Broadening Perspectives in Studies of American Governance

Abstract

Abstract That section membership in Legislative Studies and Presidential & Executive Politics has been persistently lacking in racial, ethnic, and gender diversity is no secret. Recent work by Powell, Schwindt-Bayer, and Sin, among others, has sought to bring attention to and increase the number of women scholars in the legislative studies section (LSS). In these introductory comments to the Special Issue, we draw a link between the demographic diversity of scholars and the research questions, topics, and approaches that the subfields consequently produce or overlook. This focus on what we are calling, “New Perspectives in Studies of American Governance,” is one outcome of a collaboration between American University, Purdue University, and The William and Flora Hewlett to invite broader participation in panels, conferences, memberships, and meetings within historically homogenous subfield specific associational groups. In addition to presenting the results of a novel survey of more than 200 faculty respondents from political science departments across the country to better understand perspectives on diversity and inclusion in LSS, we also highlight the set of outstanding papers published in this issue that exemplify the broadened landscape we seek to encourage.