Professor Belanger joined the political science department in 1995. His research has examined democratization in Central America, social movements and democratization in Latin America, and the politics of globalization. He is a founding member of the Intercultural Studies and Global Studies programs and teaches classes on comparative politics and global political processes. He is advisor for Model UN at Saint Mary's. He was the recipient of the 2001 Maria Pieta Award for outstanding teaching and the 2015 Spes Unica Award for outstanding service to the College. Before academia, he worked for five years in the development education department of Oxfam America, an international development agency.