Is it necessary to have a regional specialist in the dept. you're applying to?

[uchenyy]

For comparativists, is it necessary to have a professor in your dept. that is an expert in your region of interest? Is it sufficient to have a professor working on your theoretical interests, but perhaps in the context of a different country/region?

[Mixedmethodsisa4letterword]

Preferably 1 regional + 1 thematic. The faculty sharing the same regional interest with you does not need to work on the same substantive topic. 

Edited September 23, 2019 by Mixedmethodsisa4letterword