Maneesh Arora

Maneesh Arora is the Jane Bishop '51 Associate Professor of Political Science at Wellesley College, specializing in race & ethnicity, public opinion, and immigration policy. He teaches courses on American politics, research methods, and campaigns/elections. His research examines intergroup solidarity, political methodology, and the normalization of anti-minority rhetoric in U.S. politics. His current book project, Parties and Prejudice, explores how political parties utilize prejudicial rhetoric.

Education:

• B.S., University of Oregon
• M.Ed., Boston University
• M.A. & Ph.D., University of California-Irvine (2019)

His research has been featured in Perspectives on Politics, Political Research Quarterly, and media outlets like the Washington Post and LSE’s Politics and Policy blog. His work addresses topics ranging from Asian American identity in the Trump era to the dynamics of cross-racial collaboration in social movements. He has also analyzed media framing of protests, legislative responses to crises, and the role of electoral crises in shaping public engagement with officials of color.

Awards & Grants: No specific awards listed, but his publications indicate sustained research excellence in political behavior and identity studies.

Advising & Mentorship: No student advisees listed in current materials, though his courses suggest involvement in mentoring undergraduate researchers.

Labs/Teams: No formal lab affiliations mentioned, though his work likely intersects with Wellesley’s Center for Collaborative Research in the Social Sciences.