The University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs will have a strong presence at the 2026 Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Annual Conference, with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students from all three SPIA departments contributing research and leadership across more than 70 sessions. Across all four days of the conference, UGA participants will contribute research and service as authors, presenters, discussants, chairs, and workshop participants in panels, roundtables, and poster sessions. Together, these contributions reflect the breadth of scholarly engagement and methodological diversity across SPIA and underscore the school’s strong presence within the political science community.
Learn More About Our Faculty and Research
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Jonathan M. King
Author/Presenter
Sandra, Right and Tight!”: The Rehnquist Court and its Approach to Opinion Writing
Collegiality and Discord in Courts
Thu, April 23, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Jessica A. Schoenherr
Author/Presenter
Sandra, Right and Tight!”: The Rehnquist Court and its Approach to Opinion Writing
Collegiality and Discord in Courts
Thu, April 23, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Garrett N. Vande Kamp
Author/Presenter
Dynamic Causal Inference with Unobserved Discrete Confounders
Advances in Causal Inference
Thu, April 23, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Jamie L. Carson
Author/Presenter
The People’s Attorney? Examining Public Trust in the Prosecutor’s Office
Chief Executives and the Law
Thu, April 23, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Hyunjoo Lee
Author/Presenter
Ethnocentric Political Consumerism: A Growing Tendency in Heuristic-Driven Choices for AI-Integrated Products
New Frontiers in the Global Political Economy: Technology, Crypto, AI, and the Changing Landscape of Global Finance
Thu, April 23, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Joshua Baldwin
Author/Presenter
The People’s Attorney? Examining Public Trust in the Prosecutor’s Office
Chief Executives and the Law
Thu, April 23, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Scott H. Ainsworth
Discussant
Chief Executives and the Law
Thu, April 23, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Ning He
Discussant
Social Movement, Protest and Political Violence: State Repression and its Effects
Thu, April 23, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Joowon Yi
Discussant
Conflict, Art, and Politics of Memory
Thu, April 23, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Jonathan M. King
Discussant
Courts and the Public
Thu, April 23, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Yao Yao
Author/Presenter
The Strategic Presidency: The Politics of Symbolic Executive Action
Executive Action by Presidents and Governors
Thu, April 23, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
George A. Krause
Author/Presenter
How Executive Branch Politics Shapes Administrative Inequality: Social Class, Federalism, and Unemployment Insurance Programs in the American States.
Bureaucratic Politics and Federalism in the United States
Thu, April 23, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Ning He
Chair/Discussant
Historical Political Economy of Modern China
Thu, April 23, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Ji Hyeun Hong
Author/Presenter
How Executive Branch Politics Shapes Administrative Inequality: Social Class, Federalism, and Unemployment Insurance Programs in the American States
Bureaucratic Politics and Federalism in the United States
Thu, April 23, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Yao Yao
Author/Presenter
Blurring the Lines? Cues and Accountability in Shared Policymaking
Elite Cues & Political Communication
Thu, April 23, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Rongbin Han
Author/Presenter
Alt-History Fiction and Popular Authoritarianism in China
The Political Effects of Entertainment Media
Thu, April 23, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Emily V. Bell
Author/Presenter
Collaborative Governance and Overcoming Barriers to Consolidated Local Public Service
Water Politics in the Age of Distrust
Thu, April 23, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Michael S. Lynch
Chair
Information, Oversight, and Expertise
Thu, April 23, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Joowon Yi
Author/Presenter
Partition and Violence: The Case of Indonesia
Civil Wars
Thu, April 23, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Friday, April 24, 2026
Jessica A. Schoenherr
Discussant
Judicial Review and Judicial Activism
Fri, April 24, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Shane Singh
Discussant
Explaining Satisfaction with Democracy and Trust in Institutions
Fri, April 24, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Sangdo Lee
Author/Presenter
The Path to the Dark Side: Investigating Determinants of Political Violence and Negative Partisanship Through Open-Ended Responses
Justifying Political Violence and Norm-Breaking
Fri, April 24, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Solbi Kim
Author/Presenter
Signals and Choices: Media Effects on Trust and Voting under Pressure
Campaigns, Media & Mobilization
Fri, April 24, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Tabitha Lamberth
Author/Presenter
Anti-Intellectualism in Appalachia
Lightning Talk: Local Politics & Public Policy
Fri, April 24, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Emily V. Bell
Discussant
Community-based Governance
Fri, April 24, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Alexa Bankert
Author/Presenter
Stoking the Fire: How Highlighting Polarization Fuels Partisan Hostility
Affective Polarization and Depolarization III. Mapping the Roots of Affective Polarization
Fri, April 24, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Minjin Choi
Author/Presenter
In the Shadow of Dissatisfaction: Vote Choice Analysis of Young Korean Men in Elections From 2017 to 2025
Gender, Satisfaction with Democracy, and Support for the Radical Right
Fri, April 24, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Scott H. Ainsworth
Chair
Authors Meet Critics for Strategic Responsiveness: How Congress Confronts Presidential Power by Scott Ainsworth, Brian Harward, and Kenneth Moffett
Fri, April 24, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Shane Singh
Author/Presenter
Interviewer Gender and Democratic Satisfaction
Gender, Satisfaction with Democracy, and Support for the Radical Right
Fri, April 24, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Solbi Kim
Author/Presenter
In the Shadow of Dissatisfaction: Vote Choice Analysis of Young Korean Men in Elections From 2017 to 2025
Gender, Satisfaction with Democracy, and Support for the Radical Right
Fri, April 24, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Levi Hudson
Author/Presenter
Interim Appointment Anchoring and Expanding: Diversity through State-Level Nominations
Diversity in Courts
Fri, April 24, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Ryan M. Powers
Discussant
Foreign Policy and Public Perception
Fri, April 24, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Yuge Wang
Author/Presenter
Shadow Factions: The Dictator’s Local Dilemma
From Elites to Activists: Network Approaches to Political Struggle, Contention, and Sectarianism
Fri, April 24, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
J. Edward Kellough
Participant
Roundtable: Representative Bureaucracy Workshop IV. Author Meets Critics: “Disputation on the Power and Efficiency of Representative Bureaucracy: Debating Future Research Agendas” by Kenneth J. Meier
Fri, April 24, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Geoffrey David Sheagley
Discussant
Experiments on Persuasion and Propaganda
Fri, April 24, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Lefteris Jason Anastasopoulos
Author/Presenter
The Authoritarian’s Dilemma: Why AI is Not a Silver Bullet for Domestic Repression
Politics of AI Workshop V. AI and Security: Policing, Surveillance, and Repression
Fri, April 24, 4:15 to 5:45pm CDT (5:15 to 6:45pm EDT)
Alexa Bankert
Discussant
Affective Polarization and Depolarization V. Affective Polarization and Democracy: From Measurement to Mitigation
Fri, April 24, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Rongbin Han
Author/Presenter
From Ban to Bridge? The “TikTok Refugees” and Cross-border Spillover Effects of Digital Regulation
Online Political Communication in Global Crises
Sat, April 25, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
George A. Krause
Author/Presenter
Insecure Senate Partisan Majorities as a Constraint on Presidential Appointment Powers: Theory and Evidence from Confirmed Executive Appointees, 1987-2024
Separation of Powers I. Personnel
Sat, April 25, 9:00 to 10:20am CDT (10:00 to 11:20am EDT)
Michael S. Lynch
Author/Presenter
Policy-Making in the Shadows: Evaluating the Impact of Recorded Voting in the Committee of the Whole and Liberal Policy Outcomes
Media, Accountability, and Transparency in Legislative Politics
Sat, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Anthony Madonna
Author/Presenter
Policy-Making in the Shadows: Evaluating the Impact of Recorded Voting in the Committee of the Whole and Liberal Policy Outcomes
Media, Accountability, and Transparency in Legislative Politics
Sat, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Geoffrey David Sheagley
Author/Presenter
How Americans Perceive Partisan Monitors at the Polls
Political Psychology & Voter Perceptions
Sat, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
J. Edward Kellough
Author/Presenter
The Implications of Raimondo and Students for Fair Admissions for Advancing Equity
Discretion and Control
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Alexa Bankert
Author/Presenter
The Power of Partisan Norms: How Social Expectations Shape Partisan Hostility and Civility
Norms and Democracy
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Jason Mathew Eappen
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Comparative Political Institutions: Historic and Current Research
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Megan Manning Wall
Author/Presenter
Automatic Advantage? Assessing the Partisan Impact of AVR Policies (2012-2024)
Institutions, Reform, and the Mechanics of Turnout
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Tabitha Lamberth
Author/Presenter
Justice or Distrust: Unraveling Racial Divides Between Death Penalty Support & Government Trust
Public Trust in Government Institutions
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Vikram Kalyan Bharadwaj
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Evaluating Judicial Decision-making
Sat, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (12:40 to 2:10pm EDT)
Makayla Bangoura
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Gender, Human Rights and Social Inclusion
Sat, April 25, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Rebecca E Bohn
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Gender, Human Rights and Social Inclusion
Sat, April 25, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Emily Schoen
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Gender, Human Rights and Social Inclusion
Sat, April 25, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Andrew B. Whitford
Author/Presenter
Decoding Identity in Criminal Investigations: Evidence about the Evolving Use of DNA Technologies
New Comparative Data on Police Violence and Crime
Sat, April 25, 1:30 to 3:00pm CDT (2:30 to 4:00pm EDT)
Hasan Habibur Rahman Sourav
Author/Presenter
Explaining China’s Military Behaviors in Maritime Disputes
Power Projection and Balancing in the Indo-Pacific
Sat, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Heewon Lee
Author/Presenter
Is Satisfaction the Key to Gaining Policy Support? Evidence from Sustainable Economic Development Policy
Public Attitudes and Expectations in PA
Sat, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Emily Schoen
Author/Presenter
Poster Session: Media, Narratives and Political Communication
Sat, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Alexa Bankert
Chair
Polarization in Everyday Life
Sat, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm CDT (4:20 to 5:50pm EDT)
Jamie L. Carson
Author/Presenter
Messaging and Mass Perception: Effects of Pro‑Trump and Fiscal Cues on Candidate Evaluation
Presidents and Political Communication
Sat, April 25, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Geoffrey David Sheagley
Author/Presenter
Non-Compliance Can Bias Estimates of Heterogeneous Treatment Effects
Advances in Experimental Methodology
Sat, April 25, 5:10 to 6:40pm CDT (6:10 to 7:40pm EDT)
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Emma Bibina
Author/Presenter
Beyond Party and Policy: The Electoral Impact of Candidate Responsiveness to Constituents
Candidate Evaluations & Voter Competence
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Madina Bekisheva
Author/Presenter
Experimental Evidence on Weaponized Interdependence
Weaponized Interdependence and the Reconfiguration of Global Supply Chains
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am
Taher Benany
Discussant
Originalism, Textualism, and American Constitutional Politics. Comparative Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Constitutional Adjudication
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Ning He
Author/Presenter
Does Civilian Victimization Deter Insurgency? Evidence from the Sino-Japanese War
Political Violence in Asia
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Alexander Kaufman
Author/Presenter
The Failure of Originalism as a Theory of Legal Reasoning.
Originalism, Textualism, and American Constitutional Politics. Comparative Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Constitutional Adjudication
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Hasan Habibur Rahman Sourav
Discussant
State‑Business Relations in China
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Joowon Yi
Discussant
Political Violence in Asia
Sun, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am CDT (9:00 to 10:30am EDT)
Susan Haire
Author/Presenter
Theorizing the Influence of Differences in Complex Organizations: Developing A Full Echelon Theory
Characteristics of Courts
Sun, April 26, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
George A. Krause
Discussant
Bureaucratic Hiring, Firing, and the Revolving Door
Sun, April 26, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
Michael S. Lynch
Discussant
Rules, Procedures, and Policy
Sun, April 26, 9:50 to 11:20am CDT (10:50am to 12:20pm EDT)
