Jason Frank

Jason Frank is the John L. Senior Professor of Government at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in political theory with a focus on democratic theory and the history of popular sovereignty. His research examines revolutionary assemblies, political aesthetics, and American political thought.

His educational background includes a BA in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and MA/PhD in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to Cornell, he taught at UC Santa Cruz, Duke, and Northwestern Universities.

Frank's research explores historically-situated democratic theory through interdisciplinary lenses, analyzing how popular assemblies function as democratic representation. His work bridges political philosophy, literature, and revolutionary history, with particular attention to aesthetic dimensions of sovereignty.

He currently serves as co-director of the International Conference for the Study of Political Thought and sits on the editorial board of the American Political Science Review. During 2024-2025 academic year, he is on research leave as a Visiting Fellow at NYU's Remarque Institute.

His advising and scholarly activities include directing the Political Theory Workshop and contributing to interdisciplinary programs like American Studies. Recent research initiatives examine populism through historical and aesthetic frameworks.

Frank maintains active engagement with public discourse through commentary in The New York Times and Boston Review, connecting theoretical work to contemporary democratic challenges.