David Plotke

David Plotke is a Professor of Politics at The New School for Social Research within The New School. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley (1985). His work focuses on U.S. political development, democratic theory, and the intersection of citizenship, immigration, and ethnicity. Recent research explores contemporary political fragmentation and democratic decline.

Education: PhD in Political Science, University of California, Berkeley (1985).

Research Interests: Popular conservatism and political disorder, forms of democracy and representation, Martin Luther King Jr.’s political thought, and antidemocratic politics within democratic systems. He is preparing a major work titled Democratic Breakup analyzing the erosion of democratic order since the Civil Rights Act.

Teaching & Mentorship: Advises doctoral students and teaches courses on free speech, qualitative research methods, and U.S. political power dynamics. Recent courses include Who Governs Now? Political Power in the U.S. and Social Science Research in Action.

Labs/Teams: Engaged in collaborative projects on democracy studies and political theory through his affiliations at The New School for Social Research.