November 02, 2020

Media Advisory: Experts on the 2020 election

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has several experts available to assist reporters and news crews with perspective on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, election for use throughout the week. The experts’ specialties include political polarization, American politics (including presidential politics), public opinion, survey research, American foreign policy (including the Middle East) and more.

These experts – from the Department of Political Science and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute – with contact information to arrange for interviews, include:

  • Benjamin Bricker, associate professor of political science, is now teaching a University Honors Program class on the 2020 elections. He also teaches courses in constitutional law and administrative law. His research interests include judicial decision making and political polarization. He can be reached at 202-664-3873 or brickeb@siu.edu.
  • Scott Comparato, associate professor of political science, teaches courses in judicial process, constitutional law, civil liberties and criminal rights, and his research interests include judicial decision making and state supreme courts. He can be reached at 618-453-1154 or scompara@siu.edu.
  • Tobin Grant, professor of political science, teaches American politics and methodology. His interests include religion and politics, public opinion, and survey methodology. He can be reached at 618-453-3167 or grant@siu.edu.
  • Scott McClurg, professor of political science, researches political communications, campaigns and election public opinion and voting behavior. He can be reached at 618-453-3179 or mcclurg@siu.edu.
  • Kenneth Mulligan, associate professor of political science, is currently teaching a course on campaigns and elections.  His research and teaching involve American political behavior, media and politics, and public opinion.  He can be reached at 618-201-9634 and kmulliga@siu.edu. 
  • Virginia Tilley, professor of political science, professor of political science, teaches courses on United States foreign policy, international political economy, Middle East politics, Latin American politics, and the politics of human rights. Her research focuses on ethnic and racial conflict and politics of the Middle East. She can be reached at 618-305-5532 or vtilley@siu.edu.
  • John Jackson, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute visiting professor, has more than four decades of political expertise and research in presidential politics, campaigns and elections. He can be reached at 618-303-1240 or jsjacson@siu.edu.
  • John T. Shaw, director, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, spent 26 years in Washington, D.C., covering Congress and economic issues for Market News International before his arrival at SIU Carbondale in 2018. He has been a guest on the PBS NewsHour and C-SPAN. He can be reached at 618-453-4009 or shaw@siu.edu.