The Department of Political Science is proud to welcome Patrick Cunha Silva, left, and Agustin Markarian to the faculty in fall 2022.

 

Professor Cunha Silva's research and teaching interests focus on representation and electoral politics. In his research, he seeks to understand (i) the reasons behind the underrepresentation of certain groups (e.g., women and people of color) in public office and (ii) the effects of electoral rules on voters' and elites' behaviors. His primary regional focus is Latin America, but, he has also addressed research questions related to these topics using Western and Eastern European cases. He utilizes experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational designs. His work has been published in Party Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Electoral Studies, and Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties. 

 

Professor Markarian’s research primarily uses quantitative methods to study racial and ethnic inequities in American politics. His ongoing research projects study how victims’ race and ethnicity shape policy responses to mass shootings, the impact of police killings on civic participation, and how local election timing shapes communities of color’s representation in local government. His research is featured in the American Political Science Review, Legislative Studies Quarterly, and the Oxford Handbook of Political Participation. He teaches courses in American politics, race and ethnic politics, and research methods.