Should America be a meritocracy? Should those with the most ability get the most rewards? Or is the ideal of meritocracy tearing us apart?Political philosopher Michael Sandel discussed the influences of meritocracy and how we might rethink attitudes toward success and failure at a talk presented at the Karsh Alumni Center on October 7. Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard University where he is the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government. read more about Meritocracy on Trial: A Public Conversation on Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit »
Class of 2027 students Megan Bonne, Sally Maroa, and Kimmy Parboosingh have received the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. Created by the Obamas and Airbnb's Brian Chesky, this two-year scholarship for juniors supports young leaders who are committed to careers in public service. read more about Three Trinity Students Receive the Voyager Scholarship »
A question that resonated with Allison Anoll as an undergraduate is now reflected in her research as a political scientist — could many of society’s problems be solved if more people participated equally in the democratic process? “I said it so much that I convinced myself it might be true,” said Anoll, who joined the Department of Political Science this year as an associate professor. “That question I started asking when I was 18 is the question that I’m still trying to fundamentally answer in the work that I do.”… read more about Allison Anoll Seeks to Understand the ‘Why’ Behind Political Participation »
As he peers into the past, Francisco Garfias counts upon the meticulous record-keeping of colonial Spain during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries to shine a light so he can better understand the present and anticipate the future. “The way that Spanish authorities governed their colonies, particularly in what’s now Mexico, created a lot of records,” said Garfias, who joined the Department of Political Science as an associate professor. “That highly bureaucratized approach, as a side product, allows researchers like myself to… read more about Francisco Garfias Looks to the Past for Insights into How Governments Take Shape »
Imagine a politician battling accusations of corruption leading up to an election, accusations so serious that they are likely to impact how people cast their ballots. How do you account for the wide range of factors that can determine who a person votes for — partisanship, age, gender, race, educational level — to gain insight into the influence of the corruption allegations on Election Day? That challenge is being taken up by Jiawei Fu, a new assistant professor of Political Science who develops tools to help… read more about Jiawei Fu Develops New Tools to Unravel the Complexities of Political Decision-Making »
D. Sunshine Hillygus, professor of Political Science and Public Policy, has been elected a Fellow of the Society for Political Methodology in 2025.Hillygus’s research spans American political behavior, campaigns and elections, survey methodology, public opinion, and the interplay between information technology and politics. She is co‑author of “Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action” (Cambridge University Press, 2020), “The Persuadable Voter: Wedge Issues in Political… read more about Sunshine Hillygus Elected Fellow of the Society for Political Methodology »
When we think about ‘misinformation,’ we usually think about phony or misleading news stories. But what about people who take real new stories and use those to spread phony or misleading narratives? Aaron welcomes Duke political scientist Jon Green to discuss a new study he co-wrote, which finds that that’s a pervasive issue as well – and one that’s not easy to combat. read more about On Air: Duke’s Jon Green on Using Real News Stories to Push False Narratives »
Kerry L. Haynie, Trinity’s dean of Social Sciences and professor of Political Science and African & African American Studies, recently received the Mac Jewell Enduring Contribution Award from the American Political Science Association. Honoring scholarly contributions to U.S. state politics or policy that continue to shape the field more than a decade after publication, the award was presented to Haynie and co-author Kathleen Bratton of Louisiana State University for their influential 1999 Journal of… read more about Enduring Impact: A Seat at the Table Still Matters »
Duke Professor of Political Science Pablo Beramendi has been awarded the 2025 Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award from the American Political Science Association (APSA). The Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award recognizes distinguished scholarly contributions to the study of federalism and intergovernmental relations.Beramendi's research delves into the political economy of inequality and redistribution, with a particular emphasis on the territorial dimensions of distributive… read more about Pablo Beramendi Receives Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award »
Duke Professor Emeritus of Political Science Sheridan Johns passed away on May 1, at the age of 90. Johns was widely recognized as an Africanist specializing in South African political history and liberation movements. He joined Duke as an associate professor in the political science department in 1970, five years after earning his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Throughout his career at Duke, Johns held several notable visiting appointments around the world, including at the Institute of Social Studies… read more about Political Science Professor Sheridan Johns Passes Away »
The following is a partial list of national, university, school and departmental awards presented to the members of the Class of 2025. In some awards where there are multiple winners, only members of the Class of 2025 are included. read more about Department Honors and Laurels for the Class of 2025 »
Department of Statistical Science Chair Amy Herring has been named Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Political Science Kerry Haynie has been appointed to a second term as Dean of Social Sciences, Dean Gary Bennett announced Tuesday. In sharing the announcement, Bennett also expressed his gratitude to Susan Alberts, Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor of Biology, for her several impactful years as Dean of Natural Sciences. Bennett noted that in returning full time to her research, “Susan is… read more about Herring, Haynie to Lead Natural Sciences, Social Sciences Divisions; Alberts to Return to Research »
Felicia Wang (T ’25) is an artist and Mathematics major with a double minor in Computer Science and Political Science. Her career interests converge in climate policy, and she leaves behind something special at Duke: Climate Cafes. Climate Cafes are campus meetups where students can discuss themes around emerging issues of climate change. Bryan Koen the Assistant Director for Education & Experiential Learning at the Nicholas Institute, remembers, Wang discussing the need for… read more about Graduating Senior Felicia Wang Leaves Impact Through Climate Cafe Programming »
Herbert Kitschelt, the George V. Allen Distinguished Professor of International Relations, is the 2025 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, in honor of his groundbreaking research on party systems.Kitschelt is primarily known for his studies on how European multiparty systems are structured. Throughout his career, he has investigated how political parties, in competition with each other and as a result of changing attitudes and behaviors within the electorate, have… read more about Herbert P. Kitschelt Awarded the 2025 Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science »
Viktoria Wulff-Andersen is a graduating senior with a major in Political Science, minor in Sociology and a certificate in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. She has served as a Trinity Ambassador for Political Science. Trinity Ambassadors are student volunteers, nominated by their departments, to serve in this unique and important role.We asked a few of the ambassadors from the Class of 2025 to share their favorite memories from Duke. The below interview has been slightly edited for clarity.What was one of the most… read more about Notes From the Class of 2025: Learning Through "Life Stories" »
Alex Wang is a graduating senior with majors in Political Science and Economics and a minor in Psychology. He has served as a Trinity Ambassador for Political Science. Trinity Ambassadors are student volunteers, nominated by their departments, to serve in this unique and important role.We asked a few of the ambassadors from the Class of 2025 to share their favorite memories from Duke. The below interview has been slightly edited for clarity. What was the most important thing you’ve learned at Duke?The… read more about Notes From the Class of 2025: From FOCUS to Favorite Professor »
Cecilia Gyamfi, T’25 (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Gyamfi) Cecilia Gyamfi (she/her) is a senior from Columbus, Ohio double-majoring in African & African-American Studies and Political Science, while also attaining a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. During her time at Duke, Gyamfi served in the Duke Student Government, Duke Project Justice and the Duke NAACP for four years, including as the president of the organization. She conducted… read more about Introducing Trinity’s Class of 2025: Cecilia Gyamfi »
“I was promised cherry blossoms if I came to Tokyo,” said Professor Peter Feaver to a laughing mix of Duke students and alumni at the Tokyo American Club. It was a chilly Friday in March 2025, about a week before cherries bloomed, and a week after two dozen undergrads and graduate students gathered on Duke’s campus at 3:30 in the morning, ready to fly to Japan for a week of on-site studying. They were part of the Program in American Grand Strategy.The Duke Program in American Grand Strategy is an initiative aimed at… read more about Empathy Across Oceans: Duke Students Channel WWII History in Japan »
Each year, Duke University awards Benenson Awards in the Arts, which provide funding for arts-centered projects proposed by undergraduates, including graduating seniors. This year, the Student Arts Award Committee awarded prizes to fifteen students for creative projects spanning film, theater, creative writing, music, dance, and visual art. read more about Announcing the 2025 Benenson Award Winners »
Less common doesn’t mean less impactful. Learning Turkish wasn’t just an academic pursuit for Erin Dickerson — it was a personal journey to connect more deeply with her identity. Now, she’s preparing for a career in U.S. diplomacy AND embracing the language she always longed to study. Didem Havlioglu knows that language study offers students more than just classroom learning — it fosters a deep, personal connection with different cultures. Reflecting on her experiences of learning… read more about Languages Less Traveled »
The Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) announced the renaming of the MPSA Best Paper Award to the Paula D. McClain Award for the MPSA Best Paper, in honor of the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Professor of Public Policy at Duke University, and Director of the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute. The award recognizes the best paper overall presented at the MPSA conference each year.McClain's primary research interests are in racial minority group politics, particularly inter-minority… read more about Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Renames Award to Honor Paula D. McClain »