Elizabeth Smith

Professor, Department of Politics and International Affairs; Senior Distinguished Fellow, Riley Institute

Curriculum Vitae
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Dr. Elizabeth S. Smith is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Furman University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow. She received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill graduating with highest distinction as a Morehead Scholar. In 2007, Dr. Smith was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. She served as chair of the Politics and International Affairs Department at Furman from 2015-2022. She is a Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Riley Institute and has run the Riley Institute Teachers of Government Program for over 20 years. She does research on women and politics, political socialization, and public opinion and political science education. She and her colleague, Akan Malici, recently published the third edition of their book with Routledge Press entitled Political Science Research in Practice. She has also published articles in such journals as Polity, the Journal of Political Science Education and Political Psychology. She works actively to engage students in the critical political questions of our time and in considering their role as citizens in a democracy.

Honors and Awards

  • Senior Distinguished Fellow, Riley Institute
  • Mellon Grant Fellow on Teaching Civic Engagement and Voting Behavior, 2025-2026.
  • Faculty Summer Seminar participant, “Teaching Civil Discourse in the Classroom” as part of the Civil Discourse Project at the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University; Grant for participation and course development.
  • State Scholar for the Smithsonian Voices and Votes: Democracy in America traveling exhibit, sponsored by the South Carolina Humanities Council, 2021-2023
  • Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society Honorary Inductee, September 2019
  • Greenville Literacy Association 2007-2008 Community Service Award, recognizing an individual in the community for their appreciation and respect for support of their literacy efforts
  • 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award from the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) organization
  • Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, University of Minnesota
  • Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Grant-In-Aid for Dissertation Research
  • National Science Foundation Fellowship, 1993-1996
  • Outstanding Paper Award "Perspectives on Citizenship Education." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, California, April 22, 1995.
  • Graduate School Fellowship, University of Minnesota, 1992-1993
  • Morehead Scholarship, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1988-1992
  • Phi Beta Kappa, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1991
  • Pi Sigma Alpha, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1991

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Minnesota
  • B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Publications

Books:

  • Malici, Akan and Elizabeth S. Smith (eds.) (2026). Political Science Research Methods In Practice, 3rd Edition. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Malici, Akan and Elizabeth S. Smith (eds.) (2019). Political Science Research Methods In Practice, 2nd Edition. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Malici, Akan and Elizabeth S. Smith (eds.) (2013). Political Science Research Methods In Practice. New York, NY: Routledge Press.

Journal Articles and Book Chapters:

  • Anishanslin, Zara, Koniver, Miles, Palmer, Barbara and Elizabeth S. Smith. (2024). “Power Dressing: Dress Codes in State Legislatures.” In Kedwroski, Karen M., Ortbals, Candice D., Peloni-Staudinger, Lori, and J. Cherie Strachan (Eds.) Handbook on Politics and Fashion (pp. 79-94) Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Halley, Jamal, Rawlings, Chloe, Smith, Elizabeth S. and Jillian Wacker. (2022 (Published in 2024; backdated due to COVID delays)). “Am I Who You Think I Am? Covering and Reverse Covering of Identity as a Political Strategy for Emerging Political Leaders.” The Journal of Student Leadership, 6(2): i-xviii.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S., Roof, Sabrina S., West, Katherine and Nicole Hyman. (2021-2022 (Published in 2024; backdated due to COVID delays). “The Political Socialization of College Students: Student Government, Diversity and Political Power.” Politics, Culture and Socialization, pp. 9-33. https://doi.org/10.3224/pcs.v12-13i1-2.02
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. and Akan Malici (2013/2019). “Why Do We Need a Science of Politics?” In Political Science Research Methods in Practice. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. and Akan Malici (2013/2019). “Normative and Ethical Considerations of Political Science Research.” In Political Science Research Methods in Practice. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Djupe, Paul A., Christie, Luke, O’Rourke, Sean P. and Elizabeth S. Smith. (2017). “Whose Job Is It Anyway? The Place of Public Engagement in the Liberal Arts College.” Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, [S.l.], v. 21, n. 4, p. 23-50.
  • Malici, Akan and Elizabeth S. Smith (2013/2019). “How Do We Get a Science of Politics?” In Political Science Research Methods in Practice. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (2013). “Experimental Research – If Bill Clinton Were a Woman.” In Political Science Research Methods in Practice. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. and Alison Bressler. (2013). “Who Taught You to Talk Like That? The University and Online Political Discourse.” Journal of Political Science Education., 9:4, 453-473.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (2012). “Incorporating Sustainability into an American Government Course: The Problems, the Progress, the Promise.” Journal of Political Science Education. 8,1 20-34.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (2009). “Dreaming Dreams, Living Life.” In William E. Rogers (ed.) Dreaming Dreams Living Lives. Furman University: Center for Theological Exploration of Vocation.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (2009). "Gender and Politics: How the Competitive Paradigm Determines Who Governs and How." In Worthen, W., Henderson, S., Rasmussen, P., and T.L. Benson (eds.) Competition in Theory and Practice: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (2006). “Learning about Power through Service: Qualitative and Quantitative Assessments of a Service-Learning Approach to American Government.” The Journal of Political Science Education. 2:1-24.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S., Smith Ashleigh, and Gus Suarez. (2005, February). “If Bill Clinton Were a Woman: The Effectiveness of Account Strategies following Alleged Transgressions.” Political Psychology. 26: 115-134.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (Winter 2001). “John Stuart Mill’s The Subjection of Women: A Re-Examination.” Polity. 34 (2): 181-203.
  • Smith, Elizabeth S. (1999, September). “The Effects of Investments in the Social Capital of Youth on Political and Civic Behavior in Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Political Psychology. 20(3): 553-580.
  • Anderson, Christopher, Avery, Patricia G., Pederson, Patricia V., Smith, Elizabeth S., and Sullivan, John L. (1997). "Divergent Perspectives on Citizenship Education: A Q- Method Study and Survey of Social Studies Teachers." American Educational Research Journal 34 (2): 333-364.
  • Avery, Patricia G., Sullivan, John L., Smith, Elizabeth S., & Sandell, Stephen. (1996). "Issues-Centered Approaches to Teaching Civics and Government." In Evans, R., & Saxe, D. (Eds.), The Handbook for Teaching Social Issues. Washington, DC: National Council for the Social Studies.

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