Public Law & Jurisprudence

Public Law is concerned with the analysis of the actual behavior of legal decision-makers and the law-related behavior of citizens, as well as with the study of legal and constitutional doctrine. It seeks to develop an understanding of the role of law, legal theory and legal practice in the governmental process. Courses and faculty research focus primarily on how the actions of legal decision-makers (judges, police, regulatory officials, bureaucrats, etc.) are shaped both by legal doctrine and philosophy and by political, organizational, economic, and social variables.

Political Behavior

Subfield Coordinator: Gabe Lenz

At Berkeley, we study what makes democracies work—or fail. We ask: when and why do citizens trust institutions? How do societies incorporate citizens into political life? What builds democratic accountability and responsiveness? What drives polarization and democratic backsliding? How do identity, prejudice, and inclusion shape political engagement, protest, and participation?

Models & Politics

Subfield Coordinator: Sean Gailmard

Formal models are used in political science as abstract representations of political institutions and choices in order to focus attention on key logics and causal mechanisms in a political process. Insightful modeling requires fluency in technical fields such as game theory, as well as the substantive knowledge to craft an appropriate representation of a specific application.

Political Theory & Philosophy

Subfield Coordinator: Anna Stilz

Berkeley’s department offers a broad range of courses in political theory, spanning the history of thought and contemporary theory.  As a group, we're committed to the highest levels of scholarship in researching and teaching political thought from antiquity to the present. 

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