American Politics courses use historical and contemporary examples to understand the political system the founders established, and the ways it has shaped politics. We examine institutions, parties, voting, protest, the media, social values, policy processes, law, inequality and group diversity — as well as how these interact to create the dynamics of American politics today.
FACULTY RESEARCH
Our American Politics faculty’s research interests include political institutions, political behavior and communication, campaigns and elections, legislative behavior, and judicial politics. Their work has been published in the discipline’s leading journals and book presses and has been supported by prestigious funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation and Fulbright. The American Politics faculty routinely serve as invited commentators on state and national election coverage shows, and their scholarship has been cited in leading media outlets.
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Faculty Members

Toby Bolsen
Associate Professor
Political behavior, public opinion, political communication, experimental methods, U.S. energy policy and climate change.

Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey
Associate Professor
African American Politics, Public Opinion, Gender and Politics, Political Behavior, Political Attitudes, Culture, and Politics.
Michael Evans
Lecturer
Public Law, American Politics and Constitutionalism.

Michael Fix
Associate Professor
Public Law/Judicial Politics and Research Methodology.
Daniel Franklin
Associate Professor
American Chief Executives, film and politics, Georgia state politics, budgeting and the legislative process.

Sarah Allen Gershon
Associate Professor
American Politics, Political Behavior, Gender, Race and Ethnicity.

Robert Howard
Professor
Courts as institutions and Judicial politics, Public policy, Constitutional Law.

Jeffrey Lazarus
Associate Professor
Candidate Decision-Making in Elections, Congressional Procedure, and Legislative Procedure More Broadly.

Sean Richey
Associate Professor
Voting and elections, political communication and political behavior.
Susanne Schorpp
Assistant Professor
Judicial Politics, Legitimacy of Courts, American and Comparative Political Institutions, Separation of Powers.
Amy Steigerwalt
Associate Professor
Judicial politics/judicial behavior, constitutional law, interest groups, Congress.
Judd Thornton
Assistant Professor
Political Behavior.