A. Lanethea Mathews-Schultz Professor, Political Science |
Education
Teaching Interests
I teach courses on American political institutions (U.S. Congress, the American Presidency), gender and politics, and political organizations and democratic voice.
Who governs? Do the people rule? Are citizens of the United States sovereign, semi-sovereign, or perhaps powerless in the shadow of more powerful interests? Under what conditions and through what mechanisms can citizens exercise influence over the course of American politics? These are the sorts of questions that animate the study of American politics and democracy and that inform my pedagogical approach to teaching at Muhlenberg. If there is a single normative value guiding my approach in the classroom it is that politics is for everyone.
Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests
My research interests are diverse but essentially rooted in a central focus on state-society relationships. I study how groups of individuals and interests mobilize around and interact with political institutions. I have a particular interest in women's political engagement and ambition, American political development and community-based forms of engagement through which citizens work for political and social change. I'm also deeply rooted in research here in the Lehigh Valley, particularly around issues created to the social determinants of health, aging and disability.
As the 2024-2025 Class of '32 Research Professor, I am writing a book on the history of sex, gender, and the draft in the United States. I examine how lawmakers' views on sex difference have been central to shaping men's and women's obligations and responsibilities to the government
Professional Website