Seulgie Lim
Assistant Professor of Politics
Associations
Politics
Pettengill Hall, Room 176
Gender and Sexuality Studies
About
Seulgie Lim is an Assistant Professor of Politics at Bates College, specializing in Comparative Politics and International Relations. Her research focuses on women’s political movement and participation in West Africa, more specifically in Senegal, as well as African feminisms and the interactions between politics and religion (Islam). Her work on Islam and Politics in West Africa has been published as part of the Palgrave Handbook of Islam in Africa (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) as well as in Secularism in Comparative Perspective (Springer Link, 2023). She is also interested in the various innovative pedagogies on teaching African Studies and is the representative of the Emerging Scholars Network at the African Studies Association Board of Directors since 2024.
Seulgie received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston University with a certificate in African Studies in May 2020, and her M.A. (2012) and B.A. (2008) in International Relations from Seoul National University, South Korea.
At Bates, she teaches courses on politics of Sub-Saharan Africa, human rights, international politics, women’s movements in Africa, and gender in politics.
When she is not in her office at PGILL, she enjoys her food and drinks adventures and the occasional outdoors.
Expertise
Current Courses
Fall Semester 2025
International Human Rights in Africa
This course offers an in-depth survey, analysis, and assessment of international human rights as a global concept, regime and institution. Students first learn the origins of the concept of human rights by surveying religious, traditional, and early legal documents. Then they consider different gene…
International Politics and Foreign Policy in Africa
Africa has often been ignored by the International Relations subfield of political science, while political science mostly analyzes Africa from a comparative politics lens. Yet, with 54 states, Africa has much to teach us about International Relations, not just in terms of theories of IR but also in…
Senior Thesis
Discussion of methods of research and writing, oral reports, and regular individual consultation with instructors. Students undertake a one-semester thesis by registering for PLTC 457 in the fall semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both PLTC 457 and 458. Prerequisite(s): one 300-l…