Paul Lendway

Bio

I am a Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University, specializing in American politics and political economy. In May 2025, I graduated with a Ph.D. in Political Science (with departmental distinction) from Yale University. In 2026, I was selected to receive two awards from the American Political Science Association: the Distinguished Junior Scholar Award in Political Psychology and the Wildavsky Award for Best Dissertation in Religion and Politics. My research is published or accepted in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Behavior, American Politics Research, the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Environmental Politics, Research & Politics, and the Yale Journal of International Affairs. Additionally, my co-authored work has been invited to revise and resubmit in the Journal of Politics.

The norms and rules that comprise American democracy are eroding. Why? What are the consequences of this trend? And what can be done to address this issue? My research program aims to address these questions. One stream of my research investigates how various forms of political communication (i.e., sermon rhetoric, populist appeals, etc.) shape political preferences. Another strand of my research probes the role of information (i.e., information about social movements, inequality, AI, etc.) in structuring public opinion and policy preferences. A final line of my research explores solutions to address the pressures of populism and mass polarization. This includes a project that tests Americans' willingness to compromise on a series of multi-dimensional policy tradeoffs (i.e., a conservative immigration policy and a liberal abortion policy, etc.).

Stanford Advisors

• Josiah Ober, Postdoctoral Faculty Sponsor