Rachel Navarre

Rachel Navarre is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Bridgewater State University and serves as Co-coordinator for the Democratic Governance and Leadership Program. She holds office in the Dr. Guy C. Clifford House, Room 204, and can be reached at 508.531.2528.

Dr. Navarre completed her BA at Knox College and earned both her MA and PhD in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. Following her doctoral studies, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Inter-American Policy at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Her research focuses on comparative public policy with specific emphasis on framing and issue definition, immigration policy and politics, regional governance, populism, and content analysis. She has published in prestigious journals including The Journal of Politics, the Journal of Experimental Political Science, The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics, and Representation. Her scholarly contributions include the recent book The Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies (Cambridge University Press, 2023), co-authored with Matthew Rhodes-Purdy and Stephen M. Utych, which examines how economic crises generate democratic discontent. She has also co-authored Immigration in the 21st Century with Terri Givens and Pete Mohanty, and contributed a chapter on US Immigration Policy to The Future of U.S. Empire in the Americas.

Dr. Navarre's work demonstrates consistent engagement with contemporary political challenges, particularly the intersection of immigration policy, populist movements, and democratic resilience. Her research methodology combines comparative analysis with innovative content analysis techniques to examine political discourse and policy development across different contexts.

While specific awards are not mentioned in the available information, her publications in top-tier political science journals and with prestigious academic presses indicate recognition of her scholarly contributions within the field.

As Co-coordinator of the Democratic Governance and Leadership Program, Dr. Navarre plays an active role in academic programming that likely connects her research interests with student development and civic engagement initiatives at Bridgewater State University.