The study of American politics at Davis engages a broad range of questions central to understanding democratic processes, institutions and political behavior in the United States. Our faculty's recognized research expertise spans the study of national and local political institutions, political communication, public opinion, political psychology, political parties, elections and campaigns, race and ethnic politics, and public policy.

The work of our faculty is tied to the scientific study of American politics through rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods. Faculty members employ a diverse range of approaches in their research, including experimental, survey, text analysis and formal modeling methods. Students in the subfield are encouraged to develop their analytical and methodological skills, as well as a sophisticated understanding of the scholarly literature on political behavior and institutions.