Welcome to the Department of Politics & Policy
The Department of Politics & Policy is committed to providing high-quality graduate education that weaves broad theoretical concerns about both domestic and international politics with questions of applied policy analysis. Students are able to pursue Master’s- and PhD-level study in the traditional fields of American politics, Comparative Politics, International Politics, Public Policy, and Research Methods, as well as innovative joint programs of study with Economics, Evaluation, Psychology, Religion, and more. A distinctive feature of our program is the close relationships that we develop with our students, many of whom have opportunities to be involved in collaborative research and publication with nationally and internationally renowned faculty mentors. Students also benefit from having the opportunity to work with affiliated faculty from the Claremont Colleges. We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting community of scholars.
Masters Programs
Applied Data Science & International Studies
MS in Applied Data Science & International Studies
International Political Economy
MA in International Political Economy
MA in International Studies
MA in Politics
MA in Public Policy
MA in Public Policy & Evaluation
MA in Religion & American Politics
Doctoral Programs
PhD in Political Science
PhD in Political Science & Economics
Dual Degree Programs
Political Science | Business Administration
PhD in Political Science | MBA or EMBA
Faculty
Core Faculty
Mark Abdollahian
Full Clinical Professor
Research Interests
Strategic Decision Making, International Political Economy, Sustainable Development
Carlos Algara
Mary Toepelt Nicolai and George S. Blair Assistant Professor
Research Interests
American politics, the United States Congress, ideological representation, electoral politics, elite institutions
Heather E. Campbell
Professor, Department of Politics & Government
Director, Division of Politics & Economics
Field Chair, Public Policy
Thornton F. Bradshaw Chair
Research Interests
Public Policy, Urban Environmental Policy, Environmental Justice
Yi Feng
Luther Lee Jr. Memorial Chair Professor
Research Interests
International Political Economy, International Relations, Political Economy of China and Latin America, Quantitative Methodology
Robert Klitgaard
University Professor
Research Interests
Public Policy, Economic Strategy, Institutional Reform, Corruption
Jacek Kugler
Elisabeth Helm Rosecrans Professor of International Relations
Research Interests
Causes and Consequences of War, Political Performance, Power Transition
Tanu Kumar
Assistant Professor
Research Interests
Development, political behavior, urban politics, digital technology
Tyler Reny
Assistant Professor
Research Interests
American Politics, Racial and Ethnic Politics, Political Behavior, Public Opinion, Political Psychology
Javier Rodríguez
Associate Professor
Research Interests
Public & Health Policy, Social Inequality, Quantitative Methods for Social Science Research
Melissa Rogers
Associate Professor, International Studies
Co-Director, Inequality and Policy Research Center
Field Chair, Comparative Politics
Research Interests
Comparative Politics, Political Economy, Economic Inequality
Jean Reith Schroedel
Professor Emerita of Political Science
Former Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy
Research Interests
Native American voting rights, American political development, women and politics, religion and politics, and congressional policy-making
Sallama Shaker
Senior Fellow of Middle East & International Studies
Research Interests
Power Politics, Religion, and Culture in the Middle East; Feminization of Poverty and Global Challenges; Globalization
Extended Faculty
Joseph M. Bessette
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
American constitutionalism, American politics, crime and criminal justice, ethics and American democracy, presidency
Mark Blitz
Claremont Graduate University
Research Interests
Political science, Philosophy, American politics
Guillermo Douglass-Jaimes
Pomona College
Research Interests
Environmental health, global health equity, social and spatial determinants of health, environmental justice
Charles R. Kesler
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
American constitutionalism, American political thought, American politics, conservative movement in America, constitutional law, Greek and Roman political thought, idealism and nihilism, political philosophy, term limitations
Jennifer L. Merolla
University of California, Riverside
Research Interests
Candidate evaluations during elections, immigration policy attitudes, foreign policy attitudes, and support for democratic values and institutions
Hal T. Nelson
Portland State University
Research Interests
Environmental, social, and economic sustainability, primarily in the energy sector
John J. Pitney, Jr.
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
American politics, California politics, Congress, electoral politics, internet & politics, media politics, national elections, Obama administration, political advertising, political parties, presidency, public policy
Ralph Rossum
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
American constitutionalism, American founding, constitutional law, crime and criminal justice, Indian gaming issues, redistricting, supreme court, voting rights
George Thomas
Claremont McKenna College
Research Interests
American constitutionalism, American political thought, constitutional law, Supreme Court