Profile
External Links
David L. Leal
Associate Professor — Ph.D., Harvard University
Contact
- E-mail: dleal@austin.utexas.edu
- Phone: 512.471.1343
- Office: BAT 3.140
- Office Hours: By appointment
- Campus Mail Code: A1800
Biography
My primary academic interest is Latino politics. My goal is to understand how Latino individuals and communities shape, and are shaped by, politics in the United States. Because these are complex and multifaceted dynamics, my research spans the fields of public policy, political behavior, and public opinion.
In the public policy field, I am interested in issues with significant implications for Latino communities, particularly immigration and education. My political behavior research examines how factors beyond socio-economic status shape Latino electoral participation. My work on public opinion studies the opinions of Latinos themselves as well as how Latinos are viewed by others.
My recent papers examine how Mexican immigrants engage in both U.S. and transnational politics; the influence of ethnic identification (or the lack thereof) on Latino voter turnout; the political meaning of intra-Catholic identities; the testing of conventional wisdoms about Latinos and immigrants; and the distinctiveness of Latino political opinions and behaviors.
My interests often lead to interdisciplinary approaches. For instance, my work on how religion, military service, transnationalism, and ethnic identity shape Latino political engagement is influenced by sociological research. In addition, my early work examined the substantive implications of Latino descriptive representation on school boards and how political dynamics affect the adoption and implementation of education programs.
Several additional interests might be categorized as North American politics. I wrote a book about American gubernatorial elections, edited a journal symposium about Canadian politics, and have written about Mexican democratization and U.S.-Mexico border politics. Many political and policy dynamics are difficult to understand within the confines of a single nation, so an understanding of regional and border issues is increasingly important to academics and policymakers alike.
Activities
• Director, Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute, University of Texas at Austin
• Founding Director, Immigration Studies Initiative, University of Texas at Austin
• Book Series Editor: “Immigrants and Minorities, Politics and Policy.” Springer
• Member, Editorial Board, American Politics Research, Social Science Quarterly, and State Politics & Policy Quarterly
• In the media: New York Times (“Room for Debate: Why Congress Falters on Immigration”), CNN.com (“Latinos not flexing political muscle – yet”), and the Ottawa Citizen (“Canadians prefer Democrats, study says”)
• 2006-2008: Member, American Political Science Association (APSA) Task Force on Religion and Democracy in the United States
• 2004-2006: Co-Chair, APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession
• 2002-2004: National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow
• 1998-99: APSA Congressional Fellow
Interests
GOV 310L • American Government
39045 •
Fall 2013
Meets
TTH 1100am-1230pm MEZ 1.306
show description
Course Description
This course will introduce you to the government and politics of the United States and Texas. We will cover U.S. political history, political institutions, elections, public opinion, rights and freedoms, and public policy issues. The class begins with the creation of the nation and its fundamental features, including the adoption of the Constitution, the development of democracy, and the importance of federalism. The class then examines public input into the political system, particularly public opinion, individual and group participation, and the political parties. Public input is nowhere better found than in congressional and presidential elections, which are separately discussed. In fact, the main textbook of the class argues that American government can only be fully understood by studying the central role of elections. We then explore the basic institutional building blocks of government – the Congress, presidency, bureaucracy, and courts, as well as the media. We continue by discussing fundamental civil liberties and civil rights, followed by the key policy issues that face national, state, and local governments today. The class will also cover the central features of Texas government and politics and make frequent comparisons between American government and Texas government.
Grading Policy
First midterm: 30%
Second midterm: 32%
Third exam: 33%.
Essay: 5%
Texts
Morris P. Fiorina, Paul E. Peterson, Bertram Johnson, and William G. Mayer. The New American Democracy (either 7th edition, 2011, or the most recent version).
GOV 370K • Latino Politics
39295 •
Fall 2013
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm PAR 201
(also listed as
LAS 337M, MAS 374 )
show description
Course Description
This course will introduce you to the political experiences of the United States Latino populations in the present and historically. The course begins with a discussion of political identity: what does it mean to be Latino, Hispanic, or Chicano, and what are the politically relevant commonalities and differences in Latino communities. We then discuss Latino political history, starting with the Spanish empire but focusing particularly on the 19th and 20th centuries in Texas and the southwest. In doing so, we will study Latino political movements, organizations, and important individuals. Moving to recent decades, the class examines Latino inputs into the American political system – particularly public opinion, voting, and the role of gender in politics. The class also discusses the two largest non-Mexican national-origin groups in the U.S.: Puerto Ricans and Cuban Americans. We then explore the growing voice of Latinos in political institutions, such as the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Lastly, the class covers key policy issues for Latino communities, particularly education and immigration.
Grading Policy
Midterm: 30%
Final: 40%
Writing assignment: 20%
Class participation and engagement: 10%
Texts
-Garcia, F. Chris, and Gabriel Sanchez. 2007. Hispanics and the U.S. Political System: Moving Into the Mainstream. New York: Prentice Hall.
-Gutierrez, David. 1995. Walls and Mirrors: Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Identity. Berkeley: University of California Press.
-Coursepack
GOV 384M • Public Policy Clinic
39085 •
Spring 2013
Meets
W 1200pm-300pm CLA 0.120
show description
Prerequisites
This is a graduate-level course for the Graduate Research Assistants of the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute in the Department of Government.
Course Description
This is a graduate-level course for the Graduate Research Assistants of the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute in the Department of Government. The first core component of the class is for the students to engage in supervised research activities throughout the semester. These assignments will relate to the Public Policy focus of the Institute, and students will thereby enhance their scholarly knowledge of Public Policy fields as well as related Government topics. The class will study subjects with both scholarly and practical implications. The research projects will involve students working either individually or as a group, and the students will also have the opportunity to advance their methodological and research skills. Second, the students will individually present their research findings on two class days. The class and instructor will discuss these projects and presentations as well as methodological issues, related research, publication opportunities, and future research directions. The students will sign up for presentation times at the beginning of the semester. These presentations, as well as related discussion and group activities, will constitute the content of the fifteen class meetings.
Grading Policy
The students will receive a grade of credit or no credit – there is no letter grade option. Grades are based on satisfactory participation in the seminar and satisfactory performance of research assignments.
Texts
None
GOV 310L • American Government
38590 •
Fall 2012
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm MEZ 1.306
show description
Course Description
This course will introduce you to the government and politics of the United States and Texas. We will cover U.S. political history, political institutions, elections, public opinion, rights and freedoms, public policy issues, and social science perspectives on politics and policy. The class begins with the creation of the nation and its fundamental features, including the adoption of the Constitution, the development of democracy, and the importance of federalism. The class then examines public input into the political system, particularly congressional and presidential elections, public opinion, individual and group participation, and the political parties. We then explore the basic institutional building blocks of government – the Congress, presidency, bureaucracy, and courts, as well as the media. We continue by studying fundamental civil liberties and civil rights, followed by the key policy issues that face national, state, and local governments today. The class will also discuss the central features of Texas government and politics and make frequent comparisons between American government and Texas government.
Grading Policy
Midterm #1: 25%
Midterm #2: 30%
Final exam: 40%
Writing assignments: 5%
GOV 384M • Public Policy Clinic
38940 •
Spring 2012
Meets
W 1200pm-300pm GAR 2.124
show description
This is a graduate-level course for the Graduate Research Assistants of the Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute in the Department of Government. The first core component of the class is for the students to engage in supervised research activities throughout the semester. These assignments will relate to the Public Policy focus of the Institute, and students will thereby enhance their scholarly knowledge of Public Policy fields as well as related Government topics. The class will study subjects with both scholarly and practical implications. The research projects will involve students working either individually or as a group, and the students will also have the opportunity to advance their methodological and research skills. Second, the students will individually present their research findings on two class days. The class and instructor will discuss these projects and presentations as well as methodological issues, related research, publication opportunities, and future research directions. The students will sign up for presentation times at the beginning of the semester. These presentations, as well as related discussion and group activities, will constitute the content of the fifteen class meetings.
Grading
The students will receive a grade of credit or no credit – there is no letter grade option. Grades are based on satisfactory participation in the seminar and satisfactory performance of research assignments.
GOV 310L • American Government
38595 •
Fall 2011
Meets
TTH 330pm-500pm MEZ 1.306
show description
This course is an introduction to American government and politics. While the main focus is on the national level, additional attention is paid to the state and local governments of Texas. Topics will include U.S. political history, political institutions, elections, public opinion, rights and freedoms, and public policy issues.
GOV 310L • American Government
38405 •
Fall 2010
Meets
TTH 500pm-630pm MEZ 1.306
show description
Description:
This course will introduce you to the government and politics of the United States. We
will cover U.S. political history, political institutions, elections, public opinion, rights and
freedoms, and public policy issues. The class begins with the creation of the nation and
its fundamental features, including the adoption of the Constitution, the development of
democracy, and the importance of federalism. The class then examines public input into
the political system, particularly public opinion, individual and group participation, and
the political parties. Public input is nowhere better found than in congressional and
presidential elections, which are separately discussed. In fact, the main textbook of the
class argues that American government can only be fully understood by studying the
central role of elections. We then explore the basic institutional building blocks of
government – the Congress, presidency, bureaucracy, and courts, as well as the media.
We continue by studying fundamental civil liberties and civil rights, followed by the key
policy issues that face national, state, and local governments today. The class will also
make frequent comparisons between American government and Texas government.
Grading Policy:
First midterm: 25%
Second midterm: 25%
Final exam: 40%.
Class attendance/participation: 10%
Textbooks:
Fiorina et al.’s New American Democracy (special binder edition)
John Rourke’s You Decide! Current Debates in American Politics, 2010 Edition (7th edition)
GOV 370L • The United States Congress
38708 •
Fall 2010
Meets
TTH 1230pm-200pm UTC 4.112
show description
GOV 370L • The United States Congress
38980 •
Spring 2010
Meets
MWF 900-1000 MEZ B0.306
show description
GOV 310L • American Government
39005-39020 •
Fall 2009
Meets
MW 200pm-300pm CAL 100
show description
This course is an introduction to American government and politics. While the main focus is on the national level, additional attention is paid to the state and local governments of Texas. Topics will include U.S. political history, political institutions, elections, public opinion, rights and freedoms, and public policy issues.
Publications
Under Contract. David L. Leal, Taeku Lee, and Mark Sawyer (Eds.). Oxford Handbook of Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Individual chapters to first appear via Oxford Handbooks Online.
Under Contract. David L. Leal, Jennifer Merolla, and Adrian D. Pantoja. Latino Politics – American Politics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Forthcoming. David L. Leal and Jose E. Limón (Eds.). Immigration and the Border: Politics and Policy in the New Latino Century. South Bend: University of Notre Dame Press.
2013. “Chapters, Volumes, Editors! Oh My! Reassessing the Role of Edited Volumes in the Social Sciences.” PS: Political Science & Politics, v46: 380-82.
2013. Jason P. Casellas and David L. Leal. “Partisanship or Population? House and Senate Immigration Votes in the 109th and 110th Congresses.” Politics, Groups, and Identities, v1(1): 48-65.
2013. Taofang Huang, David L. Leal, Byung-Jae Lee, and Jill Strube. “Assessing the Online Legislative Resources of the American States.” Policy & Internet (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford), v4: 72-90.
2013. David L. Leal and Curt Nichols. “Military Family Attitudes towards Senior Civilian Leaders in the United States.” Armed Forces & Society, v39: 53-77
2012. David L. Leal, Byung-Jae Lee, and James A. McCann. “Transnational Absentee Voting in the 2006 Mexican Presidential Election: The Roots of Participation.” Electoral Studies, v31: 540-549.
2012. Julie A. Dowling, Christopher G. Ellison, and David L. Leal. “Who Doesn’t Value English? Debunking Myths About Mexican Immigrants’ Attitudes Towards the English Language.” Social Science Quarterly, v93: 356-78.
2011. Christopher G. Ellison, Heeju Shin, and David L. Leal. "The Contact Hypothesis and Attitudes toward Latinos in the United States." Social Science Quarterly, v92: 938-958.
2011. David L. Leal. “Latinos, Immigration, and the U.S. Recession.” In John Higley, John Nieuwenhuysen, and Stine Neerup (eds.), Immigration and the Financial Crisis: The United States and Australia Compared. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
2011. David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.). The Politics of Latino Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
Reviewed in Teachers College Record (2011).
2011. Kenneth J. Meier, Eric Gonzalez Juenke, David L. Leal, and Valerie Martinez-Ebers “The Effect of Electoral Structure on Representation: Latino Education Politics, 1986 and 2001.” In David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.), The Politics of Latino Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
2011. John Bohte, David L. Leal, Jerry L. Polinard, James P. Wenzel, and Robert D. Wrinkle. “A Solution or a Problem? Charter Schools and Latino Students in Traditional Texas Public Schools.” In David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.), The Politics of Latino Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
2010. Corrine M. McConnaughy, Ismail K. White, David L. Leal, and Jason P. Casellas. "A Latino on the Ballot: Explaining Co-Ethnic Voting among Latinos and the Response of White Americans." Journal of Politics, v72: 1199-1211.
2010. Rodolfo O. de la Garza, Louis DeSipio, and David L. Leal (Eds). Beyond the Barrio: Latinos in the 2004 Elections. South Bend: University of Notre Dame Press.
2010. David L. Leal and Stephen J. Trejo (Eds.). Latinos and the Economy. New York: Springer. See also SpringerLink.
2010. David L. Leal, Curt Nichols, and Jeremy Teigen. “Latino Veterans and Income: Are There Gains from Military Service?” In David L. Leal and Stephen J. Trejo (Eds.), Latinos and the Economy. New York: Springer.
2010. "Religion in Latino Political and Civic Lives." In Alan Wolfe and Ira Katznelson (Eds.), Religion and Democracy in the United States: Danger or Opportunity? Princeton and New York: Princeton University Press and Russell Sage Foundation.
Volume reviewed in Journal of American Studies: "The political lives of American Latinos direct Leal’s essay. As a synthesis of available research, his nuanced take on the relationship between religion, grassroots organizing, ethnic identity, culture, and party politics is a must-read, especially for anyone teaching Latino politics."
2010. Jason P. Casellas and David L. Leal. "Minority Representation in the United States Congress." In Karen Bird, Thomas Saalfeld, and Andreas M. Wüst (Eds.), The Representation of Immigrants and Visible Minorities in Liberal Democracies: Voters, Parties, and Parliaments. London: Routledge (ECPR Studies in European Political Science).
2010. Rodolfo O. de la Garza and David L. Leal. “Latino Politics.” In George T. Kurian (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Political Science. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
2009. “Stalemate: U.S. Immigration Reform Efforts, 2005 to 2007.” People & Place, v17: 1-17.
2009. James A. McCann, Wayne A. Cornelius, and David L. Leal. "Absentee Voting and Transnational Civic Engagement among Mexican Expatriates." In Jorge I. Domínguez, Chappell Lawson, and Alejandro Moreno (Eds.), Consolidating Mexico’s Democracy: The 2006 Presidential Campaign in Comparative Perspective. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
2009. "Latinos, Immigration, and Social Cohesion in the United States." In John Higley and John Nieuwenhuysen (Eds.), Nations of Immigrants: Australia and the USA Compared. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
2009. Book Review: Maurice Bowra: A Life. Leslie Mitchell, 2009, Oxford University Press. Canadian Journal of Higher Education / Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur.
2008. Terri E. Givens, Gary P. Freeman, and David L. Leal (Eds.). Immigration Policy and Security: US, European, and Commonwealth Perspectives. New York: Routledge.
2008. "The Citizen-Soldier, Then and Now: The National Guard, Military Reserves, and ROTC." In Derek S. Reveron and Judith Hicks Stiehm (Eds.), Inside Defense: Understanding the U.S. Military in the 21st Century. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan.
2008. David L. Leal, Stephen A. Nuño, Jongho Lee, and Rodolfo O. de la Garza. "Latinos, Immigration, and the 2006 Midterm Elections." PS: Political Science & Politics, v41: 309-317.
2007. Guest Editor for Special Issue "Latino Politics During the Bush Years." American Politics Research, v35, n2.
2007. Matt A. Barreto and David L. Leal. "Latinos, Military Service, and Support for Bush and Kerry in 2004." American Politics Research, v35: 224-251.
2007. "Latinos, Religion, and the 2004 Presidential Election." In David E. Campbell (Ed.), A Matter of Faith? Religion in the 2004 Elections. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.
2007. Rodolfo Espino, David L. Leal, and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.). Latino Politics: Identity, Mobilization, and Representation. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. Reviewed in Centro Journal (Spring, 2009).
2007. "Latino Public Opinion: Does It Exist?" In Rodolfo Espino, David L. Leal, and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.), Latino Politics: Identity, Mobilization, and Representation. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press.
2007. "Students in Uniform: ROTC, the Citizen-Soldier, and the Civil-Military Gap." PS: Political Science & Politics, v40: 479-483.
2006. Electing America's Governors: The Politics of Executive Elections. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan.
Reviewed in Political Science Quarterly (Spring 2008) by Thad Kousser: "Leal's explicitly comparative approach of studying governors and senators side by side is a welcome innovation. Few works on state or national politics collect data on both levels of government. Leal does so in this book, often conducting parallel analyses to discover what governors have in common with the senators who represent the same sets of constituents, and how their campaign dynamics differ. The end product is a book that provides the most wide-ranging analysis of gubernatorial elections yet produced, and puts its findings in the context of races for other offices . . . [an] intriguing book."
2006. Symposium Editor: "The Politics of Canada." PS: Political Science & Politics, v39, n4.
2006. "Symposium Introduction: Canada – The Unknown Country." PS: Political Science & Politics, v39: 813-814.
2006. David L. Leal and Dan Lipinski. "Northern Exposure? The Politics of Canadian Provincial Admission into the United States." PS: Political Science & Politics, v39: 843-847.
2006. "Mexican-American and Cuban-American Public Opinion: Differences at the State Level?" In Jeffrey Cohen (Ed.), Public Opinion in State Politics. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
2005. "American Public Opinion toward the Military: Differences by Race, Gender, and Class?" Armed Forces & Society, v32: 123-138.
2005. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "School House Politics: Expenditures, Interests, and Competition in School Board Elections." In William Howell (Ed.), Beseiged: School Boards and the Future of Education Politics. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.
2005. David L. Leal, Matt A. Barreto, Jongho Lee, and Rodolfo O. de la Garza. "The Latino Vote in the 2004 Election." PS: Political Science & Politics, v38: 41-49.
2004. "Latinos and School Vouchers: Testing the ‘Minority Support’ Hypothesis." Social Science Quarterly, v85: 1227-1237.
2004. David L. Leal and Frederick M. Hess. "Who Chooses Experience? Examining the Use of Veteran Staff by House Freshmen." Polity, v36: 651-664.
2004. Luis R. Fraga and David L. Leal. "Playing the ‘Latino Card’: Race, Ethnicity, and National Party Politics." Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, v1: 297-317.
2004. David L. Leal, Valerie Martinez-Ebers, and Kenneth J. Meier. "The Politics of Latino Education: The Biases of At-Large Elections." Journal of Politics, v66: 1224-1244.
2004. "Assessing Traditional Teacher Preparation: Evidence from a Survey of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs." In Frederick M. Hess, Andrew Rotherham & Kate Walsh (Eds.), A Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom? Appraising Old Answers and New Ideas. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
2003. David L. Leal and Frederick M. Hess. "Technocracies, Bureaucracies, or Responsive Polities? Urban School Systems and the Politics of School Violence Prevention." Social Science Quarterly, v84: 526-542.
2003. David L. Leal, Frederick M. Hess, and Syed A. Ali. "Contestation versus Replacement? Republican Party Gains in Southern State Legislative Elections." Politics & Policy, v31: 648-670.
2003. "Early Money and Senate Primary Elections." American Politics Research, v31: 93-104.
2003. "Democratization and the Ghost of Zapata: Mexico from 1959 to 1991." International Journal of Public Opinion Research, v15: 134-150.
2003. "Unorthodox Lawmaking: Juvenile Crime Legislation after Columbine." In Colton C. Campbell and Paul S. Herrnson (Eds.), War Stories from Capitol Hill. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
2003. "Minority Voters and Candidates: Tracking Trends." In Robert Watson and Colton Campbell (Eds.), Campaigns and Elections: Issues, Concepts, and Cases. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
2003. "The Multicultural Military: Military Service and the Acculturation of Latinos and Anglos." Armed Forces & Society, v29: 183-226.
2002. "Political Participation by Latino Non-Citizens in the United States." British Journal of Political Science, v32: 353-370.
2002. "Home is Where the Heart is: Congressional Tenure, Retirement, and the Implications for Representation." American Politics Research, v30: 266-285.
2001. Michael Jones-Correa and David L. Leal. "Political Participation: Does Religion Matter?" Political Research Quarterly, v54: 751-770.
Recipient of the Western Political Science Association award for best paper published in Political Research Quarterly in 2001.
2001. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "The Opportunity to Engage: How Race, Class, and Institutions Structure Access to Educational Deliberation." Educational Policy, v15: 474-490.
2001. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "A Shrinking Digital Divide? The Provision of Classroom Computers across Urban School Systems." Social Science Quarterly, v82: 765-778.
2001. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "Quality, Race, and the Urban Education Marketplace." Urban Affairs Review, v37: 249-266.
2000. David L. Leal and Frederick M. Hess. "The Effect of Party on Issue Emphasis in the 1994 House Elections." In David W. Brady, John F. Cogan, and Morris P. Fiorina (Eds.), Continuity and Change in House Elections. Stanford: Stanford University Press / Hoover Institution Press.
2000. David L. Leal and Frederick M. Hess. "The Politics of Bilingual Education Expenditures in Urban School Districts." Social Science Quarterly, v81: 1064-1072.
1999. "It’s Not Just a Job: Military Service and Latino Political Participation." Political Behavior, v21: 153-174.
1999. David L. Leal and Frederick M. Hess. "Survey Bias on the Front Porch: Are All Subjects Interviewed Equally?" American Politics Quarterly, v27: 468-487.
1999. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "Computer-Assisted Learning in Urban Classrooms: The Impact of Politics, Race, and Class." Urban Education, v34: 370-388.
1999. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "Politics and Sex-Related Programs in Urban Schooling." Urban Affairs Review, v35: 24-43.
1999. "Congress and Charter Schools." In Robert Maranto, Scott Milliman, Frederick Hess, and April Gresham (Eds.), School Choice in the Real World: Lessons from Arizona Charter Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
1997. Frederick M. Hess and David L. Leal. "Minority Teachers, Minority Students, and College Matriculation: A New Look at the Role-Modeling Hypothesis." Policy Studies Journal, v25: 235-248.
1996. Michael Jones-Correa and David L. Leal. "Becoming ‘Hispanic’: Secondary Pan-Ethnic Identification among Latin American-Origin Populations in the United States." Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, v18: 214-254.
