Rate My Professor Ashley Woodiwiss

Ashley Woodiwiss serves as Professor of Political Science and Department Chair of the Department of Government, Criminology, and Sociology in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Lander University, located in Greenwood, South Carolina. His office is in the Carnell Learning Center, room M51. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989, with a dissertation titled "The Concept of Civic Virtue." Prior to his current role, Woodiwiss held the position of Grady L. Patterson Professor of Politics at Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina. Before that, he was on the faculty at Wheaton College for 18 years as Associate Professor and Chair of the Politics and International Relations department. His academic career spans teaching courses in government, law, political philosophy, and political theory.

Woodiwiss's research and scholarly contributions center on political theory, including Christian political theory and liberal democracy. He co-edited the volume "The Re-Enchantment of Political Science: Christian Scholars Engage Their Discipline" with Thomas W. Heilke, published by Lexington Books in 2001. Other key publications include the article "The Politics of Latin American Liberation Theology: The Challenge to U.S. Public Policy" (1989) and a book review titled "Under God? Religious Faith and Liberal Democracy" published in 2005 in The Journal of Religion. At Lander University, he leads a department that offers programs in political science, criminology, sociology, paralegal studies, and international studies. Woodiwiss has contributed to civic engagement initiatives, including those supported by South Carolina Humanities grants for electoral education and community discussions on local activism and elections. Lander University alumni have credited his political philosophy course with developing critical analytical skills essential for success in law school.