Valerie M. Hudson (born 1958) is an American professor of political science in the Department of International Affairs at
The Bush School of Government and Public Service
The Bush School of Government and Public Service is an undergraduate and graduate college of Texas A&M University founded in 1997 under former US President George H. W. Bush's philosophy that "public service is a noble calling." Since then, the ...
at
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
as of January 2012. Prior to coming to Texas A&M, Hudson was a professor of political science at
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
for over 24 years. She is most noted for having co-authored the book ''Bare Branches'' which discussed the effects of
China's
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
demographic decisions on sex ratios in China and other countries.
Hudson's early life and education;
Hudson was born in Washington D.C in the year 1958.She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also commonly known as Mormons) in 1971. She had been a Roman Catholic. Hudson received her bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University (BYU), and her master's and Ph.D. from Ohio State University.
While a doctoral candidate, Hudson taught for three years at Otterbein College, and after receiving her Ph.D., she was a visiting professor at Northwestern University and then Rutgers University. In 1987 she joined the faculty of BYU. Hudson served as associate director of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies for eight years. In that capacity, she directed the graduate program.
In April 2019, she was named a University Distinguished Professor at the Texas A&M University, the university's highest faculty honor.
Personal
Hudson is married to artist David Cassler, a painter with an MFA from BYU. They are the parents of eight children, three of whom have
cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections. O ...
.
Writings
Hudson's research foci include foreign policy analysis, national security policy, social science methodology, and gender in International Relations. She has also published Mormon-related writings, particularly on the topic of Mormon doctrine concerning women.
Hudson has written or edited several books, including ''Foreign Policy Analysis: Classical and Contemporary Theory'' (Boulder, Colorado: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007, 2013, 2019), ''Culture and Foreign Policy'', ''Artificial Intelligence and International Politics'' as well as ''Bare Branches: Security Implications of Asia's Surplus Male Populations'' (MIT Press, 2004). The last was with
Andrea Den Boer. In April 2012
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...
published a book co-authored by Hudson entitled ''Sex and World Peace''. Recent co-authored books also include (with Patricia Leidl)
The Hillary Doctrine: Sex and American Foreign Policy' (Columbia University Press, 2015).
Hudson has edited multiple books with
Kerry M. Kartchner on Latter-day Saints and their relationships with United States foreign and security policies. Hudson wrote a long article with Sorensen on Latter-day Saint views of
Womanist theology published in
David L. Paulsen
David Lamont Paulsen (1936–2020) was a professor emeritus of philosophy at Brigham Young University (BYU). From 1994 to 1998 he held the Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding at BYU. He was an active faculty member at BYU from 1972â ...
's and
Donald W. Musser's ''Mormonism in Dialogue with Contemporary Christianity'' (Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 2007). She contributed a collaborative article with
Alan J. Hawkins,
Camille Fronk Olson,
Lynn D. Wardle
Lynn D. Wardle is Bruce C. Hafen Professor of Law at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University (BYU). He specializes in family law, constitutional law, and bioethics.
Wardle holds the Bruce C. Hafen Professorship at the J. Reub ...
,
Richard D. Draper,
Diane L. Spangler and a few others, an article about mothers and fathers being equal partners in
David C. Dollahite's ''Strengthening Our Families: An In-depth Look At The Proclamation on The Family''. With A. Don Sorensen and
Allen Bergin Hudson wrote an article entitled "Benevolent Power and Unrighteous Dominion" that was published in Bergin's ''Eternal Values and Personal Growth: LDS and Social Sciences Perspectives'' (Provo:
BYU Press
Brigham Young University Press (BYU Press) is the university press of Brigham Young University (BYU).
History
Brigham Young University Press was formed in 1967 through the consolidation of BYU's various publishing activities into one central or ...
, 2002). She has also written ''Women in Eternity, Women of Zion'' with
A. Don Sorensen (Springville: Cedar Fort, 2004).
Hudson has published articles in such journals as ''
International Security
International security, also called global security is a term which refers to the measures taken by states and international organizations, such as the United Nations, European Union, and others, to ensure mutual survival and safety. These meas ...
'' and ''
Political Psychology
Political psychology is an interdisciplinary academic field, dedicated to understanding politics, politicians and political behavior from a psychological perspective, and psychological processes using socio-political perspectives. The relations ...
'' including article co-authored with others such as
Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill
Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill is an American academic. She is a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University (BYU). From 1994 to 2010, she was the director of the BYU Women's Research Institute.
Early life and education
The daughter of Ariel S. ...
about the relationship between the security of women and the security of states. She also contributed a chapter to ''Foreign Policy Decision Making (Revisited)''. Additionally, she and fellow researcher
Hillary Matfess
Hilary or Hillary may refer to:
* Hillary Clinton, American politician
* Hillary Coast, Antarctica
* Hilary (name), or Hilarie or Hillary, a given name and surname
* Hilary term, the spring term at the Universities of Oxford and Dublin
* ''Hikari ...
uncovered linkages between violent conflict and
bride price
Bride price, bride-dowry (Mahr in Islam), bride-wealth, or bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman he will be married to or is just about to marry. Bride dow ...
.
Recent work
Hudson was one of the founders of the on-line journal ''Square Two,'' which is a forum for scholarly articles on important issues of the world today as informed by a Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints' perspective. She is also a principal investigator of the
WomanStats Project
The WomanStats Project is a donor-funded research and database project housed at Brigham Young University that "seeks to collect detailed statistical data on the status of women around the world, and to connect that data with data on the security ...
, which began in 2001.
Hudson is a self-described feminist. She has been influenced by the writings of Alma Don Sorensen on equality and
Sylviane Agacinski
Sylviane Agacinski-Jospin (born 4 May 1945) is a French philosopher, feminist, author, professor at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), and wife of Lionel Jospin, former Prime Minister of France. Her theoretical articulati ...
on parity between men and women.
Interview with Hudson
/ref>
Notes
References
Amazon blurb on Women in Zion
*
* ttp://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/vhudson/ Hudson's vitabr>''Deseret News'', June 15, 2009
MIT Press bio
WomanStats project webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson, Valerie M.
1958 births
Converts to Mormonism from Roman Catholicism
Latter Day Saints from Texas
American women political scientists
American political scientists
Brigham Young University alumni
Brigham Young University faculty
Living people
Northwestern University faculty
Otterbein University faculty
People from Utah County, Utah
People from Washington, D.C.
Rutgers University faculty
Fulbright Distinguished Chairs
Latter Day Saints from Washington, D.C.
Latter Day Saints from Ohio
Latter Day Saints from Utah