Politics & Policy Experts
The George Washington University has leading faculty members available across a wide range of political topics, both domestic and international. Not sure where to begin? We can help you:
gwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Brandon Bartels
Brandon Bartels is an associate professor of political science. He is an expert on American politics and judicial politics, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. Bartels’ work focuses on the foundations of Supreme Court legitimacy in the mass public; Supreme Court decision-making; and the sources and consequences of polarization on the Supreme Court over time.
Todd Belt
Todd Belt is professor of Political Management at GSPM. Belt is an expert on the presidency, campaigns and elections, mass media and politics, public opinion, and political humor.
Paul Schiff Berman
Paul Schiff Berman, the Walter S. Cox Professor of Law, is one of the world’s foremost theorists on the interactions among legal systems. He was also among the first legal scholars to focus on legal issues regarding online activity, and he is co-author of one of the leading casebooks in the field.
Sarah Binder
Sarah Binder, professor of political science, is an expert on Congress, congressional development, congressional committees and political parties. Her research focuses on the relationship between Congress and the Federal Reserve over the Fed's first century.
Casey Burgat
Casey Burgat, Legislative Affairs Program Director and Associate Professor at GW's School of Political Management is an expert on Congressional capacity and reform. Burgat co-authored Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch.
Catherine Ross
Catherine Ross, the Lyle T. Alverson Professor of Law, specializes in constitutional law with particular emphasis on the First Amendment and family law. Her book, “A Right to Lie? Presidents, Other Liars, and the First Amendment” addresses the urgent issue of whether the nation's highest officers, including the president, have a right to lie under the speech clause and whether freedom of expression protects even factual falsehoods.
Christopher Warshaw
Christopher Warshaw, associate professor of political science, is an expert on American politics. His research evaluates the links between public opinion, elections and political outcomes in city and state governments, as well as the U.S. Congress. He also examines how political institutions, such as term limits or direct democracy, influence political representation.
Jay Daigle
Jay Daigle is a Teaching Associate Professor of Mathematics at The George Washington University, where he teaches a variety of courses, including one on Mathematics and Politics. He previously taught at Occidental College, where he won the Linda and Todd White Teaching Prize. He has written for Britain's LBC Radio, been featured in the documentary, Taha's Theorem, and has spoken at TEDxOccidental.
Matthew Dallek
Matt Dallek, a professor at GW's Graduate School of Political Management, is a political historian with expertise in social crises and political transformation, the modern conservative movement, and liberalism and its critics. He is the author of Birchers: How the John Birch Society Radicalized the American Right.
Danny Hayes
Danny Hayes, associate professor of political science, specializes in American politics, the intersection of media and politics, elections, public opinion and women in politics. His research focuses on political communication and political behavior in American politics.
Matthew Hindman
Matthew Hindman, associate professor of media and public affairs, focuses his work on political communication, digital audiences and online disinformation. He has published on topics including online campaigning, "open source" politics, and the online public sphere.
Lee Huebner
Lee Huebner, the Airlie Professor of Media and Public Affairs, is an expert in political communications and can discuss the process or writing public speeches, including the State of the Union. Huebner worked as a special assistant to President Richard Nixon and was deputy director of the White House writing and research staff during his administration.
Joan S. Meier
Joan Meier is a professor of clinical law and director of the GW National Family Violence Law Center. She has published widely on domestic violence, custody, clinical teaching, criminal procedure and various Supreme Court decisions. Her major study, “Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations,” was completed in 2019.
Jasmine McGinnis Johnson
Jasmine McGinnis Johnson is an associate professor of public policy and public administration. Her research interests broadly relate to the areas of the democratization of philanthropy, the diversity of philanthropy and nonprofits, and human resource issues in public and nonprofit organizations.
Cynthia McClintock
Cynthia McClintock is a professor of political science and international affairs. She is an expert on Latin American politics and U.S. policy towards Latin America. McClintock's research has focused on the impact of presidential-election rules on democracy in Latin America.
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
The Honorable Debbie Mucarsel-Powell currently serves as the Executive Director of the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM). As the first Ecuadorian-American and first South American–born immigrant elected to the U.S. Congress, she represented Florida’s 26th District from 2019 to 2021.
Spencer Overton
Spencer Overton, professor of law, is a voting rights and campaign finance expert. His academic articles on election law have appeared in numerous leading law journals. Mr. Overton previously worked for the Obama Administration on efforts to curb special interests, enhance transparency and increase citizen participation.
Elizabeth Rigby
Elizabeth Rigby, associate professor of public policy and public administration, is an expert on the politics of poverty and inequality, health and social policy analysis, policy design, policy process and federalism. Her research examines the interplay of politics, policy and social inequality.
Steven Schooner
Steven Schooner is the Nash & Cibinic Professor of Government Procurement Law. He is an expert in government contract law, defense acquisition, public procurement policy and public service ethics and compliance. His research currently focuses on Donald Trump’s potential conflicts of interest as president.
Lang (Kate) Yang
Lang (Kate) Yang is an assistant professor at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. Her research interest is in state and local government finances. Her recent publications examine how states address local government fiscal stress through monitoring, intervention, and bankruptcy authorizations. Further, she examines the incentives and impediments to government financial reporting, disclosure, and transparency. Lastly, she studies education finances in the United States, especially school district borrowing and fiscal responses to shocks.