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Alex Smith

Education:
B.S. Political Science, Middle Tennessee State University (2022)
Biography:

I am a third-year Ph.D. student with a concentration in American Politics. My research interests revolve around the Supreme Court and its politics, particularly regarding judicial behavior. Previously, I have researched the expansion of the commerce clause through Supreme Court cases such as NLRB v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp. (1937) and United States v. Lopez (1995). 

Currently, I am researching citizens' perceptions of the Supreme Court viewed through their partisan elites and the use of behavior norms on the Court, specifically the norm of respectful dissent. 

Research Interests:
Courts and Judicial Politics
Political Behavior
Text Analysis
Survey Research
Research Interests
  • Judicial Decision Making
  • Behavior Norms 
  • Collegiality 
  • Text Analysis