in consequential ways. So, some of the work I do is dedicated to picking apart ugly emotions, inquiring into how they work, and understanding how they are (or might be) mobilized and politicized. This all grew out of an engagement with Michael Rothberg’s The Implicated Subject: Beyond Victims and Perpetrators, which helped me grapple with the emotional instability that comes along with recognizing one’s implication in the suffering of others, past or present. I want to probe how “negative emotions” in this context either block or facilitate productive forms of political action.
My other research/teaching interests include contemporary political theory, psychoanalysis and politics, critical theory, the contemporary far-right, democratic theory, theories of responsibility, and global justice.
What classes are you teaching this semester? Is there anything you'd like to share with students interested in taking your class in the future?
I’m currently teaching Intro to Political Theory, Contemporary Political Thought, and Fascism. I tend to teach subject matter that is relatively heavy, so I try and keep things a little light-hearted in the classroom. I also try not to take myself too seriously, which hopefully gives students an added confidence to engage with the course material that might feel a little intimidating.
Otherwise, it’s important to me to expose students to a broad array of questions, problems, and controversies in the history of political thought, so hopefully students will find the courses I offer speak to them and their interests in ways they might not expect.
What do you like about USF so far?
The students have been wonderful! I’ve encountered so much passion and curiosity among
the student body. Many are planning on pursuing graduate level research. Students
are really taking ownership over their education.
I’ve been loving Tampa. I haven’t really stopped eating Puerto Rican food since I
got here.
Is there anything else you would like the SIGS community to know about you?
Go Bulls.
Want to learn more about SIGS faculty? Please visit our Faculty Directory page.