Announcements

The Department of Political Science is thrilled to welcome Dr. Burcu Savun as the Moses and Anuta Back Professor! Professor Savun examines causes and consequences of political violence with a focus on civil wars, forced migration and democratization. Prior to joining Rutgers, she was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh, where she received the 2025 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Rice University. 

Congratulations to Dr. William Field on his well deserved promotion to Distinguished Teaching Professor! This honor reflects his passion, exceptional teaching and unwavering dedication to the Rutgers Political Science Community.

Congratulations to PhD Alum Michael Strawbridge who has been named a 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellow, an honor that supports scholars with up to two years of funding to pursue impactful, evidence-based research.  His project, “In the Thick of It: The Relationship Among Black People, Black Spaces, and Black Political Unity,” investigates how African American cultural institutions foster Black political unity and collective decision-making. Using Black Americans’ unparalleled political cohesion as a case study, he demonstrates how social and cultural institutions can act as a counterweight to increasing political polarization.  

Click on the link to read about Rutgers Alumna Jennifer Brandt's RC’91, community impact. Her advice for undergraduates interested in law,  "One of the big things for me was to really understand what lawyers do. At Rutgers, there are many resources; many alumni in the legal field, and I would advise contacting one of them to see if you could shadow them. Or you could go work in a law firm and see what lawyers actually do day-to-day because it’s different than what you might think, different than what's on TV. When I went into law school, I knew I wanted to be a practicing lawyer. But there are many other things you can do with a law degree, in business and in many other fields. If you are undecided, take some time to find out what lawyers do."

Cassandra “Cassie” Vega, a civic engagement organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and a 2024 Political Science alum of Rutgers University-New Brunswick, is heading to the United Kingdom to pursue graduate-level studies as a Gates Cambridge Scholar.

Political science rising senior Rigo Salvatierra has received a 2025 Beinecke Scholarship! This national program seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.   When asked, "How did the political science major prepare you for this opportunity," Rigo tells us, "The Political Science major / department proved invaluable as I have prepared for this opportunity. Thanks to the major I have been able to take classes that have aligned with my research goals, learn about various networking events and research opportunities, as well as connect with incredible faculty members that have mentored me and shown me support over the last 3 years. I would especially like to thank Professor Christine Cahill and Professor Michael Kenwick within the Political Science Department (as well as Professor Sebastian León within the Latino and...