My research agenda currently concentrates on understanding the decision-making processes of and actions taken by American political executives.
Publications in various stages of development seek to reinforce and expand these components of my research agenda. An article providing a content analysis of Barack Obama’s rhetorical statements during his 2008 campaign and first term in office appears in Social Science Quarterly. One co-authorship in progress centers on presidential foreign policy activity explaining why Chief Executives turn to the international arena. The project establishes that the current degree of partisan cohesion among members of Congress as a critical factor in the decision-making calculus. Results confirm the proposed relationship between ideological support for initiatives and whether a president will employ cheap or costly signals in addressing the global community. Other working papers center around gubernatorial politics and include questions pertaining to campaign activity by those seeking this office and bureaucratic appointments made by sitting governors. All of my work in this area seek to better comprehend the nature of executive decision-making.
An area for future research includes exploring the historical impact and contemporary challenges surrounding curriculum development in higher education. As a beginning foray into this area of scholarship, I am currently writing a review for the Journal of Political Science Education on a work chronicling faculty stories recounting the process of curriculum change across various institutions. As I strive for my research interests to inform my pedagogy and course offerings, I have designed several classes designed to strengthen standard Political Science curricular offerings at various institutions by linking politics and societal trends including Scandal and Corruption in American Politics and Politics of Popular Culture.
I look forward to continuing to make scholarly contributions to the profession and discipline through collaborations with other scholars as well as individual efforts.