Michael Bender

Dr. Bender is a 2016 graduate of the doctoral program the Department of Politics and International Relations at Florida International University (FIU) where he completed his dissertation entitled 'History, Identity Politics and Securitization: Religion's Role in the Establishment of Indian-Israeli Diplomatic Relations and Future Prospects for Cooperation'. Dr. Bender’s areas of focus include IR of South Asia, Middle East studies, religion and politics, security studies and foreign policy. He has been an undergraduate instructor at FIU and Broward College where he has taught introductory courses in IR, religious studies and political science, as well as specialty courses dealing with conflict, security studies, and contemporary issues. Most recently, Dr. Bender was a Visiting Postdoctoral Associate at FIU where he has continued as an online instructor of IR and has concentrated on his research focusing on identity politics in South Asia and Israel’s relations in South Asia. He is currently an instructor of International Relations at The Washington Center in Washington D.C.