معرفی
Susan Liebell is a Professor of Political Science at Saint Joseph's University, where she has taught since 2004. A national expert on gender and the Second Amendment, her work bridges political theory, public law, and contemporary politics through academic publications, media commentary, and public engagement. She serves as co-host of the New Books in Political Science podcast and chairs the Association for Political Theory’s Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Her educational background includes a BA from Queens College of the City University of New York and MA/PhD degrees from The University of Chicago. This foundation informs her interdisciplinary approach to constitutional interpretation and democratic citizenship.
Liebell’s research centers on the dangerous intersection of originalist constitutional interpretation, gender politics, and the Second Amendment. She critically examines how historical readings of the Constitution undermine women’s rights and democratic participation, with particular focus on reproductive rights, gun regulations, and judicial reasoning. Her work demonstrates how legal doctrines like stand-your-ground laws and concealed carry rulings perpetuate systemic violence against women while distorting constitutional history.
Her recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory analyzing Supreme Court decisions through gendered and historical lenses, exposing contradictions in originalist reasoning while connecting legal theory to contemporary political crises. This scholarship appears in top journals like Journal of Politics and Polity, alongside accessible commentary in the Washington Post and Brennan Center.
- Polity Award for Best Article (2021)
- Dirk Warren ’50 Sesquicentennial Research Chair (2021-2023)
- Multiple merit awards for teaching, advising (won twice), research, and service
- Faculty Merit Award for Justice
- Fellowships at The Walt Whitman Center and NYS Science and Technology Foundation
- APS grants including Rita Mae Kelly Fund and Alma Ostrom Fund
As an award-winning educator featured in the Washington Post, Liebell has developed innovative programs including the Justice and Ethics in the Law minor and Legal Education Advancing Diversity initiative. She supervises student research through Summer Scholars and created the Global Smarts Mentoring Program. Her APS-funded projects focus on civic education and diversity in political science.
Liebell co-hosts the New Books Network podcast interviewing 130+ scholars, and leads institutional initiatives as chair of the Association for Political Theory’s DEI committee. Her public scholarship bridges academic rigor and media engagement, regularly providing national television and radio commentary on constitutional issues.
