Political Science

Josh Clinton, Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair and professor of political science, and co-director of the Vanderbilt Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, joins Provost C. Cybele Raver to discuss how transparency and increasing public literacy about statistics—including an awareness of limitations—can disrupt Americans’ mounting distrust in polling data. Read More

Vanderbilt University has joined the Urban Humanities Network (UHN) as a consortium campus, solidifying the university’s place among leading institutions at the forefront of urban humanities scholarship. Established in 2022, UHN unites universities, organizations, and researchers dedicated to interdisciplinary study within the urban humanities, which operates at the nexus of humanities, urbanism, and design. Read More

At a time of deep political divisions, registered Tennessee voters are united in their overwhelming support for key federal programs, according to the latest semiannual statewide Vanderbilt Poll. Concern about the U.S. economy and personal financial futures is also prevalent, while partisan divides are more apparent on issues such as immigration, tariffs and President Donald Trump’s response to court rulings against his actions and policies.   Read More

What inspired Keyonte' Doughty to come to Vanderbilt and where does he find community? Get to know more about this awesome Class of 2025 student. Read More

The third annual Honors Banquet commemorated excellence in academics, leadership and innovation among Graduate School students and faculty. On March 20, the banquet was held to honor and reflect on remarkable achievements in research and creative expression from the more than 50 graduate programs and departments represented in the Graduate School. Read More

Eighteen months since taking office, Mayor Freddie O’Connell continues to enjoy broad public approval. The 2025 Vanderbilt Poll–Nashville found his favorability among Nashville residents at 67 percent—a very high level of approval for any elected politician that underscores the success of his first year and a half in office. O’Connell’s positive assessment aligns with the emerging consensus that Nashville is headed in a better direction than it was a few years ago.  Read More

Eight exceptional Vanderbilt students are embarking on transformative global journeys as this year’s cohort of the Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship program. Read More

Vanderbilt’s Alan Wiseman co-directs the Center for Effective Lawmaking with University of Virginia professor Craig Volden. Using a combination of 15 metrics, the center defines legislators that “exceed expectations” as those who outperform the center’s benchmark Legislative Effectiveness Scores by 50 percent or more, and high-performers are across the political spectrum. Read More

Journalist Lauren Egan, BA'17, reports on politics in D.C. for The Bulwark and formerly for Politico. She got her start on-air from war-torn Ukraine for NBC News. Read More

Immersion Vanderbilt, now in its third year as a graduation requirement, consistently provides students with the opportunity to pursue a variety of in-depth experiences and independent projects. Students align their immersion projects with their interests—whether those are artistic, research-oriented, career-focused, globally aimed or community-engaged. Faculty from all 10 schools and colleges support students’ goals and ambitions within immersion, and this year, that support is enhanced by a new cohort of 10 Immersion Faculty Fellows who are supported by Undergraduate Education in the Office of the Provost.  Read More

Larry Bartels and Keivan Stassun were among the 23 recipients of 2024 National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation—the nation’s highest honors for exemplary achievement and leadership in science and technology. Both received their medals from President Joe Biden during a White House ceremony on Jan. 3. Read More

The latest semiannual, statewide Vanderbilt Poll reflects that the election had little impact on Tennesseans’ stances on key issues. A notable exception was increased approvals for state lawmakers since May, despite often holding positions on some issues that are out of step with Tennesseans.   Read More

Wiseman, an acclaimed political economist, was appointed associate provost for strategic projects and Gavin Loss, scholar of education history and policy, was appointed associate provost for academic affairs. Both will serve two-year terms within the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Education, with Wiseman’s appointment effective with the 2024–25 academic year and Gavin Loss’ appointment effective on Jan. 1, 2025. Read More

Vanderbilt Distinguished Visiting Professor of Political Science and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham has been awarded a National Humanities Medal, the nation’s highest honor for contributions to the humanities.    Read More

Grants were awarded to 66 professors across seven schools and colleges to advise a total of 470 students during spring and summer 2024. This represents an increase of more than 40 percent in the number of faculty and students supported compared to the previous year.  Read More

With 1,100 enrolled students, the number speaks for itself—PSCI 1150: U.S. Elections is a hot commodity on campus. The elective course offered every four years by the College of Arts and Science is a highly anticipated deep dive into how elections work in the U.S., blending a robust  understanding of history with extensive research from political science. Read More

The College of Arts and Science has launched the Center for Global Democracy, a premier social science institute dedicated to pioneering research and innovation in democratic politics around the world. Noam Lupu, professor of political science, directs the new center. Read More

Dialogue Vanderbilt is partnering with the Aspen Institute’s Weave Project to bring Robert Putnam to campus to explore “How to Heal a Divided America" on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 p.m. Read More

Premiering Aug. 28, The Choice, produced by Dialogue Vanderbilt and featuring Pulitzer Prize–winning author and presidential historian Jon Meacham and Vanderbilt professor, polling expert and political scientist John Geer, will discuss the key moments and the many implications of the 2024 presidential election. Read More

Thirteen innovative projects across seven colleges and schools have been selected for the spring 2024 round of Seeding Success internal grants. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation announced the recipient list on May 31. Read More