Wendy J. Schiller

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

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

"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

Abortion takes center stage in RI congressional race — and both candidates favor access (comments by Wendy Schiller)

October 3, 2022 Washington Examiner

Wendy Schiller offers commentary on Rhode Islanders' views on abortion.

Ready for Round II? What the Gov. Dan McKee Race versus Ashley Kalus Race Might Look Like (commentary by Wendy Schiller)

September 15, 2022 The Providence Journal

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller offered commentary for The Providence Journal, on the gubernatorial race in Rhode Island.

Ahead of Midterm Elections, Republicans Grapple with Abortion Messaging (comments by Wendy Schiller)

September 14, 2022 The Sun

The Republican Party “realizes that abortion rights is a much stronger mobilizing force in the 2022 midterms among Democrats and independents than they anticipated,“ Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller comments for The Sun.

Electability Is On The Ballot In Key Rhode Island House Primary (comments by Wendy Schiller)

September 12, 2022 HuffPost

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller offered commentary for HuffPost on Tuesday's primary election in Rhode Island.

John Fetterman has lingering speech issues after his stroke. What’s the impact on his Senate run? (comments by Wendy Schiller)

September 8, 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller comments for The Philadelphia Inquirer on John Fetterman's ability to be a senator after his stroke.

Could unexpected Democratic gains foil a midterm Republican victory? (comments by Wendy Schiller)

September 5, 2022 The Guardian

Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller provided commentary for The Guardian on the advantages Republicans have at the midterm elections in House districts.

What is wrong with this year’s Republican Senate candidates? (comments by Wendy Schiller)

August 26, 2022 The New Statesman

“It’s a mistake to think that because it’s a bad candidate, the people who choose to get out the door to vote will not select the bad candidate," Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller comments for The New Statesman.

Biography