Daniel Lewis

Daniel C. Lewis is an associate professor of political science.  He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2008 and previously directed the University of New Orleans’ graduate programs in political science.  Dr. Lewis’ work on direct democracy, minority rights, term limits, LGBT politics, the public policy process, and interest groups has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals.  His first book, Direct Democracy and Minority Rights: A Critical Review of the Tyranny of the Majority in the American States was published in 2013.  His next book,  The Remarkable Rise of Transgender Rights, coauthored with Jami K. Taylor and Donald Haider-Markel, is set to be published by the University of Michigan Press in 2018.  Dr. Lewis teaches American politics and public policy courses with an emphasis on political institutions and representation.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe in active and independent learning.  Students are encouraged to make their own discoveries and absorb subject matter in dimensional ways, while also developing critical thinking skills. I strive to provide each student with tools to connect abstract concepts and empirics, course material and real world issues, and the public and the private aspects of each of their lives.

What I Love About Siena

Siena College provides a close-knit community of scholars and students that fosters lifelong learning that goes far beyond the typical liberal arts education.  Siena's emphasis on public service, advocacy, and social justice prepares students to to not only succeed in their own careers, but also have a positive impact on the world as leaders and stewards.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

State & Local Government, Interest Group Politics, Public Policy, Contemporary US Politics, US Minority Politics, Lobbying & Legislative Advocacy

My Professional Experience

Current Research

American political institutions, state politics, direct democracy, minority politics, LGBT politics & policy, term limits, interest groups, public policy process, public opinion, federalism, elections & campaigns

Articles & Book Reviews

• Advocating for Engagement: Do Experiential Learning Courses Boost Civic Engagement?
  Journal of Political Science Education
  2020
• Public Attitudes about Transgender Participation in Sports: The Roles of Gender, Gender Identity Conformity, and Sports Fandom
  Sex Roles
  2020
• The Politics of Being "Cait": Caitlyn Jenner, Transphobia, and Parasocial Contact Effects on Transgender-Related Political Attitudes
  American Politics Research, vol. 48
  2020
• Year of the LGBT Candidate? LGBT State Legislative Candidates in the Trump Era
  PS: Political Science & Politics, vol. 53
  2020
• Conventional Wisdom? Analyzing Public Support for 2017 NY Constitutional Convention Referendum
  State & Local Government Review, vol. 51
  2019
• Morality Politics and New Research on Transgender Politics and Public Policy
  The Forum, vol. 17
  2019
• Public Attitudes on Transgender Military Service: The Role of Gender
  Armed Forces and Society
  2019
• Challenged Expectations: Perceived Conformity, Gender Identity, and Transgender Rights
  Political Psychology
  2018
• Tensions over Gay and Transgender Rights between Localities and States
  PS: Political Science & Politics
  2018
• Transgender Prejudice Reduction and Opinions on Transgender Rights: Results from a Mediation Analysis on Experimental Data
  Research & Politics
  2018
• Bringing 'T' to the Table: Understanding Individual Support of Transgender Candidates for Public Office
  Politics, Groups, and Identities
  2017
• Degrees of Acceptance: Variation in Public Attitudes toward Segments of the LGBT Community
  Political Research Quarterly
  2017
• Evaluating Policy Representation with Dynamic MRP Estimates: Direct Democracy and Same-Sex Relationship Policies in the U.S.
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly
  2017
• Legislative Term Limits and Voter Turnout
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly
  2017
• Testing Contact Theory and Attitudes on Transgender Rights
  Public Opinion Quarterly
  2017
• Transgender Politics as Body Politics: Effects of Disgust Sensitivity and Authoritarianism on Transgender Rights Attitudes
  Politics, Groups, and Identities
  2017
• Institutional Characteristics and State Policy Priorities: The Impact of Legislatures and Governors
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly, vol. 15
  2015
• The Impact of Direct Democracy on State Spending Priorities
  Electoral Studies, vol. 40
  2015
• Public Opinion & Judicial Behavior in Direct Democracy Systems: Gay Rights in the American States.
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly, vol. 14
  2014
• Teaching Interest Groups & Advocacy: A Comparative Review of Textbooks
  Interest Groups & Advocacy, vol. 3
  2014
• Barking Up the Wrong Tree: Why Bo Didn't Fetch Many Votes for Barack Obama in 2012
  PS: Political Science and Politics, vol. 46
  2013
• Gauging Influence: Legislative Lobbying in Wisconsin
  Interest Groups & Advocacy, vol. 2
  2013
• Review of State-Local Government Interactions by Joseph F. Zimmerman
  American Review of Politics, vol. 34
  2013
• Content and Complexity in Policy Reinvention and Diffusion: Gay and Transgender-Inclusive Laws against Discrimination
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly, vol. 12
  2012
• Legislative Term Limits and Fiscal Policy Performance
  Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 37
  2012
• Bypassing the Representational Filter? Minority Rights Policies under Direct Democracy Institutions
  State Politics & Policy Quarterly, vol. 11
  2011
• Direct Democracy and Minority Rights: Same-Sex Marriage Bans in the American States
  Social Science Quarterly, vol. 92
  2011
• Public Opinion toward Intergovernmental Policy Responsibilities
  Publius, vol. 41
  2011

Awards & Distinctions

• Artinian Travel Award
  Category: Research
  Southern Political Science Association, 2016
• Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation (ENACT) Faculty Fellowship
  Category: Teaching
  International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, Brandeis University, 2016
• Faculty Mentor of the Year
  Category: Teaching-Research-Service
  Center for Academic Community Engagement, Siena College, 2016

Books & Book Chapters

• The Remarkable Rise of Transgender Rights
  
  2018
• Slicing Up the Governmental Pie: Policy Priorities in the American States
  
  2016
• Recall Elections
  
  2015
• Is Transgender Policy Different?: Policy Complexity, Policy Diffusion and LGBT Nondiscrimination Law
  University of Michigan Press
  2014
• The Advocacy Coalition Framework and Transgender Inclusion in LGBT Rights Activism
  University of Michigan Press
  2014
• Direct Democracy and Minority Rights: A Critical Assessment of the Tyranny of the Majority in the American States
  Routledge
  2013
• Advocacy Coalition Networks
  CQ Press
  2010
• Disaster Relief
  CQ Press
  2010
• Garbage Can Model of the Policy Process
  CQ Press
  2010
• Emergency Management
  CQ Press
  2008
• Homeland Security
  CQ Press
  2008
• State and Local Bureaucracy
  CQ Press
  2008

Presentations

• Challenged Expectations: Perceived Conformity, Gender Identity, and Transgender Rights
  2016
  Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois
• Direct Democracy and Economic Inequality in the American States
  2016
  Southern Political Science Association Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Sexuality vs. Gender Identity: Variation in Public Attitudes toward the LGBT Community
  2016
  Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois
• Testing Contact Theory and Attitudes on Transgender Rights
  2016
  Southern Political Science Association Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• The Bathroom Issue: Transgender Rights and Public Opinion
  2016
  American Political Science Association Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Direct Democracy and Economic Inequality in the American States
  2015
  State Politics and Policy Conference, Sacramento, California
• What Drives the Relationship between Legislative Term Limits and Fiscal Policy?
  2015
  Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Direct Democracy, Policy Responsiveness and Minority Rights: LGBT Rights in the U.S.
  2014
  The Rights of the Political Minority in America Conference, Oxford, United Kingdom
• Governors or Legislators: Who Determines the Spending Priorities of State Governments?
  2014
  West Virginia University, Department of Political Science Symposium, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Interest Groups, Public Opinion and State Policy Priorities
  2014
  Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois
• Legislative Term Limits and Voter Turnout in the American States
  2014
  Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Testing Policy Responsiveness with Dynamic MRP Estimates: Direct Democracy and Same-Sex Relationship Policies in the U.S.
  2014
  State Politics and Policy Conference, Bloomington, Indiana
• Governors or Legislators: Who Determines the Spending Priorities of State Governments?`
  2013
  State Politics and Policy Conference, Hanover, New Hampshire
• The Advocacy Coalition Framework and Transgender Inclusion in LGBT Rights Advocacy: Trans Advocacy in a Post-Windsor World.
  2013
  American Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
• The Impact of Direct Democracy on State Spending Priorities
  2013
  American Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
• The Impact of Direct Democracy on State Spending Priorities
  2013
  Canadian Political Science Association Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada-British Columbia
• A Bark without a Bite? Why Bo Won't Fetch Many Votes for Barack Obama in 2012
  2012
  Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Direct Democracy and Dynamic Policy Responsiveness: Gay Rights in the U.S.
  2012
  American Political Science Association Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Dissecting the Relationship between Term Limits and Fiscal Policy.
  2012
  State Politics and Policy Conference, Houston, Texas
• The Power of Persuasion? Lobbying and Legislative Outcomes in Wisconsin
  2012
  Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Gauging Influence: Legislative Lobbying in Wisconsin
  2011
  Southern Political Science Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Legislative Term Limits and Fiscal Uncertainty
  2011
  Western Political Science Association Meeting, San Antonio, Texas
• Direct Democracy & State Policy Priorities
  2010
  Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois
• Risky Business: Term Limits, Budgets and Fiscal Uncertainty
  2010
  State Politics and Policy Conference, Springfield, Illinois
• Direct Democracy, Minority Rights and Judicial Protections
  2009
  Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois
• Minority Rights under Direct Democracy Institutions: Accounting for State-Level Policy Preferences
  2009
  American Political Science Association Meeting, Toronto, Canada