Sarah E. James

I am an assistant professor of Political Science Department at Gonzaga University. I received my PhD in Government & Social Policy at Harvard in 2021. Prior to graduate school, I worked in K-12 education, first as a teacher and, later, high school principal in Boston. Outside of work, I love to cook, especially with ingredients native to wherever I am, and do barre and yoga. Along with my partner, I have two kiddos and a golden retriever, and we are on a family mission to visit all of the presidential museums, libraries, and national historic sites.

I study the American political economy, inequality, and social policy, particularly at the state and local level. My current research examines how the availability of research alters the power dynamics among vested interests and policy opponents in the politics of reforming failed policies. Most recently, I have been especially interested in how the use of data has impacted state policy response to COVID-19. I have also studied the changing nature of the political organizations supporting political parties in contemporary America.