Christian Grose

Short bio:

Dr. Christian Grose is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, and Director of the USC Democracy and Fair Elections Lab. He is a scholar of political representation, legislative politics, elections, race, and the law of democracy in the United States. His research shows that democratic institutions structure political representation: who gets represented and whose voices are heard depend on electoral and governance institutions as well as the preferences of voters and public officials. His work also demonstrates that members of Congress and other public officials respond to many of the same behavioral influences that shape voters’ decisions. Grose pioneered the field experimental study of legislators and public officials and also conducts polls, surveys, and quantitative studies of voters, political elites, elections, and redistricting. He is the author of the award-winning book Congress in Black and White and approximately 70 scholarly articles and research publications, including work in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, and Journal of Politics. Grose earned his B.A. from Duke University and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.

His scholarship informs public policy, election law litigation, and the work of governments and redistricting commissions. Grose has led large-scale programs expanding voting access and has raised nearly $3.5 million for research, teaching, and public engagement. Grose is an experienced academic leader and institution builder, having served as Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, Director of the USC Political Science and International Relations Program, Director of the California Elections and Policy Poll (CEPP), and Editor of Research & Politics. He currently chairs the American Political Science Association’s Legislative Studies Section and he leads research-and-practice initiatives in election science, redistricting, legislative politics, and democracy.

Long bio:

Dr. Christian Grose is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southern California. He is Director of the USC Democracy and Fair Elections Lab, which is a research initiative that trains a select group of students in evidence-based quantitative analysis of election science, redistricting, and legislative politics.

Grose is a scholar of political representation, legislative politics, elections, race, and the law of democracy in the United States. His research shows that democratic institutions structure political representation: who gets represented and whose voices are heard depend on electoral and governance institutions as well as the preferences of voters and public officials. His work also demonstrates that members of Congress and other public officials respond to many of the same behavioral influences that shape voters’ decisions. His nonpartisan research strengthens democratic institutions and advances political equality. Grose earned his B.A. from Duke University and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.

An influential figure in national policy and California politics, Grose integrates rigorous scholarship with policy and practice. Grose pioneered the field experimental study of legislators and public officials. He also conducts polls and surveys of voters and political elites. His research informs redistricting and election law litigation, including briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts; and his research is used by governments, advocacy organizations, and independent redistricting commissions to analyze communities of interest and voting rights. Grose leads major nonpartisan public-engagement initiatives in partnership with public officials, including large-scale programs supporting local election administrators and expanding polling places and voting access; and evaluations of the impact of electoral reforms.

Grose’s scholarship has appeared in leading journals including the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, and the Journal of Politics. He is author of the award-winning book Congress in Black and White: Race and Representation in Washington and at Home, which shows how the race of elected officials, redistricting, and electoral coalitions shape substantive representation and the benefits citizens receive from government. He is editor of Local Election Administrators in the United States: The Frontline of Democracy, which brings election science approaches to improving the administration of elections. He is the author of approximately 70 scholarly articles and research publications. Grose has raised nearly $3.5 million to support research, teaching, and public engagement initiatives. His research is regularly featured in outlets such as New York Times, Politico, Politico California, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times; and he is frequently interviewed for political analysis by CBS, CNN, CalMatters, FOX, National Public Radio, Spectrum Inside the Issues, the Sacramento Bee, and in other media.

Grose is an experienced academic leader and institution builder, having served as Academic Director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and Director of the USC Political Science and International Relations Program. In these roles, he led academic strategy, research and teaching initiatives, external partnerships, fundraising, and the development of major educational and public engagement programs, while building and managing collaborations among faculty, students, staff, and external partners. He has also served as Editor of Research & Politics and founded and directed student-training initiatives, including the USC Predoctoral Institute for First-generation Scholars. He currently chairs the American Political Science Association’s Legislative Studies Section, and is Director of the California Elections and Policy Poll (CEPP). At USC, he leads research-and-practice initiatives in election science, redistricting, legislative politics, and democracy.

Grose’s research has received numerous accolades, including the Herman Brown Distinguished Scholar award, the APSA Alan Rosenthal Prize for research that bolsters the practice of democracy, the Joseph L. Bernd Award for the best article published in the Journal of Politics, and the American Political Science Association Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Section’s Best Book Award. He received USC Dornsife’s Communicator of the Year Award for his public-facing scholarship and engagement. He has also received USC’s Faculty Mentoring Award and teaches courses on fixing American democracy, elections, Congress, the presidency, and related topics.