Social Sciences: Geneva McLain '25
Major(s) and minor(s)
B.A. in Political Science
Pronouns
They/She
Hometown
Austin, TX
Areas of interest/focus in research
My interest is in political legitimacy and public perception of government. As party conflict continues to rise and extreme events like insurrections and assassination attempts take place, I am curious how political strife impacts people on the individual level. Why do people choose to vote? Do people actually support the candidate they cast their ballot for or are they doing it because they feel they do not have a better option? How do parties come to put up disliked candidates and who sets the tone for party policies? When there is intense political discord within the political elite, how is that discord uptook, replicated, or resisted by the general population? These questions are crucial not only in anticipation of the 2024 Presidential Election, but for what comes afterward.
Labs / departments / offsite programs where research was conducted
While I am interested in a political phenomena and my training is as a political scientist, I chose to conduct my research as an anthropologist. I felt this was the best way to understand people’s internal narratives and how that affects their behavior (voting and otherwise) as to the quantitative approach that political science largely employs. With the generous support of the Schwartz-Discover Grant, I was able to spend the summer of 2024 traveling. The coolest place I visited? Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention.
About me...
People here make a lot of assumptions when they learn I hail from the great state of Texas. People back home make a different set of assumptions when they learn I am going to school in New York. Everybody thinks when I say I am studying political science I eat, sleep, and breathe current news and, therefore, I must be a staunch supporter of some party. In truth, my studies focus on the science of politics and understanding trends rather than particulars. I do actually live as a political scientist and many of my conversations these days deal with current state of affairs and their implications for the future. Needless to say, I am in therapy.
How has your experience as a researcher influenced your career objectives?
Through approaching my research as an anthropologist, I met many interesting people. I realized that being in a people facing position is important to me. By talking through my research and the theory that I am developing with just about every person I met, I had the opportunity to practice extemporaneous speaking, an excellent skill for a public speaker. I deepened my understanding of the relationship between political elites, the decision makers, and the public, the people I feel elites are largely out of touch with. When I go into politics, I am going to remember these people and their personal struggles and work to improve their quality of life.
Campus organizations, programs, activities, clubs, awards/distinctions
-Handler Scholar
-Political Science Department Peer Advisor
-Students' Association for Interfaith Cooperation
Areas where I may be particularly helpful
- General advising in political science
- Soft skills and talking to people
- Pitching research to lay audiences
What advice do you have for prospective or new researchers?
When I began my research, I had a general sense of the phenomena with which I was grappling. Through doing research, I developed theories but I also developed more questions. These questions were informed by the knowledge I had already gained and led my understanding into a new, unexpected, highly particular pursuit of knowledge. I think at some point I would have been afraid to have more questions, like I believed that knowing something means everything is known and there are no more questions to be asked. In fact, this is not how the world works and the second we stop asking questions is the second we stop learning.
Email me at: gmclain@u.rochester.edu