Political Science at the London School of Economics
Erik Engstrom
Political Science
Biography
I am a political scientist specializing in the study of legislatures, political parties, and political history. I have written extensively about gerrymandering, legislative elections, and the rules for conducting elections. I am the author of four books, most recently The Politics of Ballot Design (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming in 2021). My research articles have appeared in leading political science journals including the American Political Science Review and the American Journal of Political Science. I received my Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego (2003). Before moving to UC Davis in 2008 I taught for five years at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
A Message to Students and Parents
"I have chosen to teach in the study abroad program in London due to my research interests in the historical development of political parties and democratic legislatures. Much of the rise of modern representative democracy traces its roots to intellectual and historical developments in Great Britain, and London in particular. The opportunity to work and teach in central London is very exciting to me and I hope to share that excitement with students. I am also drawn to London by my long-standing personal interest and fascination with British cultural history; especially its contributions to music, television, and literature."