Political Science Speaker Series

The Political Science Speaker Series brings faculty from institutions in the U.S. and abroad who present high-quality research on a broad range of topics. 

It meets Fridays, 12–1:30 p.m., in Kerr Hall 693. 

Faculty coordinator: Hanno Hilbig
Graduate student coordinator: Amanda Loehrke

2026–27 schedule

DateSpeakerAffiliationTalk title
October 2, 2026Soledad Artiz PrillamanStanford UniversityFamily Politics: An Experiment on Household Incentives and Political Participation in Rural India
December 4, 2026Candis Watts SmithDuke University 
February 5, 2027Traci BurchNorthwestern University 
February 19, 2027David Lay WilliamsDePaul University 
March 5, 2027Roxanne RahnamaStanford University 
March 12, 2027Florian FoosLondon School of Economics and Political Science 
April 9, 2027Nicholas SambanisYale University 
April 23, 2027Soeren HennUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison 
April 30, 2027Paul LendwayStanford University 
May 7, 2027Vasiliki FoukaStanford University 

Past speakers: 2025–26

DateSpeakerAffiliationTalk title
September 26, 2025Jana von SteinAustralian National UniversityPublic Perceptions of Free Trade Agreements and the Inclusion of Environmental, Human Rights and Labor Standards
January 23, 2026Anna StilzUniversity of California, BerkeleyShould we rule out geoengineering?
February 6, 2026Cameron Ballard-RosaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillSovereign Credit Ratings, Economic Information and Executive Approval
February 13, 2026Chipo DendereWellesley CollegeWhen Voters Exit Authoritarianism Survives
February 20, 2026Amanda KennardStanford UniversityFinancing the Energy Transition: Economic Governance and Political Support in Capital-Scarce Democracies
March 6, 2026Hunter RendlemanUniversity of California, BerkeleyHow Crisis Reshapes Government Talent
March 13, 2026Tesalia RizzoUniversity of California, MercedAI for Social Science Discovery: An End-to-End Framework for Learning about Human Behavior from Unstructured Data
March 18, 2026Paula RettlHarvard Business SchoolPopulism and Political Trust: Evidence from Latin America
April 8, 2026Laura FieldAmerican UniversityFurious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right
April 10, 2026Christina SchneiderUniversity of California, San DiegoForeign Aid and the Coercive Politics of Electoral Competition
May 1, 2026Shanto IyengarStanford UniversityFear and Loathing in American Politics: Causes, Consequences, and Treatments

Past speakers: 2024–25

DateSpeakerAffiliationTalk title
January 10, 2025Noam GidronHebrew University of JerusalemWhy Masses Support Democratic Backsliding: Evidence from Israel
January 31, 2025Neil MalhotraStanford UniversityThe Politics of Small Business Owners
February 7, 2025Constantine MandaUniversity of California, IrvineGods, Kings, and Missionaries: Religious Legacies of Ancient African States
February 28, 2025Stephen HerzogMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyDoes Nuclear Disarmament Activism Work? Global Politics and Local Advocacy
May 2, 2025Chaya CrowderLoyola Marymount UniversitySocial Media and Candidate Favorability: Tik Tok and Support for Kamala Harris During the 2024 Presidential Election
May 9, 2025Zachary Steinert-ThrelkeldUniversity of California, Los AngelesThe Role of Emotions During Protests
May 23, 2025Harrison FryeUniversity of GeorgiaWhen Solidarity Is Self-Defeating