About

I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stony Brook University. I received my PhD in political science from Vanderbilt University and previously worked at UNC-Greensboro.

My research is motivated by understanding how democracies navigate competing visions of the good life during periods of intense social change. I work to understand ordinary people’s responses to social change as a way to understand challenges and opportunities inherent in pluralism. These interests divide into three main strands one work. One probes how everyday Americans respond to contextual disruptions on race to understand how people learn about social groups from information channeled indirectly through political conflict or directly from social events. A second explores the nature and consequences of individual differences that predispose people to be wary of, or open to, the social change these disruptions represent. The third takes up individuals’ racial identities to examine how they do or do not help people navigate political conflict, including fostering intergroup solidarity and influencing judgments of the political system is working for them. To better answer these questions I also work on issues related to linking theoretical constructs with empirical measures, with projects developing and validating survey measures. Across projects, I rely on diverse methods, study different populations, and draw from different theoretical approaches. I have published articles on these topics in venues including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, British Journal of Political Science, and Perspectives on Politics. My work has also been covered in outlets including The Atlantic, The Guardian, The New York Times, and NPR.

I was also a co-investigator on the 2021-2022 University of North Carolina System Free Expression and Constructive Dialogue project.

At times I post informal writeups on topics related to my research.

Contact

Department of Political Science
S-701 Social and Behavioral Sciences Building
4392 SUNY
Stony Brook, NY 11794
Email: andrew.engelhardt@stonybrook.edu