Emily Sydnor

Emily Sydnor is an Associate Professor at Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. Her work focuses on analyzing media incivility's impact on democratic trust and political behavior. Previously, she held roles at Southwestern University from 2015-2024, including Assistant Professor and Visiting Assistant Professor in Political Science.

Education: Ph.D. (2015) and M.A. (2011) in Political Science from the University of Virginia; B.A. (2008) in Political Science from George Washington University.

Research emphasizes the psychological dimensions of political incivility and media effects. Her book Disrespectful Democracy: The Psychology of Political Incivility (Columbia UP, 2019) explores how incivility shapes public discourse. Grants include support from the American Political Science Association and National Institute for Civil Discourse.

• Key Awards: Excellence in Teaching (2019), Scholarly Excellence (2020)
• Grants: APSA Centennial Center (2021-22), NIOD Seed Grant (2017)

Teaching focuses on media literacy, political communication, and democracy studies. Current research explores strategies to rebuild public trust in journalism through interdisciplinary collaboration.