Zoe Oxley

Zoe Oxley is the William D. Williams Professor of Political Science at Union College. Her research focuses on U.S. Politics, particularly electoral politics, political psychology, women and politics, public opinion, and mass media. She holds affiliations with American Studies and Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies programs. Her work examines gender disparities in political ambition, media representation, and youth political socialization.

Educated at Bowdoin College (A.B.), and Ohio State University (M.A., Ph.D.), Oxley teaches courses on U.S. politics, social data analysis, and political psychology. Her recent scholarship highlights how gendered socialization discourages girls' political engagement and explores young people’s perceptions of political leadership.

Her articles in 2020–2023 reveal a focus on youth political agency, gender stereotypes in media, and the intersection of gender with electoral dynamics. Media features include commentary on the 2024 election and NPR/Forbes-covered research on gendered political socialization.

Oxley’s academic contributions span peer-reviewed journals and undergraduate research mentorship through the Pi Sigma Alpha Journal. She has advised numerous projects on topics like presidential perceptions and gender in policy discourse. Her work bridges theoretical political psychology with empirical studies of democratic participation and representation.