Biography
Wendy Schiller is Professor of Political Science, Professor of International and Public Affairs, and Director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy at Brown University. She did her undergraduate work in political science at the University of Chicago, served on the staffs of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Governor Mario Cuomo, and then earned her PhD from the University of Rochester. After fellowships at the Brookings Institution and Princeton University, she came to Brown in 1994. She teaches popular courses titled The American Presidency, Introduction to the American Political Process, and Congress and Public Policy.
Among books she has authored or co-authored are Electing the Senate: Indirect Democracy before the Seventeenth Amendment (Princeton University Press), Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government (Cengage), The Contemporary Congress (Thomson-Wadsworth), and Partners and Rivals: Representation in U.S. Senate Delegations (Princeton University Press). She has also published articles in the American Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Studies in American Political Development, and the Journal of Politics.
Schiller has been a contributor to MSNBC, NPR, CNN.com, and Bloomberg News. She provides local political commentary to the Providence Journal, WPRO radio, RIPBS A Lively Experiment, and is the political analyst for WJAR10, the local NBC affiliate in Providence.
Research
Wendy Schiller’s scholarship focuses on representation in American politics. Most recently, she has worked with Charles Stewart III on the Senate Elections Data Project 1871-1913, which is a study of the indirect election of US Senators in state legislatures (1871-1913) and the impact of the adoption of the 17th Amendment. The study is the basis of our book, Electing the Senate: Indirect Democracy before the Seventeenth Amendment (Princeton University Press, 2014).
Teaching
POLS 0010 Introduction to the American Political Process
POLS 0820L Philosophy of the American Founding
POLS 1130 The American Presidency
POLS 2090I American and Comparative Political Behavior
Publications
2014
Electing the Senate: Indirect Democracy before the Seventeenth Amendment, co-authored with Charles Stewart III. Forthcoming Princeton University Press Fall 2014.
2013
"U.S. Senate Elections before the 17th Amendment: Political Party Cohesion and Conflict 1871–1913.” Co-authored with Charles Stewart (MIT) and Benjamin Xiong (Brown University). Journal of Politics 75 No.3: 835-837.
“Resolved the filibuster should be abolished (Con argument).” (Revised from earlier version) Chapter 14. In Debating Reform: Conflicting Perspectives on How to Fix the American Political System. Eds. Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson. CQ Press. 254-262.
Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government, Essentials. Co-author with John G. Geer, Jeffrey A. Segal, and Dana K. Glencross. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
1st Edition, January 2011. (640 pages)
2nd Edition, January 2013 (640 pages)
3rd Edition, January 2015 forthcoming
“The 100th Anniversary of the 17th Amendment: A Promise Unfulfilled?” co-authored with Charles Stewart (MIT). Issues in Governance Studies No. 59:1-12. Washington DC: Brookings Institution
2012
“Howard Baker’s Leadership in the U.S. Senate: Lessons in Persuasion, Civility, and Success.” Baker Center Journal of Applied Public Policy Vol. IV, No. 2: 28-48.
2011
"Senate Delegation Dynamics in an Age of Party Polarization." Co-author with Jennifer C. Cassidy. The Forum Vol. 9: Iss. 4, Article 7.
"Development of Congressional Elections" in The Oxford Handbook of the American Congress, Eds. Frances Lee and Eric Schickler. Oxford University Press.
Talks & Media
Recent Academic Lectures
Stanford University department of political science, February 2015
University of Miami department of political science, November 2014
University of Pittsburgh department of political science, February 2014
Texas Community College Teachers Association Annual Conference, keynote, February 2014
College of William and Mary department of government, April 2013
Department of State, US speaker program, (Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto) March 2013
Print and Digital Media Political Commentary
New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN.com, CQ Weekly, Providence Journal, Des Moines Register, The Hill, Christian Science Monitor, Financial Times, Toronto Globe and Mail, The New York Daily News, The Guardian, The Boston Globe, AP, International Business Times, The Hill, Gannett, GoLocalProv.com, The Economist
Television and Radio Political Commentary
MSNBC
CNN
FOX
Bloomberg Radio: The Hayes Advantage and On the Economy
The Factor with Bill O’Reilly
Real Time with Bill Maher
National Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Illinois Public Radio
Corus Entertainment Radio, Alberta, Canada
Political Analyst WJAR Channel 10
Political Roundtable, Rhode Island Public Radio
A Lively Experiment, Rhode Island PBS
WPRO Radio, Rhode Island
Selected Public Lectures on American Politics (2013-2014)
Rhode Island Common Cause Annual Meeting (keynote)
Miriam Hospital Women’s Association (Providence)
Brown University Club of Providence
One Day University/Dallas Co-sponsored by the Dallas Morning News
One Day University/Washington DC co-sponsored by The Atlantic
One Day University/Minneapolis Co-sponsored by Minnesota PBS
One Day University/Providence Co-sponsored by the Providence Journal
News|Recent News
May 24, 2023
Reuters
In an interview Reuters, Wendy Schiller discusses Florida Govenor Ron DeSantis and his expected bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
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May 24, 2023
Bloomberg
In an interview with Bloomberg's Sound On Podcast, Wendy Schiller discusses the U.S. debt ceiling.
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May 24, 2023
Bloomberg Government
Wendy Schiller comments for Bloomberg Governemnt, “The margins of majority control are so tight now that every single senator matters every day."
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May 19, 2023
PBS
In an interview on PBS's A Lively Experiment, Wendy Schiller discussed the national debt ceiling negotiations, plus the future of the GOP.
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May 16, 2023
Bloomberg
Wendy Schiller comments for Bloomberg, “This will be another test of McCarthy and his power over his caucus.”
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May 10, 2023
The Boston Globe
In an interview with The Boston Globe, Wendy Schiller discusses her new book, "Inequality Across State Lines: How Policymakers Have Failed Domestic Violence Victims in the United States," which she co-authored with Kaitlin Sidorsky.
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May 5, 2023
Bloomberg Law
Wendy Schiller co-authored an essay for Bloomberg Law calling for more targeted laws and federal/state cooperation to address gun-based domestic violence against women.
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Events
May 27, 2023
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Martinos Auditorium, Granoff Center for the Creative Arts
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May 24, 2023
Apr 24, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
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Apr 17, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
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Apr 10, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
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Mar 20, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
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Mar 13, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided
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Mar 9, 2023
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. True North Classroom, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street
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Mar 6, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided
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Feb 27, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided
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Feb 13, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided
Student Events, Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy
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Feb 7, 2023
Feb 6, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided
Student Events, Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy
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Jan 30, 2023
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, 111 Thayer Street
Catered lunch provided.
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Dec 5, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street
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Nov 21, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert Hall '62, 280 Brook Street
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Nov 14, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street
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Oct 31, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street
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Oct 17, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert Hall '62, 280 Brook Street
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Oct 3, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert Hall '62, 280 Brook Street
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Sep 26, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook Street
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Sep 19, 2022
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Leung Conference Room, Stephen Robert Hall '62, 280 Brook Street
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Apr 20, 2022
Mar 23, 2022
Mar 1, 2022
8:45 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. Register here to attend the webinar. This event is for Brown University Community Members only.
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