Dr. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy
Assistant Professor, Clemson University
I am an Assistant Professor at Clemson University. I received my PhD in Government (comparative politics and methodology) from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016.
My research uses democratic theory and social psychology to suggest solutions to difficult puzzles in political behavior. My research topics include political system attitudes (especially regime support), populism, and the interaction of political economy and culture. I use both qualitative and cutting-edge quantitative methods to test these solutions. My regional focus is on Latin America, though I also study the United States and Europe.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Democratic theory and democratization
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Examining empirical assumptions made by competing branches of democratic theory.
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Explaining democratic deepening and decay
Political Behavior/Public Opinion
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Analyzing how political institutions, economic factors, and cultural change interact to shape individual attitudes and political choices.
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Using political psychological concepts (e.g. anxiety, efficacy)
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Specific topics of interest include regime support, populism, and prejudice.
Political psychology
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My work focuses on the role of efficacy and anxiety in play in shaping political ideas and behavior.
Political economy and culture
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Analyzing how growing economic insecurity has intensified the cultural backlash that animates populist movements in the developed world.
Research methods
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Employing mixed-methods approaches, utilizing qualitative methods and advanced quantitative techniques.
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​Methodological specialties:
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Experiments
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Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
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Multilevel models
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Conceptualization and measurement
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APPOINTMENTS
2018 - present
Clemson University
Assistant Professor
2017 - 2018
Washington University in St. Louis
Postdoctoral Research Associate
2016 - 2017
Boise State University
Visiting Assistant Professor
EDUCATION
PhD
University of Texas at Austin, 2016
Department of Government
Subfields: Comparative Politics and Methodology
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Dissertation title: Beyond the balance sheet: participation, performance, and regime support in Latin America
Committee: Kurt Weyland (Chair), Wendy Hunter, Raul Madrid, Zachary Elkins, Pamela Paxton.
Awards and Honors
David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Best Dissertation Award
Harvard University
Juan Linz Award for Best Dissertation (Honorable Mention)
Comparative Democratization Section, the American Political Science Association
Fulbright Student Fellowship
Funding for study in Chile, 2012 - 2013 academic year