James C. (Jim) Wallace
Lecturer
Jim is a professor, consultant, author, businessman, and religious leader. Jim has been a faculty member at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies for over thirteen years, teaching courses on “Religion and American Foreign Policy,” “International Relations and Religion,” “History of American Foreign Policy,” and “Public Speaking and Political Speechwriting.” For three years, Jim has taught “Domestic Chinese Politics” and “U.S.-China Relations” at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government. In addition, Jim lectures and teaches at academic institutions internationally, as well as for various government and military agencies.
Jim is the founder and CEO of Lacuna Group International, a consultancy working at the intersection of human rights, culture, religion, and international affairs. Lacuna works with the U.S. and Canadian governments, militaries, NGOs, religious organizations, and businesses.
Previously, Jim served for over 30 years as a clergyman and religious leader, political advisor, and government consultant in the United States and Canada. He is a dual citizen of both countries. His public service in Canada was honored in 2005 by the Government of Alberta with the Alberta Centennial Medal.
Jim earned a PhD in Political Science from Boston University with additional studies at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and Divinity School. His PhD dissertation, Blowback of the Gods: The U.S. Government’s Covert Use of Religion as a Tool of Foreign Policy in the Early Cold War Years, is forthcoming as a book.
Jim has published articles in the Journal of Cold War Studies, the International Journal of Religious Freedom, the Review of Faith & International Affairs, the Journal of the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association, as well as op-eds and other public writings in print and digital media in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa.
Specializations:
• International relations and religion
• U.S. – China relations
• International business, culture, and religion
• Religion policy and politics in China
• Political Islam and religion in the Muslim-majority world
• Religion in the military battlespace
• Religion, the U.S. Constitution, and the First Amendment
• The Cold War and religion
• Regional expertise: China (PRC), Middle East/North Africa, Canada, Cuba, and Southeast Asia