Isaac Unah

Isaac Unah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He maintains office hours on Monday from 9am to Noon in Hamilton Hall 308 and can be contacted at 919-962-6383 or iunah@email.unc.edu.

Dr. Unah earned his B.S. in economics and management science from SUNY-Cortland (1989), followed by his M.A. (1992) and Ph.D. (1995) in political science from SUNY-Stony Brook. His research focuses on judicial institutions' influence on public policy and bureaucratic behavior, with specific emphasis on punishment politics and capital punishment motivations in the United States.

His scholarly impact is demonstrated through two major publications: The Courts of International Trade: Judicial Specialization, Expertise, and Bureaucratic Policymaking (University of Michigan Press, 1998) which examines specialized courts in trade policy, and The Supreme Court in American Politics (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2009) which provides an evolutionary perspective on the U.S. Supreme Court. His collaborative research with Jack Boger formed the foundation for the North Carolina Racial Justice Act (2009).

From 2005-2007, Unah served as visiting scientist and program director for the Law and Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation. His work has appeared in journals including American Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Law & Policy, and major law reviews.