Darin DeWitt

Professor Darin DeWitt

Darin DeWitt and dogOffice: SSPA 227

Phone: (562) 985-4711

Email: Darin.DeWitt@csulb.edu

I consider how institutions, elites, and ideas shape American politics. My recent publications focus on celebrity elites and efforts to combat misinformation. I am currently working on a book project with Thomas Schwartz, titled “How Lincoln Won.” I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at California State University, Long Beach. Before coming to Long Beach, I received my PhD in Political Science from UCLA. 

Scholarly Publications

Occupational Engagement and Partisanship in the United States.” 2021. Political Studies Review 19(3): 501-510.

Time Allocation Across the Senate Election Cycle.” 2021. The Journal of Legislative Studies 27(1): 73-92.

“Moral Obligation in an Anarchic World,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. 2021. The Expanse and Philosophy: So Far Out Into Darkness, ed. Jeffrey Nicholas. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.

Does Celebrity Issue Advocacy Mobilize Issue Publics?” with Matthew D. Atkinson. 2019. Political Studies 67(1): 83-99.

The Politics of Disruption: Social Choice Theory and Conspiracy Theory Politics,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. 2019. In Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them, ed. Joseph E. Uscinski. New York: Oxford University Press.

How Conspiracy Theories Spread,” with Matthew D. Atkinson and Drew Wegner. 2019.  In Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them, ed. Joseph E. Uscinski. New York: Oxford University Press. 

A Web of Conspiracy? Internet and Conspiracy Theory,” with Matthew D. Atkinson and Joseph E. Uscinski. 2019. In Handbook of Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Religion, eds. Asbjørn Dyrendal, David G. Robertson, and Egil Asprem. Leiden: Brill.

“Abraham Lincoln.” 2018. In Hatred of America’s Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump, ed. Lori Cox Han. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

“Celebrity Policy Entrepreneurs Expand the Scope of Conflict.” 2018. The Hollywood Connection: The Influence of Fictional Media and Celebrity Politics on American Public Opinion, eds. Heather E. Yates and Timothy G. Hill. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

Political Influence in California,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. 2017. California Journal of Politics and Policy  9(3). [Replication Archive]

‘Can I Get a Witness?’: Musicians Performing Politics in the U.S. Congress,”  with Alexandra Apolloni and Matthew D. Atkinson. 2017. Ethnomusicology Review 21. 

“Conspiracy Theories in the 2016 Election: Costly Signals or Conventional Wisdom,”  with Matthew D. Atkinson and Joseph E. Uscinski. 2017. In Conventional Wisdom, Parties, and Broken Barriers in the 2016 Election, eds. Christopher J. Galdieri, Tauna S. Sisco, and Jennifer C. Lucas. Baltimore: Lexington Books.   

Snubbing Seth Rogen: Does Celebrity Testimony Increase Congressional Hearing Attendance?” with Matthew D. Atkinson. 2017. PS: Political Science and Politics 50(2): 354-358.

Contra Koza,” with Thomas Schwartz. 2016. PS: Political Science and Politics 49(4): 805-806.

A Calamitous Compact,” with Thomas Schwartz. 2016. PS: Political Science and Politics 49(4): 791-796.

Celebrity Political Endorsements Matter,” with Matthew D. Aktinson. 2016. Celebrity Studies 7(1): 119-121.

The May 1 Marchers in Los Angeles: Overcoming Conflicting Frames, Bilingual Women Connectors, English-Language Radio, and Newly-Politicized Spanish Speakers,” with Michael Chwe, Kim Yi Dionne, and Michael Stone. 2015. Urban Affairs Review 51(4): 533-562.

Popular Writing

If you want to mobilise public support for a cause celebrities are not the answer,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. Political Insight. May 17, 2018.

Conspiracy theorists helped the Parkland students keep gun control on the national agenda,” with Matthew D. Atkinson and Joseph E. Uscinski. London School of Economics United States Politics and Policy Blog. March 13, 2018.

Just like previous presidents, Donald Trump’s political fortunes rise and fall with the economy,” with Matthew D. Atkinson and Joseph E. Uscinski. London School of Economics United States Politics and Policy Bog. March 5, 2018.

How conspiracy theories helped power Trump’s disruptive politics,” with Matthew D. Atkinson and Joseph E. Uscinski. Mischiefs of Faction at Vox. May 2, 2017.

Economic forecasts suggest the presidential race should be a toss-up. So why aren’t Republicans doing better?” with Matthew D. Atkinson. Monkey Cage at The Washington Post. March 7, 2016.

If conservatives want the most conservative president, they should get behind Jeb Bush,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. Monkey Cage at The Washington Post. October 9, 2015.

If Republicans nominate a strong conservative, it could hurt them on Election Day. A lot,” with Matthew D. Atkinson. Monkey Cage at The Washington Post. September 25, 2015.