Joel Kersting

Political Science / Ph.D. Candidate

Sub-fields:

American Politics, Comparative Politics

Interests

Political Parties; Representation; Public Opinion; LGBTQ Politics; Race and Politics.

Biography

Joel is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He is a life-long resident of upstate New York. Joel grew up in Gloversville, NY and later attended the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. He has been at Syracuse University since 2015, receiving a Master of Arts in Political Science in 2017.

Research Projects

My dissertation seeks to explain the representation of the LGBTQ community by the Democratic Party; and how and why it has increased in recent years. More broadly, I am developing a theory of party behavior and its representation of groups that are part of its coalition, focusing on the nature of representation for historically disadvantaged groups.