Assistant Professor · Drexel University · Department of Politics

Travis B.
Curtice

Political scientist studying repression, policing, trust, and governance in authoritarian regimes.

Travis B. Curtice

Photo: Thomas Prettyman

About

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics at Drexel University, where I also serve as affiliated faculty with the Center for Public Policy. Previously, I was a Niehaus Postdoctoral Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy and International Security at the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College, and a Jennings Randolph Peace Scholar Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace.

I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from Emory University, where I received the Pursuit of Excellence Award for my research. My fieldwork in Uganda since 2007, along with policy work on Kenya, Liberia, Nepal, and Burundi, anchors my scholarship in deep empirical engagement.

My research examines how repression and coercive policing shape governance, trust, and legitimacy — especially in authoritarian contexts. I have published in International Security, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, European Journal of International Relations, and Journal of Global Security Studies, among others.

I am also beginning a research agenda on the global politics of national parks and protected lands, exploring how land designations intersect with conservation, environmental politics, and human rights.

Much of my research is grounded in policy engagement. I served as a co-evaluator for the UN Peacebuilding Fund's portfolio evaluation of its support to Burundi (2014–2020), conducted by the Research on International Policy Implementation Lab (RIPIL) at American University. I conducted election observation fieldwork in Kenya, Liberia, and Nepal as a Data Fellow for the Carter Center's Democracy Program.

I served as Communications Director for the African Politics Conference Group of the American Political Science Association.

Outside of research and teaching, I can be found rock climbing at New River Gorge, the Gunks, or my local gym with my family.

Book Project

Under Review

The Repression Dilemma: Trust, Political Violence, and Policing

Under Review at Cambridge University Press

Policing in non-democracies is puzzling. Police must solicit community cooperation to provide law and order, yet they are also tasked with everyday repression to deter dissent. This book provides a theoretical and empirical examination of how repression shapes public perceptions of police, explores the role of in-group bias in cooperation, and examines the implications of repression for crime and social order. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Uganda, I argue that repression decreases public support and citizen cooperation, undermining the state's capacity to deter crime and provide security.

Publications

Working Papers & Works in Progress

  • "Who Makes the State? National Ownership and International Statebuilding: Evidence from an Electoral Authoritarian Regime" — with Susanna Campbell and Yolande Bouka

  • "Securing the Ballot or the Voter: The Politics of Policing Election Violence"

  • "Neighborhood Watches and Reporting Crime in Uganda: Evidence from a List and Endorsement Experiment" — EGAP ID: 20180605AC

  • "Indigenous Sacred Sites, Environmental Risks, or Economic Costs? How Climbers Prioritize Access Restrictions" — with David P. Carter, John Flynn, and Leandra H. Hernández

  • "Moral Hypocrisy: How do Americans Want Their Leaders to Respond When United States Partners Violate Human Rights?" — with Meg K. Guliford

Media & Public Writing

Washington Post Soldiers and police are on the streets as Ugandans prepare to vote January 2021 Political Violence at a Glance Democracy in Crisis: Do Americans Support Deploying Election Monitors? November 2020 Washington Post Autocratic governments are using coronavirus as pretext to clamp down on opponents July 2020 Political Violence at a Glance The Political Backlash of Repressive Policing June 2020 Washington Post Trump wants to pull Cameroon's preferential trade status. Here's what you need to know. November 2019 Washington Post Ugandan police are attacking protesters. Here's how that backfires. January 2019 Democracy in Africa Do coups improve human rights in countries like Gabon? January 2019 Sojourners The Curse of Doing Nothing for Aleppo December 2016

Teaching

Drexel University

  • Authoritarian Politics PSCI 379
  • Politics of Policing PSCI 378
  • Comparative Politics II PSCI 240
  • Comparative Politics I PSCI 140

Emory University

  • Repression and Control in Dictatorships POLS 385 · Co-Instructor with Jennifer Gandhi
  • Introduction to Statistical Inference Lab QTM 100 · Lab Instructor
  • Workshops on Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection Institute for Developing Nations & The Carter Center
  • Introduction to International Relations POLS 110 · Teaching Assistant
  • Intermediate International Relations POLS 210 · Grader
Colorado River, Moab

Student Evaluations

"Professor Curtice is one of the best professors in the Drexel political science department. He is tough but his courses are worth it. Professor Curtice is a professor you can count on to give an amazing class."

Authoritarian Politics

"Professor Curtice executed class functions flawlessly, and imbued his students with a breadth of knowledge unparalleled in an 11-week course. He managed to display both positive and negative aspects of local, national, and international policing in a neutral, yet critical lens."

Politics of Policing

"Dr. Curtice is very insightful and treats every student with respect, encouraging curiosity and engagement with the material and modern politics. Curtice is an amazing lecturer."

Introduction to Comparative Politics

"This course exposed me to the aspects of authoritarian regimes that we covered in other courses but took it a step further. Each week being dedicated to a different aspect of authoritarianism was a very efficient way to set up the course."

Authoritarian Politics

"Focusing on politics outside of the U.S. helped me better understand the reality of the world that I live in. The discussions were difficult at times, only to the benefit of the class. Dr. Curtice managed to facilitate a safe and productive learning environment."

Introduction to Comparative Politics

"I appreciated the way he was able to keep personal politics out of his lectures while explaining difficult political topics. Professor Curtice was also very accommodating in providing me with my disability accommodations."

Introduction to Comparative Politics

"Professor Curtice created an incredibly engaging environment and provided us with resources and readings that truly helped my learning experience. I will recommend this class to everyone in the major."

Authoritarian Politics

"It was one of the more difficult classes I have taken with Professor Curtice, but if you put in the work he was very willing to help. Thank you for one of the most rewarding classes I have had in a while."

Politics of Policing

"There is a balance of defining terms and giving examples so that classmates can keep up with the topics even if they don't have background knowledge. Developing a language to discuss comparative politics was the most beneficial aspect."

Introduction to Comparative Politics

"I liked the passion with which this course was taught. I could tell that the professor was passionate about the topic and was also very knowledgeable. These factors in turn made me care more about the subject."

Introduction to Comparative Politics