David W. Rohde, Ernestine Friedl Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Political Science and a leading scholar of American political institutions, died on on June 20, after a career that helped reshape how political scientists understand the U.S. Congress and the role of political parties in governing. He was 82. In more than five decades as a teacher, researcher, and mentor, Rohde’s work influenced generations of scholars and helped establish the modern study of legislative politics. Rohde spent much of his… read more about David W. Rohde, Political Scientist Who Helped Redefine Role of Parties in Congress, Dies »
Assistant Professor of Political Science Shikhar Singh has been awarded the 2026 Heinz I. Eulau Award, one of the discipline’s most prestigious honors, for his article, “Who Knows How to Govern? Procedural Knowledge in India’s Small Town Councils.” The article was published in the American Political Science Review, the flagship journal of the American Political Science Association. Named after the influential political scientist Heinz Eulau, the award celebrates scholarship that demonstrates exceptional originality,… read more about Award-Winning Research Sheds Light on “Who Knows How to Govern?” »
North Carolina's U.S. Senate candidates are continuing to campaign across the state as what is expected to be one of the nation's most expensive races begins to take shape.Political science professor Jon Green of Duke University said both candidates are emphasizing issues they believe will resonate most with voters."Each campaign's going to have its own sort of preferred frame of what they want voters to be thinking about when they think about who will vote for," Green said. read more about Duke Political Scientist Jon Green on NC Senate Campaign Tactics »
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed powerful ideals about liberty, equality and the right of people to govern themselves — and the meanings of these notions has been debated, interpreted and tested ever since. As Duke celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the milestone offers a chance to look beyond 1776 and revisit the ideas that helped shape the nation. The following Trinity College courses explore the intellectual roots, global revolutions… read more about 1776 in the Classroom: Exploring the Ideas Behind the Declaration of Independence »
NEW YORK (AP) — George Soros ’ Open Society Foundations pledged $300 million Wednesday toward initiatives it says will defend democratic rights and advance economic security in the U.S. over the next five years.The new strategy comes even as President Donald Trump's administration has singled out the Soros family, accusing them of supporting violence and fostering division. Those attacks are part of a broad effort rolled out in 2025 by Trump and his allies to influence nonprofits and charitable funders through executive… read more about Duke Political Scientist Comments on George Soros’ Foundations Pledge of $300M for US Democracy Amid Attacks on Nonprofits »
Pete Hegseth sounded more politician than Defense Secretary on Monday, diving directly into a Republican-on-Republican primary battle on behalf of President Donald Trump.For just over 10 minutes, Hegseth campaigned in Kentucky for Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL who is trying to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie, the GOP’s harshest critic of the Iran war — and of Trump.... Experts noted it was a fine line. “It is unusual to see the secretary of Defense campaigning not just in an election, but in the primary, and picking and… read more about Peter Feaver on Hegseth Entering The War Between Donald Trump and Thomas Massie »
The Office of the Provost has awarded Intellectual Community Planning Grants to ten projects from Duke faculty members based in eight schools, along with faculty colleagues at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC Central and NC State.These planning grants will be used to cover the cost of meeting venues, external speakers, event materials, books or other meeting costs, and/or exploratory research into potential collaborators.Seed funding supports Duke’s strategic vision of empowering the boldest thinkers to take on pressing challenges and… read more about Trinity Faculty Collaborations Receive Intellectual Community Planning Grants »
Ella Sheehan is a senior from Austin, Texas majoring in Economics with a minor in Political Science. In additional to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she has been involved in the Economics Student Union, Club Lacrosse, Business Oriented Women and Runway of Dreams. She studied abroad in London and completed a summer internship at Barclays as an operations analyst. In her free time, Sheehan enjoys hiking, painting and trying new restaurants. As the academic year draws to a close, we asked Sheehan to reflect on her time… read more about Ella Sheehan '26: The Small Moments That Shape a Duke Experience »
Jason Murray is a senior double majoring in Classical Languages and Philosophy with a minor in Political Science. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, he co-leads the Transformative Ideas Living Learning Community, works with the Center for Christianity and Scholarship and is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. His academic interests center on ancient history and theology, particularly the intellectual life of the Eastern Roman Empire. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and strategy video games. As… read more about Jason Murray '26: Studying the Ancient World While Building Community in Durham »
Ben Kahne is a senior majoring in Political Science with a concentration in political economy, a minor in Economics and a Certificate in Markets and Management Studies. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, he is involved with the Duke Investment Club and the Duke Real Estate Club, and is the founder of the Duke Business Ethics Club. He studied abroad with Duke in Madrid, and, in his free time, he enjoys DJing, listening to music, playing basketball and spending time with friends. As his undergraduate… read more about Ben Kahne '26: Learning to Ask for Help and Keep Going »
During Full Frame week in downtown Durham, Belem Destefani moves with quiet purpose. A volunteer has a question about their shift. A filmmaker needs to do a tech check for their film. A screening is about to let out, and the lobby is filling fast. Destefani takes it all in, then pivots to the next task. “I like to think of my role as putting everything together,” she says. “Giving people the tools they need, then trusting them to do what they do best.” Since 2024, Destefani (T’09) has served as Operations Director… read more about From Trinity to Full Frame by Means of Curiosity »
Duke student Jasper Svenson started exploring AI agents in the fall of 2025, focusing primarily on their real-world business applications. And with a background in restaurant-focused investment banking—as well as parents who spent their careers in the restaurant industry—he kept coming back to one space: the drive-thru.“After some conversations, I fell onto the drive-thru, which is a spot that I think is going to be very automated over time,” Svenson said.With that in mind, he brought on his classmate Carlos Penzini, a math… read more about Duke Students Build Startup Bringing AI Personalization to Drive-Thrus »
Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 38 faculty and will recognize them in a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn on May 18.“I am delighted to recognize these faculty members with distinguished professorships,” said President Vincent E. Price. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence in research and education, advancing new ideas and discoveries that benefit society and inspire future generations.”Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-established members of the Duke… read more about Seven Trinity Faculty Members Among Duke's New Distinguished Professors »
The Bass Connection team, Duke iGEM: Synthetic Biology for Human Health and Society (Duke iGEM), earned a gold medal at the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Jamboree for its project RESPIRA: Responsive Engineered Strain for Polymicrobial Infection Recovery in Airways. Students from across Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and Pratt School of Engineering comprise the core of Duke iGEM. Cameron Kim, assistant professor of the practice in Biomedical Engineering explains that RESPIRA… read more about Duke iGEM Team Wins Gold at 2025 International Jamboree »
The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the Iran war generated hope that the regime change the Trump administration and Israel yearned for would come to pass, perhaps with a more moderate new leader stepping up. That, after all, is what happened two months ago in Venezuela, where Delcy Rodríguez assumed power after her boss, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by U.S. forces. The nationwide protests in Iran late last year and early this one hinted at a country potentially on the cusp of seismic… read more about Peter Feaver Weighs In on the Four Stages of the Iran War »
A little more than a week into the fight with Iran, President Donald Trump is recasting the role of wartime leader in his image, breaking from generations of practice as he attacks domestic enemies, jumps on issues as far afield as alleged voter fraud and college sports, and revels in meme-driven celebrations of America’s military prowess.Trump’s approach to leading the nation in war is in keeping with his precedent-smashing style of politics. His supporters say that style has enabled him to connect with Americans and build… read more about Peter Feaver On A Wartime Presidency Defined by Trump’s Unique Political Style »
Getting involved in politics can feel simultaneously unavoidable and inaccessible, and many Americans are left wondering how they should engage — or if they should at all. For some, the question is where to begin. For others, the sheer pressure of daily life, work, caregiving or fear of saying the wrong thing can be a barrier. Allison Anoll, associate professor of Political Science, studies political participation, representation and family life, and argues that civic engagement does not come in a… read more about Getting Involved When It Feels Overwhelming: What Political Participation Can Look Like Today »
On Dec. 3, 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang walked into the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting. The only other person privy to the conversation was the current occupant, Donald Trump. Huang later said only that they “talked in general about export controls,” and Trump said almost nothing about the meeting. But five days later, Trump and Nvidia announced an extraordinary policy shift: Rather than continue to be classified as a serious crime, sending Nvidia’s H200 chips to China was suddenly not just allowed—it was a welcome… read more about Peter Feaver Weighs In on How Donald Trump's Dealmaking Instincts Are Shaking Up Business and the Government »
In the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in Venezuela, we explore how rising political divides are leading to bigger swings in America's foreign policy — and what that means for our future in the liberal international order.In her book "Polarization and International Politics: How Extreme Partisanship Threatens Global Security," Rachel Myrick argues that polarization reshapes the nature of constraints on democratic leaders, which in turn erodes the advantages democracies have in foreign affairs. We discuss how the pendulum… read more about Rachel Myrick Discusses How America's Political Divides Affect its Foreign Policy »
Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has invited its faculty to submit proposals for the creation of new research initiatives on campus.Following the successful launches of the SPACE Initiative and the Society-Centered AI Initiative, the Trinity Research Initiative will support new directions for interdisciplinary research through seed funding for nascent research collaborations, community-building, and complementary educational and outreach activities.Open to all areas of research and… read more about Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Invites Proposals for New Research Initiatives »
Colder weather means it’s time to curl up with a book. New readings from Duke authors include everything from a mystery and a middle-grade novel to books on privacy, hip-hop and fast fashion. Below is a roundup of some of the most recent and upcoming published titles. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be purchased through the… read more about Books for When There’s a Chill in the Air »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »