» Student Research

Political Science students have the opportunity to conduct collaborative research with faculty members and to undertake significant research projects of their own. Engaging in research with the help of a faculty mentor has significant benefits for our students, such as helping to improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills and promoting intellectual independence. Conducting research also helps students build a competitive profile for scholarships and awards, graduate school or law school, or for entering the job market. Political science undergraduate research projects published in Chapman’s digital commons have been downloaded over 40,000 times from individuals across the world, highlighting the wide reach and real-world impact of our students’ scholarship.

Ways to get Involved in Research


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Lexi Reekie ‘23
Triple Major in Political Science, Philosophy, and Law & the Liberal Arts
“I co-authored a paper with Dr. Minju Kwon entitled “Criminalizing Cultural Practice: State Legislation of Female Genital Mutilation in the United States.” It has been accepted for presentation at both the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) and Western Political Science Association (WPSA) conferences in April 2023."
Anika Manuel ‘23
Double Major in Political Science and Peace Studies, Minors in Ethnic Studies and Philosophy
“My political science thesis “A Checkerboard of Interests: Native American Tribes and the Politics of Land Tenure Reform” was published in the NYU American Public Policy Review this fall. It studies the political genealogy of the laws and administrative rules that govern the relationship between indigenous tribes and land within U.S. borders."
Roksana Gorgolewski ‘23
Triple Major in Political Science, Economics, and Peace Studies
“In May 2022, I published an article through the Chapman Undergraduate Law Review Journal. The paper comparatively analyzed abortion law in Poland and the United States, paying particular attention to the influences of the Catholic Church on anti-abortion policies.”