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
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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 Speaks to Daily Beast About Conspiracy Theories Targeting Specific People
June 11, 2022
The Daily Beast
In May, conspiracy theorists baselessly linked a crash involving 100 lab research monkeys to a witness's fictitious death to monkeypox. Experts on conspiratorial rhetoric say that the emergence and circulation of this story makes total sense because identifying a specific victim can give a big boost to a theory within conspiracy world.
“Linking a conspiracy claim to a named individual…gives it the appearance of legitimacy,” explains Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science and expert on conspiracy theories. “If there’s a specific person involved, people think it must therefore be true.”
Read more in the Daily Beast article, "The Very Alive Woman Conspiracy Nuts Say Died of Monkeypox."
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May 13, 2026
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 Speaks to Daily Beast About Conspiracy Theories Targeting Specific People
June 11, 2022
The Daily Beast
In May, conspiracy theorists baselessly linked a crash involving 100 lab research monkeys to a witness's fictitious death to monkeypox. Experts on conspiratorial rhetoric say that the emergence and circulation of this story makes total sense because identifying a specific victim can give a big boost to a theory within conspiracy world.
“Linking a conspiracy claim to a named individual…gives it the appearance of legitimacy,” explains Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science and expert on conspiracy theories. “If there’s a specific person involved, people think it must therefore be true.”
Read more in the Daily Beast article, "The Very Alive Woman Conspiracy Nuts Say Died of Monkeypox."
Related News
Media Coverage
May 18, 2026
School News
May 14, 2026
Media Coverage
May 14, 2026
Media Coverage
May 13, 2026