David Barker Professor Government
- Degrees
- PhD (Political Science) University of Houston
BA (Professional Writing) Baylor University - Favorite Spot on Campus
- Katzen
- Bio
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David C. Barker is Professor of Government and the current Director of the at the . He was previously Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (2017-2024), where he co-founded the Program on Legislative Negotiation and the inter-university New Perspectives in Studies of American Governance program. Earlier in his career, he directed the the at California State University-Sacramento (2012-2017), where he founded , and he served as a professor of Political Science and Religious Studies at University of Pittsburgh (1999-2013). He has also held visiting appointments at Science Po in Paris, the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, and the University of Sydney.
Professor Barker studies American political behavior, psychology, and governance. He has served as principal investigator on over 50 externally funded research projects (totaling more than $19 million), and he has authored/coauthored over 80 publications — including four books: [2002; Columbia University Press], Representing Red and Blue [2012; Oxford University Press], [2019; Oxford University Press], and [2021; Oxford University Press].
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Teaching
Spring 2025
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GOVT-110 Politics in the U.S.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Experts
Area of Expertise
American politics, campaigns, elections, public opinion, political parties/ideology, political information/misinformation, religious and political polarization, political communication, presidential and legislative behavior
Additional Information
David Barker is an expert on a broad range of topics, including American political parties, campaigns/elections, representation, culture/polarization, ideology/attitudes, information/communication, political institutions (Congress and the Presidency), and a wide variety of public policy issues. He is the author of four books and several dozens of research articles. His research has been nominated for several national awards, and he has been a frequent commentator in the national and international media outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, The Atlantic, Vox, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, The Globe and Mail, among many others. His latest book, The Politics of Truth in Polarized America [2021; Oxford University Press], is the first comprehensive examination of the "politics of truth" -- its context, causes, and potential correctives.
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.