My research, teaching, and media work connect political theory, public law and contemporary politics. My research sits at the intersection of law, history, and democratic theory. As a national expert on the Second Amendment, my scholarship on how gun rights and regulations affect democratic citizenship has appeared in both academic (Journal of Politics, Polity) and public facing venues (Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Washington Post) – and I’ve presented my work at Duke, Columbia, Rutgers, George Washington, Brennan Center for Justice, and the American Political Science Association and Association for Political Theory annual conferences. My passion for teaching translates into lively lectures and innovative simulations for my courses in political theory, public law, and ideology and film – as well as supervision of independent research for Summer Scholars and other students. My award-winning teaching has been featured in the Washington Post. As the co-host of the New Books in Political Science podcast on the New Books Network, I interview scholars on cutting edge research in political science, history, and law. As an expert providing television and radio commentary, I enjoy translating cutting edge research in political science and law to public audiences. I proudly serve as the Dirk Warren ’50 Sesquicentennial Chair in Education and Social Sciences.
Developing programming has been another passion including the Justice and Ethics in the Law minor, Global Smarts Mentoring Program for World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Legal Education Advancing Diversity, and revised Pre-Law Advising program. I have proudly served as the chair of the Association for Political Theory’s Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
I enjoy hiking, biking on the D&R Canal, knitting, reading novels, and all things political. An internship with Governor Mario Cuomo led to running the research department and internships program. I knit Andrew Cuomo a hat. I particularly love events with students (e.g. hearing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and going to dinner to chat about it). If you read one of the books that I mention in class, I’ll buy you lunch to discuss it.