Callan Hummel

Callan Hummel (they/them) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts. Their research focuses on why and how communities with little political power organize and negotiate with their governments, with particular expertise in comparative politics, civil society, LGBTQ+ policy, labor politics, health policy, and Latin American politics.

Hummel earned their Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017 and 2014, respectively, and completed their B.A. at the University of Washington in 2009. As a nonbinary researcher, they bring unique perspectives to their work examining political power dynamics and marginalized communities.

Dr. Hummel is the author of Why Informal Workers Organize: Contentious Politics, Enforcement, and the State (Oxford University Press 2021), which won the 2023 Riker Prize for the Best Book in Political Economy. Their current research agenda examines the expansion of trans and nonbinary rights globally, using diverse methodologies including statistical analysis, ethnography, survey, computational, experimental, and formal modeling. They conduct field research with trans-led NGOs and street vendor unions in Miami, Florida, La Paz, Bolivia, and São Paulo, Brazil.

Hummel's recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong focus on transgender rights, particularly in Latin American contexts, with several 2024-2025 publications examining gender-affirming policies in Bolivia and transgender experiences in Florida. Their work consistently bridges political science with public health concerns, particularly regarding the impacts of policy on marginalized communities. The research combines comparative analysis with deep ethnographic engagement, often focusing on how informal workers and transgender communities navigate state institutions.

• 2023 Riker Prize for Best Book in Political Economy
• Publications in Lancet Global Health, BMJ Global Health, British Journal of Political Science
• Research funded by NIH, NSF, Department of Education, and APSA

Dr. Hummel actively supervises graduate students and has contributed to understanding harassment and satisfaction among political science graduate students. Their interdisciplinary approach connects political science with public health, gender studies, and economic sociology. They are available for collaborations through research clusters and grant opportunities at UBC.