Chris Dawes

Chris Dawes is an Associate Professor in the Wilf Family Department of Politics at New York University, specializing in political behavior with an emphasis on political participation. He holds a Ph.D. from UC San Diego (2011). His research explores how factors like genetics, education, and family experiences influence civic engagement and political attitudes. He has conducted extensive work on the genetic basis of political participation, leveraging twin studies and polygenic scores to analyze traits like personality, intelligence, and social trust.

Key research areas include the intergenerational transmission of political behaviors, the role of education in shaping political knowledge and participation, and the psychological and genetic underpinnings of political orientations. His work frequently employs experimental methods and cross-national data to assess causal pathways. Dawes has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in top journals, with recent focus on topics like constitutional veneration, cognitive ability's role in political attitudes, and the societal impacts of educational reforms.

• Office: 19 W 4th Street, Room 325, New York, NY 10012
• Phone: (212) 998-8533
• Google Scholar: here

His research consistently bridges behavioral genetics and political science, contributing to debates about the origins of political inequality and the potential for education to mitigate disparities. Current projects investigate the genetic architecture of civic duty, the effects of early-life experiences on political socialization, and the application of advanced statistical methods to genopolitical research.