The Political Science field of Public Law seeks to broadly comprehend how legal systems and actors influence and are influenced by politics and society.

What factors influence the decisions judges make and how do judicial decisions influence other actors in the political system? How do social movements influence the development of law over time? How and why are some groups disadvantaged in the legal system more than others? How and why do legal systems operate similarly and differently in different states and countries? These are among the many questions addressed by students and scholars of Public Law.

In addition to developing advanced critical thinking skills, students taking courses in Public Law through our Pre-Law Concentration gain the foundational knowledge necessary for thriving in law school and all law-related professions.

Our Public Law faculty members research judicial politics from both an American and comparative angle. Their areas of interest include federal and state judicial selection, judicial decision-making, the influence of courts on economic and social policy, the role of litigants and outside actors, international law, transitional justice and constitutional theory. Our faculty 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. This scholarship has been cited in leading media outlets.

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.

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 Program. 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.

Political Theory helps us better understand the concepts that have shaped our politics, including freedom, equality, individuality, democracy and justice. Importantly, Political Theory is the part of Political Science that explores what a better political world would look like and how we can create it. Political Theory frequently involves critiques of our present political reality and may even take explicitly political positions.

Whether we study philosophical treatises, political pamphlets or speeches, Political Theory always involves a reflection on one’s own and others’ political principles. The hope is that such critical reflection can contribute to all of us becoming more engaged citizens.

Our Political Theory faculty’s research interests include modern and democratic political theory, political philosophy and higher education. Their work has been published in the discipline’s leading journals and book presses.