Benjamin Miller

Benjamin Miller is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also holds affiliated appointments in the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, Classics, and the European Union Center.

• Ph.D. in Philosophy, Stanford University
• M.A. in Graduate School of Education, Stanford University
• M.A. in Philosophy, University of Auckland
• B.S. in Philosophy & Religion and Psychology, Northeastern University

His research explores democratic citizenship, focusing on the intersection of political philosophy and empirical political science. He critiques Aristotelian character education as illiberal for modern democracies and advocates for citizens to act as gatekeepers of democratic principles rather than preference maximizers.

Recent work analyzes political sophistication, democratic backsliding, and affective polarization, emphasizing philosophical frameworks' role in addressing anti-democratic trends. Publications span topics like Aristotle's theories on citizenship, empirical studies on voter behavior, and normative debates about democratic obligations.

• 2024 Clarence A. Berdahl Excellent Undergraduate Teaching Award
• 2019 Clarence A. Berdahl Excellent Undergraduate Teaching Award

He teaches courses in political theory, classical political thought, citizenship, and ancient philosophy, and maintains active engagement with interdisciplinary research at the nexus of philosophy, education, and political science.