Political Behavior & Public Opinion
Examining what citizens believe, how they participate, and why, and what those forces mean for the health of democratic institutions.
Overview
Faculty draw on political psychology, sociology, and survey and experimental methods to understand how individuals form political opinions, how group identity and racial consciousness influence political engagement, and what drives voting behavior and civic participation. A distinctive strength is the focus on race, ethnicity, and inequality as political forces, not just demographic variables but lived experiences that generate distinct political interests and forms of engagement. The area also engages with questions of democratic health: whether citizens are participating, whether discrimination suppresses that participation, and what conditions sustain or erode democratic norms.
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John HolbeinAssociate Professor of Public Policy, Politics, and EducationJohn Holbein is an associate professor of public policy, politics, and education at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Holbein studies political participation, political inequality, democratic accountability, political representation, and education policy.
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Ashley JardinaAssociate Professor of Public Policy and PoliticsAshley Jardina is an associate professor of public policy and politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Jardina’s research focuses on racial attitudes, racial conflict, and the way in which group identities influence political preferences in the United States.
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Gerald HigginbothamAssistant Professor of Public Policy and PsychologyGerald Higginbotham is an assistant professor of public policy and psychology at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Utilizing social and cultural psychological insights, Higginbotham researches the imprint of history on people’s modern social perceptions and policy attitudes, and the psychological underpinnings of how people perceive history and its consequences.