Major Field: Ameican Politics
Minor Field: Methodology
Dissertation: Exploring Political Parasocial Relationships in the Digital Age
Committee: A. Sokhey (chair)
Samantha Register is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Political Science with concentrations in American politics and political methodology. She studies American political behavior, public opinion, and political communication with a focus on social media. Her dissertation examines the phenomenon of "political parasocial relationships," or one-sided relationships voters form with politicians, similar to one-sided relationships they might form with traditional celebrities. Samantha's work has been published in Urban Affairs Review. She has been the instructor of record for PSCI 3011: The American Presidency and Executive Branch and PSCI 3021: US Campaigns and Elections.
Research & Teaching Interests: Political psychology, political communication, campaigns and elections, state and urban politics, gender politics
Publications: “Red, Blue, and Going for Gold: Partisan Support for Olympic Host Bids” Urban Affairs Review