Political communication, communication and development, comparative politics; African politics; political behavior; democratization; political economy of development; comparative research design; field research methodology; and statistical analysis.
Biography
Biography
Assistant Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania (2009 to present)
Democracy Fellow, USAID Office of Democracy and Governance (June 2008 – 2009)
Assistant Professor, Department of Government, Cornell University (July 2003 – 2009)
Scholar, Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, Harvard University (July 2005 – 2007)
Education
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ph.D. in Political Science: August 2003
Dissertation Title: Creating Distrusting Democrats: The Effects of Citizen Participation in Ugandan Constitution-Making
Committee: Jennifer Widner (Chair), Nancy Burns, Mark Tessler, and Frederick Cooper
Major: Comparative Politics
Minors: Political Economy of Development, Methodology
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
B.A., Development Studies, December 1994
Summa Cum Laude, University Honors, Department Honors, Phi Beta Kappa
The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
Education Abroad Program, 1992-1993
Teaching Interests
Political communication, communication and development, comparative politics; African politics; political behavior; democratization; political economy of development; comparative research design; field research methodology; and statistical analysis.
Top
Publications
Publications and Work in Progress
Moehler, Devra C. (forthcoming 2010) “Democracy, Governance, and Randomized Development Assistance.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
Moehler, Devra C. and Staffan Lindberg. (forthcoming October 2009) “Narrowing the Legitimacy Gap: Turnovers as a Cause of Democratic Consolidation.” Journal of Politics.
Moehler, Devra C. (2009) “Critical Citizens and Submissive Subjects: Election Losers and Winners in Africa.” British Journal of Political Science, 39(2): 345-66.
Moehler, Devra C. (2008) Distrusting Democrats: Outcomes of Participatory Constitution-Making. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Moehler, Devra C. (2007) “Participation in Transition: Mobilizing Ugandans in Constitution Making.” Studies in Comparative International Development, 42(2): 164-90.
Moehler, Devra C. (2006) “Public Participation and Support for the Constitution in Uganda.” Journal of Modern African Studies, 44(2): 275-308.
Moehler, Devra C. (2006) “Review of Public Opinion, Democracy, and Market Reform in Africa by Michael Bratton, Robert Mattes, and E. Gyimah-Boadi.” Journal of Modern African Studies, 44(1): 157-58.
Moehler, Devra C. (2005) “Review of Public Opinion, Democracy, and Market Reform in Africa by Michael Bratton, Robert Mattes, and E. Gyimah-Boadi.” Foreign Affairs, 84(3): 152.
Moehler, Devra C. (2005) “Off to the Field.” APSA-Comparative Politics Newsletter 16(2): 16-8.
Moehler, Devra C. “Informed Distrusting Democrats: The Effects of Citizen Participation in Ugandan Constitution-Making.” Revise and resubmit, Comparative Political Studies.
Moehler, Devra C. and Naunihal Singh. “Don’t Touch That Dial: Trust in Private Versus Public Media in Africa.” Revise and resubmit, Political Research Quarterly.
Moehler, Devra C. and Nicolas van de Walle. “Pro and Anti-Americanism in Sub Saharan Africa.” Article in progress.
David Backer and Devra C. Moehler. “The Puzzling Persistence of Semi-Permanent Refugee Camps.” Article in progress.
Nisbet, Erik and Devra C. Moehler. “Political Communication Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Developing Integrated Models of Politics, Media, & Society.” Article in progress.
Moehler, Devra C. Media Effects and Political Knowledge in Africa. Book project in progress.
Fellowships, Grants, and Honors
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Democracy Fellow (2008-2009)
One year support while in residence in the Office of Democracy and Governance.
Harvard Academy Scholar, Academy for International and Area Studies (2005-2007)
Two years of support while in residence at the Academy.
United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Research Grant (2006-2007)
$50,829 for research on media effects and political knowledge in Africa.
Cornell University President's Council of Cornell Women Affinito/Stewart Grant Award (2006)
$10,581 for research on private radio and media effects in Africa. Devra C. Moehler
Cornell University Einaudi Center for International Studies Seed Grant Competition (2006)
$15,000 for research in Uganda on media effects and political knowledge.
Cornell University Institute for the Social Sciences (ISS) Seed Grant Award (2005)
$10,209 for research in Ghana on media effects and political knowledge.
Nominated by University of Michigan for the APSA Gabriel A. Almond Award (2004)
For the best doctoral dissertation in the field of comparative politics.
South African Initiatives Office Research Grant, University of Michigan (2003)
For conference and research in South Africa
Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship, University of Michigan (2002-2003)
One year of tuition and stipend.
Mary Malcomson Raphael Fellowship, University of Michigan (2002-2003)
One year of tuition and stipend (declined).
National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Grant (2000-2001)
$16,300 for dissertation research in Uganda.
Fulbright IIE Fellowship (2000-2001)
$26,450 for dissertation research in Uganda.
United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship (2000-2001)
For dissertation research in Uganda (declined).
Alice Paul Award given by the Women’s Caucus for Political Science (2000)
For the best dissertation proposal by a woman graduate student in Political Science.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowship (1998-2000, 2001-2002)
Three years of tuition and stipend.
Department of Political Science Dissertation Thesis Grant, University of Michigan (1999, 2000)
To attend conference in Uganda; For dissertation research in Uganda.
Center for the Education of Women, University of Michigan (1999)
To attend conference on constitutionalism in Uganda
International Institute Predissertation Research Award, University of Michigan (1999)
For two months exploratory research in Uganda.
CAAS African Initiative Predissertation Fellowship, University of Michigan (1999)
For two months exploratory research in Uganda.
CAAS African Initiative Graduate Fellowship, University of Michigan (1997-1998)
One year of tuition and stipend.
Presentations
“Improving Democracy and Governance Assistance through Impact Evaluations.” Presentations at USAID Democracy Officers Workshop, Washington DC, June 2008, June 2009; Presentations for or USAID employees and partners in Washington DC and in Juba Sudan, January 2009; Kyiv Ukraine, April 2009; and Jakarta Indonesia, May 2009.
“Calls for Peace and Violence: Mobile Phones and Election Violence in Kenya.” Presentation at Workshop on Media and Post-Election Violence in Eastern Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 2008.
“Don’t Touch That Dial: Trust in Private Versus Public Media in Africa.” Paper presented at Workshop Home Away From Home: Central Asia and Africa in Comparative Perspective, Cornell University, Ithaca, September 2008.
“Tune in to Governance: An Experimental Investigation of Radio Campaigns in Africa.” Paper presented at conference Field Experiments, Institute for Political and Economic Governance (IPEG), University of Manchester, Manchester UK, July 2008.
“Participatory Constitution Making and Constitutional Legitimacy.” Presentation at Temple Law Review Symposium Law without Borders: Current Legal Challenges around the Globe, Temple Law School, March 2008.
“Constitution Making and State Building”. Memo presented at conference Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Statebuilding, Graduate Center, City University of New York, January 2008.
“The Puzzling Persistence of Semi-Permanent Refugee Camps.” (with David Backer). Paper presented at Northeast Universities Development Consortium, Harvard, Cambridge, October 2007.
“Narrowing the Legitimacy Gap: The Role of Turnovers in Africa’s Emerging Democracies.” (with Staffan Lindberg). Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, New York, October 2007.
“Ethics of Experimentation and Issues of Implementation.” Comments at conference Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Methods as Applied to the Study of Governance in the Developing World, Harvard, Cambridge, September 2007
“Private Radio and Public Information: An Experimental Study of Radio Campaigns in Africa.” Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 2007.
“Discord and Harmony from the Ballot Box: Turnovers and Legitimacy in Africa.” (with Staffan Lindberg). Paper presented at conference The Micro-Foundations of Mass Politics in Africa, Michigan State University, East Lansing, May 2007.
“Polling Data on African Opinion of United States Policies, Values and People.” Invited testimony at Hearing of U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Africa, Washington DC, March 2007. Devra C. Moehler Curriculum
“Tune in to Governance: An Experimental Investigation of Radio Campaigns in Africa.” Invited presentation to Harvard Joint Committee on African Studies-WCFIA Seminar on Africa, Cambridge, February 2007.
“Publicizing Government Performance: An Experimental Investigation of Radio Campaigns in Africa.” Invited presentation to University of Michigan Center for Political Studies Workshop on Democratic Politics, Ann Arbor, November 2006.
“Don’t Touch That Dial: Citizen Trust of Public versus Private Media in Africa.” (with Naunihal Singh). Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 2006.
“Anti-Americanism in Sub Saharan Africa” (with Nicolas van de Walle). Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2006.
“The Political Effects of Private Radio Access in Africa.” Invited presentation to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Political Science Work in Progress Colloquia, Cambridge, March 2006.
“Free and Fair or Fraudulent and Forged: Elections and Perceived Legitimacy in Africa.” Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Washington DC, November 2005.
“Free and Fair or Fraudulent and Forged: Elections and Perceived Legitimacy in Africa.” Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington DC, August 2005.
“Political Communication Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Developing Integrated Models of Politics, Media, & Society.” (with Erik Nisbet). Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington DC, August 2005.
“Afrobarometer Surveys: What Have We Learned?” Roundtable panelist for Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2005.
“Starting Off Participating: The Mobilization of Ugandans in the Constitution-Making Process.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2004.
“Anti-Americanism in Sub Saharan Africa: Tentative Hypotheses.” (with Nicolas van de Walle). Memo presented at Cornell Workshop on Anti-Americanism, Ithaca, April 2004.
“Informed Distrusting Democrats: The Effects of Citizen Participation in Ugandan Constitution-Making.” Paper presented at the Cornell Institute for African Development Symposium “Security, Reconstruction, and Reconciliation: When the Wars End,” Ithaca, April 2004.
“The Consequences of Political Participation.” Presentation to the Cornell Institute for African Development Seminar Series, Ithaca, April 2004.
“Where Participation Takes Place.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Political Science Association, Portland, March 2004.
“Public Participation and Support for the Constitution in Uganda.” Paper presented at Cornell University Social Science Seminar, Ithaca, November 2003.
“Public Participation and Support for the Constitution in Uganda.” Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Regional Peace Studies Consortium “Dimensions of Human Security: Lessons from Africa and Beyond,” Ithaca College, Ithaca, October 2003.
“Public Participation and Support for the Constitution in Uganda.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 2003.
“Creating Distrustful Democrats.” Paper presented at the 19th International Political Science Association Conference (IPSA), Durban, South Africa, July 2003.
“Creating Democratic and Distrustful Citizens.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2003.
“Participatory Constitution-Making and Constitutional Legitimacy.” Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2003.
“Creating Informed Distrusting Democrats.” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Savannah, November 2002.
“Can Democratic Attitudes be Taught?” Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2002.
“The Puzzling Persistence of Semi-Permanent Refugee Camps.” (with David Backer). Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 2000.
Top