Shannon Lindsey Blanton is a professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is also the inaugural dean of the UAB Honors College. A past vice provost for undergraduate programs, department chair and undergraduate coordinator, she has served nationally as a facilitator for leadership development in higher education. In addition, she is the recipient of numerous research awards and professional recognitions. Dr. Blanton has served on a number of editorial boards, including those for five of the discipline's foremost journals: INTERNATIONAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS, INTERNATIONAL INTERACTIONS, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, and INTERNATIONAL STUDIES REVIEW. She has published articles on U.S. foreign policy decision-making, with a focus on the determinants and consequences of U.S. arms transfers and foreign aid. Her work also has examined the significance of human rights concerns in global political and economic interactions. She earned her B.A. from Georgia College, her M.A. from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.
