Rephonic
Artwork for The Science of Politics

The Science of Politics

Niskanen Center
Donald Trump
Political Polarization
Trump Administration
Congress
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Partisanship
Artificial Intelligence
Public Opinion
Tariffs
Culture War
Interest Groups
Covid-19
Polarization
Cultural Issues
2018 Midterm Elections
Executive Power
Public Health Policy
Government Response
China

The Niskanen Center’s The Science of Politics podcast features up-and-coming researchers delivering fresh insights on the big trends driving American politics today. Get beyond punditry to data-driven understanding of today’s Washington with host and political scientist Matt Grossmann. Each 30-45-minute episode covers two new cutting-edge studies and interviews two researchers. We welcome your tho... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes222Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Science of Politics

Latest Episodes

Economic inequality is high and rising, without much political response. Most stay that's because our political institutions overrepresent the views of the rich. But Andrew Taylor finds that poor Americans don’t prioritize solving inequality or redis... more

Trust in American elections has declined since President Trump failed to concede the 2020 election. But voters do have real concerns about electoral institutions born of not knowing the process well. Jennifer Gaudette finds that election officials ca... more

Rural America has moved toward strong Republican voting even though Republican governance helps explain worse health outcomes in rural areas, from hospital closures to opioid policies. Michael Shepherd finds that rural areas disproportionately suffer... more

Polarized politics is not leaving much room for agreement on economic regulation, even as inequality and business power grow. But Pepper Culpepper and Taeku Lee find that corporate scandals can often mobilize the public and wider interests to overcom... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Politix
PolitixPolitix
Central Air
Central AirJosh Barro, Megan McArdle & Ben Dreyfuss
The Argument
The ArgumentJerusalem Demsas & Matthew Yglesias
The Good Fight
The Good FightYascha Mounk
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion

Recent Guests

Jennifer Gaudette
Co-author of election law journal article on information campaigns to restore trust in elections
University of California, Riverside
Episode: Can we improve trust in elections if the losers don’t concede?
Michael Shepherd
Researcher at University of Michigan; author of forthcoming Rural Pain, Republican Gain
University of Michigan
Episode: Why rural areas vote Republican despite worse health outcomes
Pepper Culpepper
Professor at Oxford University
University of Oxford
Episode: Can corporate scandals reinvigorate democracy?
Taeku Lee
Professor at Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: Can corporate scandals reinvigorate democracy?
Laura Field
Author of Furious Minds; Princeton-based political theorist
Princeton University
Episode: The intellectual support for Trumpism
Carlos Algara
Professor at Claremont Graduate University, author of Dynamics of Partisan Competition for Legislative Majorities in the US
Claremont Graduate University
Episode: What Predicts Midterm Election Results?
Michael Kistner
Researcher at the University of Houston and author of "Paying for the Party"
University of Houston
Episode: Legislators are raising money instead of making policy
Andy Hall
Stanford University researcher specializing in political science.
Stanford University
Episode: Can AI ‘vibe research’ replace social science?
Agustin Markarian
Political scientist at Loyola, Chicago
Loyola, Chicago
Episode: Which groups win policy under each party?

Host

Matt Grossmann
Host of The Science of Politics

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 95 ratings
  • Getting in bed with fascists

    This was a pretty solid podcast until they decided to get onboard with a couple of fascist Kennedy supporters peddling brain dead anti-anti-conventional wisdom about Covid. Now I’m going back over what the Niskanen Center has done elsewhere worried that I missed signs of their slide into misanthropic anti-democracy.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    elonruinedtwitter
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great for academics and students

    This is a great way to introduce students to political science research; it also keeps me up to date with current scholarship!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dbenbailey
    United States2 years ago
  • Great idea, needs reformatting

    Five stars for the content, host, and idea behind this podcast. It is much needed. However, it needs reformatting. It can be very difficult to follow weaving in and out of interviewees. Stick to one paper then move onto the next. Put yourself in the shoes of a podcast listener. We aren’t taking notes and aren’t paying close attention to names. We’re exercising, cooking, commuting. Make it as easy as possible to follow. In any case, please keep it up. It’s been very important for me to keep up wi... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mitchell.33
    United States5 years ago
  • A Podcast on Political Science for the Political Scientist

    They do an incredible job bringing cutting-edge political science research to relevant topics based on current events. Many of the guests are relative unknowns, so the listener learns about ideas and perspectives they will rarely find anywhere else.

    Justin Kempf

    Democracy Paradox

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    justin kempf
    United States5 years ago
  • Who you poll

    I don’t know who you are polling but I can tell you in my lifetime I have not engaged so much in daily life with so many people that are into a conspiracy like Q. Once more I am seeing it preached from the pulpit and corrupting the public trust in both church and state. Also something I’ve not seen before, the marketing of it is now with signs on bridges and highways in my local community. So your polling is missing something and quite frankly it is very dangerous to public servants. Furthe... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    EvenMySatireNameisTaken
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The podcast is highly regarded as a resource for academics and students interested in political science research.
Some feedback indicates that while the content is strong, the delivery may benefit from improved audio quality and formatting.
Many praise the diverse perspectives from researchers, bringing lesser-known insights to light, which is a refreshing change from mainstream coverage.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous analysis and data-driven discussions featured in the episodes.

Top News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
Morning Wire
Morning WireThe Daily Wire
Strike Force Five
Strike Force FiveStrike Force Five
The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why rural areas vote Republican despite worse health outcomes
Q: How much of this is a general story about geographic polarization versus something unique to health policy?
While health policy is the focus, there is evidence that the dynamics extend to other areas, though caution is needed about generalizing beyond health policy; the core mechanism—elite framing and place-based identity—appears broadly applicable but not universal across all issues.
Why rural areas vote Republican despite worse health outcomes
Q: So tell us about the findings and takeaways from your forthcoming book, Rural Pain, Republican Gain. What did you find?
The book documents that rural health disparities have deep policy origins, that health outcomes feed back into political attitudes via a rural health spiral, and that elite framing—especially linking health policy to immigration and race—shapes voting behavior more than raw policy outcomes themselves.
The intellectual support for Trumpism
Q: What about the role of education—Hillsdale and patriotic curricula—how does that connect to the broader goals of the movement?
Education became a frontline for countering perceived liberal hegemony, with Hillsdale promoting patriotic curricula and charter schools, aiming to embed conservative viewpoints in schools as a way to counter liberal narratives, though the effectiveness and prominence of these efforts vary by locale and political context.
The intellectual support for Trumpism
Q: How influential have the Claremont School and post-liberal thinkers been in academic debates and practical politics?
Claremont and post-liberal thinkers have pushed a critique of liberal modernity, arguing for a more traditional, sometimes counter-revolutionary stance that seeks to replace or override liberal legal frameworks, influencing policy debates and strategic staffing, though their ideas remain somewhat esoteric and contested within academia.
The intellectual support for Trumpism
Q: So tell us about the findings and the takeaways from your book Furious Minds.
The book maps the radicalization of the GOP between 2016 and 2024, focusing on the intellectual infrastructure that supported Trumpism, detailing how a constellation of think tanks, scholars, and activists built a cohesive narrative and sought to reshape institutions while also acknowledging the tensions and fractures within these movements.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Science of Politics

What is The Science of Politics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content primarily revolves around in-depth analyses of current political dynamics in America, emphasizing research-backed insights rather than traditional punditry. Episodes often feature discussions with researchers on pivotal topics such as campaign finance, policymaking, AI's influence on social sciences, authoritarianism, and the implications of media incentives on culture wars. The host typically invites a diverse array of scholars, leading to a rich tapestry of perspectives on how various factors intersect with American political trends. This systematic exploration contributes to a deeper understanding of trends affecting governance and electoral practices, making it particularly appealing for listeners interested in rigorous politica... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Science of Politics?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Science of Politics. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Science of Politics and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Science of Politics get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Science of Politics, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Science of Politics?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Science of Politics, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Science of Politics have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Science of Politics has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Science of Politics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Science of Politics:

1. Politix
2. Central Air
3. The Argument
4. The Good Fight
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of The Science of Politics are there?

The Science of Politics launched 9 years ago and published 222 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Science of Politics?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Science of Politics?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Science of Politics from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Science of Politics?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Science of Politics. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Science of Politics?

Recent guests on The Science of Politics include:

1. Jennifer Gaudette
2. Michael Shepherd
3. Pepper Culpepper
4. Taeku Lee
5. Laura Field
6. Carlos Algara
7. Michael Kistner
8. Andy Hall

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days