Charles H. Blake is a Professor of Political Science at JMU and a Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs. His research examines the dynamics of socioeconomic policies in Latin America & Europe and the pursuit of greater transparency & accountability in public administration.

He has field experience at institutions in Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and Uruguay. His research has been supported by the Fulbright program, the Organization of American States, and the Tinker Foundation. With JMU colleague Jessica Adolino, he has co-authored Comparing Public Policies: Issues and Choices in Industrialized Countries for Congressional Quarterly Press. His research has appeared in various journals, including Comparative Political Studies; Democratization; Journal of Health Policy, Politics, & Law; Journal of Inter-American Studies & World Affairs; The Review of International Political Economy; and Studies in Comparative International Development. He is currently studying the relationship between federalism and mechanisms of horizontal, societal, and vertical accountability.

Dr. Blake received the A.B. from Davidson College & a Ph.D. from Duke University. His teaching interests include comparative politics (especially in Latin America & Europe), policy analysis, & research methods. He served as the chair of JMU’s Department of Political Science from 2009 through 2016 and received the JMU Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2012.