Jacob Turner, PhD

Visisting Assistant Professor

Penn State University, University Park

I am a political scientist investigating the relationships between the security sector, citizens, and elected politicians in the context of democratic regimes. This broad theme includes investigating how experiences of violence and interactions with law enforcement influence the development of trust in public institutions, understanding how agents of the security sector organize politically, and uncovering the causes and consequences of local crime reduction policy choices.

I am currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Pennsylvania State University School of Public Policy. There, I work for REPGOV, an ERC-funded project investigating the role of public administration in shaping democratic values.

Previously, I was a postdoctoral researcher at the Dove Research Centre: Human Development and Violence as a part of the Wellcome Trust “Lifecourse Determinants and Prevention of Violence” project.

While most of my work has focused on Brazil, I have also published research on violence and state institutions focused on El Salvador and the United States.

On this page, you can find a discussion of my research, teaching philosophy, and some examples of original interactive elements from survey-based research. You can find an up-to-date CV here.

Education

• PhD, Political Science
  University of Notre Dame

• MS, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics
  University of Notre Dame

• MA, Political Science
  University of Notre Dame

• BA, International Studies
  Rhodes College