Political Representation in American State Governments

My research is motivated by the relationship between American political institutions and political inequality, with an emphasis on state political institutions and rural citizens. This dissertation is comprised of the three articles I published during graduate school and my job market paper, all of which address various aspect of democratic representation. My dissertation begins with an interrogation on why there is a knowledge gap of constituents’ preferences between high and low-professionalism institutions. Next is a study about the representation of anti-federal ideology during the policymaking process and by county sheriffs. The third paper outlines measurement methods necessary for studying rurality in American politics. I conclude with a paper on the representation of rural Americans by their state legislators.