Department Research

Our research can be described in terms of the major subfields of political science, thematic topics that cut across the subfields, and by methodological approach. The best way to get to know our research is by visiting our faculty pages. You can view all our faculty or filter by subfield, thematic topic, and methodological approach. 

The Department features scholarship in the major fields of Political Science, including American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public policy.

Our scholars study executive, legislative and judicial institutions under democracy and autocracy, the politics of race and gender, elections and electoral fraud, state and local politics, public policy, violent conflict both within and between states, human rights, international political economy, among other topics. 

The Department’s faculty work across the traditional fields of political science. Collaboration is common in part because scholars contribute to research and teaching in five thematic areas, which transcend the traditional field structure.

The Department has particular expertise in the following areas: political economy, political institutions, conflict and human rights, social cleavages, and public policy.

The Department promotes the rigorous application of theoretical and empirical tools in the production of knowledge about politics. Our faculty contribute to methodological work in formal theory and both quantitative and qualitative analysis.

We are committed to a view of methodology in which theoretical and empirical analysis are closely linked. Our approach is also multifaceted and highly flexible. We encourage innovative theoretical approaches as well as the selection of the best empirical research design in light of the question guiding the research.