Kevin J. Elliott

I am a political scientist and Lecturer in Ethics, Politics, and Economics (EP&E) at Yale University. I was previously Assistant Professor of Political Science at Murray State University.

My main research interests are in political theory and American politics, particularly democratic theory. Thematically, my research focuses on the ethics of democratic citizenship, political epistemology, and the normative justification and design of political institutions, particularly in order to promote the representation of marginalized groups. Much of my research investigates questions at the intersection of normative and empirical inquiry, and so draws from both.

My research has appeared or is forthcoming in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Theory, The Journal of Politics, Perspectives on Politics, Critical Review, Contemporary Political Theory, CRISPP (Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy) and Res Publica. My book, Democracy for Busy People, was published by the University of Chicago Press. (See my Research page for details).

I hold a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University and a Master of Science in Political Theory from the London School of Economics and Political Science. I did my undergraduate work in Political Science and Public Policy at UCLA, where I earned departmental and collegiate honors and graduated summa cum laude. I also previously taught at Columbia University. I received a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship while doing my doctoral work at Columbia.

My research has been supported by the U. S. Department of Education, Princeton University’s University Center for Human Values (UCHV), Columbia’s Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), and the Institute for Humane Studies.

An important thing to know about me is that I’m a first-generation college student from a single-parent home. This background makes me especially dedicated to helping students like I was find their way through higher education and to make the most of their opportunities.

In my spare time, I run, bike, and read science fiction. I’ve also been known to spend inordinate amounts of time in used bookstores.