Political science professor Joseph Klesner lives comfortably in two very different worlds. He loves the beauty and intimacy of Kenyon-he still remembers his first trip to Gambier in the winter of 1985, when he drove up the snowy hill and was "hit with the majesty of the place." At the same time, as a widely respected expert on electoral politics in Mexico, he is continually delving into the complex, rough-and-tumble international scene, both on research trips and in the classroom.

Klesner has often directed the College's international studies program, an interdisciplinary major drawing on fields such as anthropology, economics, history, music, political science, religious studies, and sociology. Through coursework at Kenyon, language study, and study abroad, students in the program explore the culture of a particular region or country and seek to understand their region in a global context.

Klesner's own interests embrace comparative politics as well as politics in Central and South America. He has offered courses ranging from "Latin American Politics" and "Revolution and Development in Mexico and Central America" to "Russian and Soviet Politics" and "Modern Democracies." His expertise in Mexico has led to numerous scholarly publications, and he is frequently consulted by the news media seeking authoritative commentary on Mexican political issues.

The son of a farm mechanic in the tiny town of West Point, Iowa, Klesner feels at home amid the village-scale bustle of Gambier, but he can also deftly navigate the teeming sprawl of Mexico City. It can be exhausting and daunting, he acknowledges. But he says, "I've come to appreciate Mexican history and society more and more deeply as I continue my work."