Faculty and students interested in identity examine it as both cause and effect, studying the ways in which race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, and other politically relevant factors shape political behavior and attitudes.  We also explore the ways in which identities are constituted, and what this means for politics.

Political Science Faculty
Amit Ahuja (Starting Fall, 2008): South Asian politics
Aaron Belkin: civil-military relations, security studies, sexuality and the military
Kathleen Bruhn: Latin American/Mexican politics; democratization; political competition
M. Kent Jennings: Political socialization, public opinion
Cynthia Kaplan: Russian and Baltic politics; ethnicity, political behavior and public opinion, social mobilization, framing, democratization, and qualitative methods
Pei-te Lien: Asian American politics, U.S. racial and ethnic politics, public opinion and political behavior
Eric R.A.N. Smith: Public opinion, political behavior, environment & energy policy
Heather Stoll: Politics of advanced industrial democracies; political institutions; political parties and elections; social cleavages; ethnic politics

Affiliated Faculty and Collaborators
Edwina Barvosa: (Department of Chicana/o Studies, Affiliated Faculty)
Cedric J. Robinson: (Department of Black Studies, Affiliated Faculty)

Graduate Coursework
Graduate students interested in preparing a field paper on identity politics may do so by petition. Pre-approval from the student's faculty advisor and graduate advisor is required for any four courses to be counted as a qualifying field. Suggested courses offered by the department include the following:

PS 159        Gays and Lesbians in the Military
PS 237        Social Movements and Collective Action
PS 250        Political Socialization
PS 281        Comparative Ethnic Politics
PS 252        Public Opinion and Participation
PS 594R     Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States

Students are also encouraged to consider relevant graduate-level courses offered by other UCSB departments such as Sociology, History,  Psychology, Women's Studies, Chicano/Chicana Studies, and Black Studies.