full-time faculty teaching and conducting research in political science
of Maxwell faculty conduct research focused outside of the U.S.
graduate students in residence; fewer than 12 admitted each year
Undergraduate Studies
Graduate Studies

I am Maxwell.
My time as a student at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School prepared me for my career in the music business in ways I never could have imagined. My passion for utilizing political and legal systems and structures to advocate for and protect people’s rights guides many of the most important decisions I make.”
Jacqueline Saturn ’90 B.A. (PSc)
President of Virgin Music Group North America, 2026 Maxwell | A&S Undergraduate Convocation Speaker
Recent Faculty Books
Maxwell's Political Science Department faculty members publish award-winning books on a wide range of topics. Scroll a sample of recently published works below, or visit the Maxwell Faculty Bookshelf for more.
Barkun comments on QAnon's March 4 failure in Business Insider article
March 5, 2021
Business Insider
QAnon followers believed that former President Donald Trump would be reinstated as president on March 4 but that date turned out to be fruitless for believers of the conspiracy theory. "QAnon is dealing with a very difficult cognitive-dissonance situation," says Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science. "Whether it's some date in March or whether ultimately it will be a second Trump term after an election in 2024," he says, "there will be some further set of explanations and a further set of dates." Barkun was quoted in the Insider article, "Trump's fake inauguration on March 4 was QAnon's latest vision that flopped. A new date is now being peddled to perpetuate the mind games."
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BaoBao Zhang Joins First Cohort of AI2050 Early Career Fellows
One of only 15 scholars chosen from across the U.S., Zhang will receive up to $200,000 in research funding over the next two years. Zhang will use the funding to partner with the nonprofit, non-partisan Center for New Democratic Processes to test whether public participation in AI governance is increased through the creation of public assemblies, known as “deliberative democracy workshops.”
Baobao Zhang
Assistant Professor, Political Science Department

Barkun comments on QAnon's March 4 failure in Business Insider article
March 5, 2021
Business Insider
QAnon followers believed that former President Donald Trump would be reinstated as president on March 4 but that date turned out to be fruitless for believers of the conspiracy theory. "QAnon is dealing with a very difficult cognitive-dissonance situation," says Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science. "Whether it's some date in March or whether ultimately it will be a second Trump term after an election in 2024," he says, "there will be some further set of explanations and a further set of dates." Barkun was quoted in the Insider article, "Trump's fake inauguration on March 4 was QAnon's latest vision that flopped. A new date is now being peddled to perpetuate the mind games."
Related News
Media Coverage
May 18, 2026
School News
May 14, 2026
Media Coverage
May 14, 2026
Media Coverage
May 13, 2026