Ross Butters

picture of ross butters

Position Title
Adjunct Assistant Professor at University of California Center Sacramento

1130 K Street, Suite LL22, Sacramento CA 95814
Bio

Research Focus

My dissertation focuses on the impact of social factors on individual political attitudes and behavior. Specifically, I am interested in understanding how the composition of political communication networks, and the information therein, influences political attitudes and participation of individuals. I also examine what contextual factors influence the composition of these networks. My larger research agenda encompasses political participation, behavior, psychology, polarization, and partisan sorting. My current works focus on how political information is communicated between individual voters. I am most interested in how political discourse and disagreement are sustained in the mass public. 

Education and Degree(s)
  • PhD, Political Science, University of California, Davis (June 2020)
  • MA, Political Science, University of California, Davis (2019)
  • BA, Political Science, The Ohio State University (2013)
Honors and Awards
  • Leaders for the Future Fellowship: Creating Leaders Through Scholarship, Fellowships Business Skills, and Innovation, Summer 2019-Summer 2020
  • UC-Davis Political Science Dept. Travel Award, PolNet 2015, MPSA 2016 MPSA 2017, APSA 2017, MPSA 2018, MPSA 2019, $3000
  • Political Networks Travel Fellowship Award, Summers 2015, 2017, 2018, $2300
  • UC-Davis Humanities Institute Reading Group Award, Fall 2016, $300
  • UC-Davis Political Science Dept. Summer Methods Travel Award, ICPSR 2015, PolNet 2017, $2000
  • Summer Research Stipend, Summer 2015, $5000
  • First Year Graduate Student Fellowship, Fall 2014, $6000
  • Research Distinction and Independent Study, Department of Political Science, The Ohio State University. Adviser: Janet Box-Stefensmeier
  • Undergraduate Research Grant, Social and Behavioral Sciences, "The Secret to Secret Senate Holds: Historical Analysis and Quantification of the Impact of Holds", 2013, $1000
  • Undergraduate Research Office Summer Fellow, "The Secret to Secret Senate Holds: Historical Analysis and Quantification of the Impact of Holds" 2012, $2800
  • Undergraduate Research Grant, Social and Behavioral Sciences, "The Secret to Secret Senate Holds: Historical Analysis and Quantification of the Impact of Holds", 2012, $1000
  • Undergraduate Research Scholarship Arts and Sciences (OSU), 2012, $4500
  • Lyndon Baines Johnson Research Travel Grant recipient 2012, $2060
  • National Buckeye Scholar, 2009-2013, $7200 annually
  • Trustees Scholarship, 2009-2013, $1050 annually
Research Interests & Expertise
  • Primary Field: American Politics
  • Secondary Field: Comparative Politics
Publications
  • Butters, R., Hare, C. Polarized Networks? New Evidence on American Voters’ Political Discussion Networks. Political Behavior (2020).
  • Butters, Ross and Christopher Hare. 2017. "Three-fourths of Americans regularly talk politics only with members of their own political tribe" The Washington Post. (May 1, 2017)