Christian Grose is a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Southern California. One of USC’s most prolific social scientists, his research strengthens American democracy through a deeper understanding of Congress, representation, and elections. An influential figure in California politics and national policy, Dr. Grose collaborates with public officials, students, and academics on research and teaching. He is frequently consulted by advocacy organizations, state and local governments, and policymakers for his expertise on race, voting rights, election reform, and redistricting. He has authored over 60 articles in prominent journals, including the American Political Science Review, and wrote the award-winning book Congress in Black and White, which argues that race and redistricting are key to understanding congressional decision-making.
Dr. Grose has nearly a decade of leadership experience at USC, having served as Academic Director of the Schwarzenegger Institute in USC Price and Director of the Political Science and International Relations Program in USC Dornsife. Since 2018, he has been the lead pollster for nearly 20 USC nonpartisan political polls gauging the opinions of Californians and Americans, recently focusing on eight competitive congressional districts that will determine control of Congress.
He has held leadership roles in political science, including Editor of Research & Politics and Chair of the Midwest Political Science Association. Dr. Grose has received multiple awards, such as the Herman Brown Distinguished Scholar designation and the 2024 Alan Rosenthal Award for research that bolsters representative democracy. He has raised over $3 million for research and university initiatives, including efforts with Gov. Schwarzenegger to open thousands of new polling places and study their impact on voter access. Dr. Grose earned his B.A. from Duke University and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.
What Christian’s research means to him
“While we live in a challenging time for American democracy, there is no time like the present for high-quality, rigorous research on the subject. The most meaningful research I have conducted examines how political and electoral institutions improve voting rights and public policy making. I also am fascinated by how members of Congress make decisions, and my research teaches us that public officials can surprisingly be influenced by many of the same behavioral factors that change voters’ minds. My research is often condcuted in collaboration with scholars, students, and policy practitioners in partnership, and the most impactful scholarship is when I move the needle both in the Academy and in public policy.“
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