Jonathan Miner, J.D.; Ph.D.

Dr. Jonathan Miner graduated from Drake University Law School in 1994, where he specialized in International and Environmental Law. After passing the Illinois Bar in November of 1994, he became a staff attorney at Klafter & Burke, a small private firm in downtown Chicago run by 14th Ward Alderman Edward M. Burke, and at which he had been an intern at during law school. The firm specialized in real estate tax appeals, and his regular duties involved gathering, preparing and appealing commercial, industrial and residential real estate taxes with the Cook County Assessor and Board of Appeals. A yearly workload of 500 cases, routine client meetings, and regular administrative court hearings with the City of Chicago enabled him to learn a great deal about law and the inner workings of Chicago politics (much of which is as colorful as you might have heard).

After four years, Dr. Miner took a position in Estate Services with the Northern Trust Company, a financial institution also located in downtown Chicago. As a staff attorney, he was part of a team that collected and valuated the assets of recently deceased trust customers. This team was also responsible for meeting with clients' families during the collection process and preparing and submitting federal death tax returns.

After five years practicing law, Dr. Miner decided to follow his passions in international law and politics by attending graduate school and pursuing a career in teaching. He received his Masters in Political Science from the University of Iowa in 2001 and his Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2007. He began a tenure track position at North Georgia College and State University in August, 2007. He teaches International Law, Middle Eastern Politics, and various other courses in comparative and international politics in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice. His research interests include foreign policy decision-making, Turkish politics, and U.S. national security strategy.

He has published a number of peer-reviewed articles in international relations and is pursuing a research agenda on innovative classroom instruction. Dr. Miner has won many awards for teaching and advisement, and enjoys university life most when interacting with others.