Ryan Dawkins

American Politics & Research Methods



I'm an assistant professor of political science at Carleton College. My areas of expertise are in political psychology, Congress, race & ethnic politics, electoral behavior and urban politics. While I maintain an active research agenda, teaching is my true passion, and I place the mentorship of students at the center of everything I do as an academic. I teach advanced courses in all areas of American politics, ranging from courses in mass political attitudes & behavior to American political institutions. I also love teaching undergraduate research methods. Check out my teaching pages to see my portfolio!

 My work has been published in Perspectives on Politics, Political Psychology, Political Behavior, Political Research Quarterly, Electoral Studies, State Politics & Policy Quarterly, and Urban Affairs Review. The thread that unites all of my research is that I am interested in how people's salient group identities--whether they be partisan, ideological, racial, etc.--shape the way they evaluate government, determine their support for political institutions, and inform their beliefs about their role in the democratic process and American life in an era of extreme partisan polarization. This concern over citizens' perceived relationship with government takes on a renewed significance as the United States struggles in coming decades to transition into a vibrant multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy. It also means that my work often bridges the critical divide between the study of political behavior and institutions.

Email: rdawkins@carleton.edu

202 Hasenstab Hall    

 Carleton College

Northfield, MN 55057