Alan Wiseman

Alan Wiseman is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Political Economy and Professor of Political Science and Law at Vanderbilt University, where he also serves as Associate Provost for Strategic Projects. He is the co-director of the Center for Effective Lawmaking and former chair of the Department of Political Science. His work bridges academic research and public policy engagement, with a strong focus on American political institutions and legislative effectiveness.

• Ph.D., Stanford University
• M.A., Stanford University
• Former faculty, Ohio State University
• Joined Vanderbilt in 2010

Wiseman’s research centers on legislative politics, regulation, bureaucratic policymaking, and business-government relations. He is particularly known for his work on measuring legislative effectiveness in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. His scholarship explores how individual lawmakers succeed in advancing legislation, the role of gender and party affiliation, and the institutional factors that shape lawmaking outcomes. He emphasizes consensus-building, strategic portfolio design, and cross-aisle collaboration as key habits of effective legislators.

His publications have appeared in top journals such as the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, and Journal of Politics. His book Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Congress: The Lawmakers, co-authored with Craig Volden, introduced the Legislative Effectiveness Score and has become a foundational text in the field. The associated website, www.thelawmakers.org, provides public access to legislative performance data.

• Gladys M. Kammerer Award (2015) from the American Political Science Association

Wiseman has advised on national policy and led initiatives to strengthen professional education and faculty governance at Vanderbilt. He has served as a visiting scholar at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and a visiting associate professor at the Kellogg School of Management. His leadership in the Center for Effective Lawmaking includes organizing research conferences, public events, and educational outreach to enhance democratic institutions.

The Center for Effective Lawmaking, which he co-directs, is a joint initiative between Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia. It conducts data-driven research on legislative performance, hosts roundtables with current and former lawmakers, and develops resources to help legislators become more effective. The center’s work has been widely covered in media and used by scholars, voters, and policymakers alike.