Professor, Politics and Government
Patrick O’Neil’s research and teaching interests focus on the Middle East, especially Israel/Palestine and Iran. He has been researching the politics of Shia public rituals in the Islamic Middle East and South Asia, specifically the Ashura ritual among Muslims in Iran and India. O’Neil is author of the successful textbooks Essentials of Comparative Politics (fifth edition); and Cases in Comparative Politics(with Don Share and Karl Fields; fifth edition); and editor of Essential Readings in Comparative Politics (with Ron Rogowski; fourth edition). O’Neil’s previous emphasis was on European and Post-Soviet politics, including terrorism and political transitions in Iran, a country he studied and visited over several years. He has also studied terrorism in Israel, as a fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Other publications by O’Neil include the articles “A Messianic State? Ideology, Rationality and Eschatology in Iranian Politics” (2013); and “Everywhere is Karbala: Shia Ritual Politics in Iran and Beyond” (2013); and the book A Revolution from Within: The Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party and the Collapse of Communism (Edward Elgar, 1998). O’Neil’s public talks include: "Iran: Reform of Retrenchment? Understanding the Politics of Iranian Authoritarianism and the Prospects for Change" (Olympia World Affairs Council, 2017) O’Neil teaches courses in the areas of European politics, Iran and Israel, and terrorism.