Danielle McLaughlin

Danielle McLaughlin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Kent State University, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on complex governance systems, particularly the interdependence of decision-making forums in environmental and public policy contexts. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati (2021), an M.S. in Natural Resources & Environmental Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2016), and a B.S. in Political Science and Geology from the University of Pittsburgh (2011).

Her work examines how interdependent decision-making processes influence collaboration, conflict, and policy effectiveness in polycentric systems. Key themes include forum participation dynamics, institutional externalities, and the role of stakeholder diversity in shaping governance outcomes. Recent research explores behavioral spillovers in collaborative processes and the impact of spatial linkages on policy outcomes.

McLaughlin’s publications appear in journals such as JPART, Public Administration Review, and Sustainability Science. She has also contributed to studies on domestic violence policy, climate teleconnections, and hydraulic fracturing opposition. Her current research continues to investigate governance structures in environmental and public health contexts.