Stephanie McNulty

Dr. Stephanie McNulty is the Honorable John C. and Katherine Kunkel Professor of Government at Franklin and Marshall College, where she specializes in participatory governance, gender, decentralization, and development in Latin America. Her research focuses on participatory budgeting, democratic innovations, and their impacts on governance and citizen well-being. She has held significant administrative roles, including Department Chair of Government (2019–2023) and Inaugural Director of Faculty Diversity Initiatives (2018–2022).

Dr. McNulty earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from The George Washington University, an M.A. from New York University, and a B.A. from Washington and Lee University. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, and Honduras, blending academic research with practical experience as a consultant on USAID-funded projects worldwide.

Her notable works include Democracy from Above? (Stanford University Press, 2019) and Participatory Budgeting in Global Perspective (Oxford University Press, 2021). Current research includes the Par-City project, exploring urban participatory governance in New York City, and a global history of participatory democracy. Her awards include the AAUW Postdoctoral Fellowship and Fulbright grants.

Dr. McNulty’s work bridges theory and practice, with grants from the National Science Foundation and Hewlett Foundation supporting her research on participatory reforms. She also collaborates with student researchers on topics like undocumented immigrant experiences in Lancaster, PA.