David Wiens

David Wiens is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego, with affiliations in Philosophy, Data Science, and Ethics. He holds a PhD in Philosophy (University of Michigan, 2011) and MA degrees in Political Science (2011) and Philosophy (2006). His research integrates political philosophy, social science, and political economy, focusing on formal models of justice, institutional design, and feasibility analysis. Wiens co-edits the journal Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and has presented at leading conferences globally.

Education:

• PhD, Philosophy, University of Michigan (2011)
• MA, Political Science, University of Michigan (2011)
• MA, Philosophy, Texas A&M University (2006)
• BA, Philosophy and History, Brock University (2004)

Research Interests: Wiens explores the intersection of ideal and non-ideal theory, emphasizing how formal models inform ethical and political inquiry. Key themes include justice under constraints, institutional stability, and the critique of epistocracy. His work bridges philosophy and social science, with applications to global justice, resource distribution, and democratic theory.

Advising & Grants: Wiens has supervised multiple PhD and MA theses, including Matthew Draper and Shelbi Swanson. His service roles include Political Theory Field Coordinator at UCSD and editorial leadership in PPE. While no explicit grants are listed, his research reflects sustained institutional support.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute and Computational Social Science Program, Wiens collaborates on interdisciplinary projects linking political theory with quantitative methods.