225 Eggers Hall
Research
My research investigates how electoral systems, party dynamics, and legislative structures influence political behavior and policy outcomes. The goal: to design institutions that strengthen democracy.
Teaching
I teach students to analyze and engage with real-world policy challenges. Through hands-on projects and applied coursework, I help develop the next generation of civic leaders.
Publications
From scholarly journals to national media, my writing bridges theory and practice—bringing fresh insight to debates on polarization, reform, and governance.
Research
My research investigates how electoral systems, party dynamics, and legislative structures influence political behavior and policy outcomes. The goal: to design institutions that strengthen democracy.
Teaching
I teach students to analyze and engage with real-world policy challenges. Through hands-on projects and applied coursework, I help develop the next generation of civic leaders.
Consulting
From scholarly journals to national media, my writing bridges theory and practice—bringing fresh insight to debates on polarization, reform, and governance.
About Richard
Welcome to my website! I am an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, where I teach policy studies in the nation's #1 ranked public administration department.
I am also the Senior Research Fellow at the Unite America Institute, where I study the effects of primary elections on representation and governance.
My research examines how electoral and legislative institutions shape policymaking and governance. I am especially interested in how we can design governing institutions and policy to foster a more competitive and pluralistic politics and economy.
I have a number of scholarly articles, including in Perspective on Politics, Party Politics and Politics, Groups and Identities. I co-edited a book with Robert Boatright called The Future of Primary Elections (forthcoming in 2025), which features chapters from leading scholars of American politics, and a preface by a bipartisan team of former Senate majority leaders, Trent Lott and Tom Dashcle.
I also write for a broader audience. I have written three major reports for Unite America on nonpartisan primaries in Louisiana and California, and my op-eds have appeared in CNN, the Washington Post, Governance, the Bulwark, the American Purpose, and the Syracuse Post Standard.
I am also the Senior Research Fellow at the Unite America Institute, where I study the effects of primary elections on representation and governance.
My research examines how electoral and legislative institutions shape policymaking and governance. I am especially interested in how we can design governing institutions and policy to foster a more competitive and pluralistic politics and economy.
I have a number of scholarly articles, including in Perspective on Politics, Party Politics and Politics, Groups and Identities. I co-edited a book with Robert Boatright called The Future of Primary Elections (forthcoming in 2025), which features chapters from leading scholars of American politics, and a preface by a bipartisan team of former Senate majority leaders, Trent Lott and Tom Dashcle.
I also write for a broader audience. I have written three major reports for Unite America on nonpartisan primaries in Louisiana and California, and my op-eds have appeared in CNN, the Washington Post, Governance, the Bulwark, the American Purpose, and the Syracuse Post Standard.
About Richard
Richard Barton holds a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University and serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Public Administration and International Affairs Department at Syracuse University. His work explores how institutional structures—like primary elections and party systems—shape political behavior and policy outcomes in the United States.
From the classroom to the Capitol, Richard’s work connects deep research with real-world impact. He publishes in leading academic journals and contributes regularly to national outlets like The Washington Post, CNN, and The Bulwark.
From the classroom to the Capitol, Richard’s work connects deep research with real-world impact. He publishes in leading academic journals and contributes regularly to national outlets like The Washington Post, CNN, and The Bulwark.
Research Work
This section showcases research that connects political science to public impact. Each project delves into the institutions and incentives that define how democracy works, or falters, in the U.S. Whether examining party polarization or financial deregulation, my work seeks to inform both scholarship and reform.
Policy Consulting &
Institutional Insight
I have conducted policy analysis on the impacts of electoral and legislative institutions for national nonprofit organizations. I have also leveraged my coding and data skills (in particular, working with campaign finance data) to support political campaigns with fundraising.
rcbarton@syr.edu
rcbarton@syr.edu
Copyright by Richard C. Barton. All rights reserved.
Copyright by Richard C. Barton. All rights reserved.