American University has served as Stephen Silvia’s academic home for the entirety of his career, making his office—tucked away in a light-filled, third-floor corner of the SIS Building—a resplendent gallery of his research, hobbies, and travels.
The thick volumes lining the shelves attest to Silvia’s expertise in comparative labor employment relations and comparative economic policy, while the knickknacks resting before these texts reveal the more lighthearted side of his interests.
A Wonder Woman mug and an “Astro Boy card”—a rechargeable Japanese transit pass featuring an iconic manga character—hint at the inspiration for Silvia’s popular class, which examines international relations through comics, manga, and graphic novels.
A spider plant, inherited 40 years ago from Silvia’s grandfather, holds court over a cluster of greenery in the window. Throughout the office, portraits of labor leaders, a pair of prints by the Bulgarian artist Christos, and a well-worn gavel from his first turn as Faculty Senate chair round out the souvenirs of his career.
By surrounding himself with these mementos, Silvia hopes to spark conversations with students and colleagues about who they are. “I see this as a way to build a connection.”
Daruma Dolls
These traditional Japanese good-luck talismans are spherical and hollow, featuring a weighted bottom so they always return upright, symbolizing resilience and perseverance. Each doll represents one of Silvia’s professional commitments that is currently in progress: his second term as chair of the Faculty Senate for 2025–26 (blue), a coauthored book (black), and a solo writing project (white). “When you start a project, you fill in one eye,” he says. “When you finish, you fill in the other eye.”
Roosevelt Clock
Working-class families bought these during the Great Depression to show support for the 32nd president, who significantly expanded social safety nets through his New Deal. This clock, purchased off eBay, is known as the Steersman. It depicts a larger-than-life FDR steering the ship—a nod to his earlier position as secretary of the Navy—flanked by Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The timepiece is fragile; the metal is thin enough to see through, but “it still works,” says Silvia, who has three more Roosevelt clocks at home.
Berlin Wall
Silvia’s research has brought him to Germany many times, including shortly after the wall fell in 1989. His rare mementos from the end of the Cold War include quarter-sized pieces of the concrete wall and a model of a Trabant, an infamously cheap, small, and slow East German car powered by a two-stroke engine, similar to that of a gas lawn mower. Silvia recalls the experience of driving a real one belonging to a friend: “It was something—it had a stick shift on the steering column.”
Sports Memorabilia
A Buffalo native, Silvia is a proud member of the Bills Mafia and a dedicated Nationals fan. In fall 2023, he broadened his loyalties while teaching at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, as part of a faculty exchange program with SIS. He started following the Hanshin Tigers, one of the country’s most storied ball clubs. “When I was there, they won the Japanese equivalent of the World Series,” he says. Silvia also displays a Kyoto Sanga FC flag in his office.