Joshua Ferrer

Joshua Ferrer is an Assistant Professor of Government in the School of Public Affairs at American University. He specializes in challenges to democratic elections in the U.S., focusing on state and local politics, racial and ethnic politics, and electoral reform.

• PhD in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2025)
• MA in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2022)
• MA in Politics, University of Otago (2020) - earned on a Fulbright Grant
• BA in Political Science and Music, Amherst College (2018) - Summa Cum Laude

His research combines large-scale data collection, administrative datasets, empirical causal inference techniques, and survey experiments to explore partisanship, accountability, and representation in democratic systems. Key areas include election administration, racialization of anti-democratic attitudes, primary elections, and cross-national comparisons (e.g., New Zealand).

Joshua's recent publications address topics like the impact of partisan primaries, leader turnover's effects on governance, and racial underpinnings of anti-democratic beliefs. His work has appeared in The American Political Science Review, The British Journal of Political Science, and reports for the Bipartisan Policy Center and Transparency International.

Scientific Awards

• Fulbright Grant to New Zealand for MA at University of Otago