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Dr. Scott McLean is Professor of Political Science at Quinnipiac University, and Faculty Directory of the University Honors Program. He earned his Ph.D. at Rutgers University.

Professor McLean has a national reputation as a leader in civic education. In 2018, he was recognized with the Quinnipiac Center for Excellence in Teaching Award. He currently serves his term as President of the New England Political Science Association.

McLean's research expertise is in the fields of national elections, public opinion, political thought, and civic education. His essays and expert analysis appear frequently in state, national and international media, such as New York Times, the London Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, Fox News, Hartford Courant, Newsweek and TIME magazine.

McLean's most recent research includes: “Connecticut Sings the Blues: Suburbia, Mavericks, and Policy Innovation.” in More Than Blue: he Diversity of New England Politics in an Era of National Partisan Divides (Univ. Massachusetts Press, 2024); Presidential Swing States: Why Only Ten Matter, ed. by D. Schultz (Lexington Books 2015, 2017, 2nd edition, and 2022, 3rd edition); and “Collective Memory and the Pandemic Emergence of Generation Z” in Generations in American Politics, edited by Sally Friedman and David Schultz (University of Michigan Press, 2023). He is co-author and editor (with David Schultz and Manfred Steger) of the book Social Capital: Critical Perspectives on Community (New York University Press, 2002).

Professor McLean lives in New Haven, where he is active on grassroots issues of food insecurity. He serves on the Board of Directors of Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Inc. (https://www.deskct.org/).

Education

  • BA, Whitman College
  • PHD, Rutgers-The State Univ of NJ

Areas of Expertise

  • National elections and political parties
  • public opinion and political psychology
  • government ethics
  • political ideologies

Organization

  • Academic Innovation and Effect

Office Location

  • Comms, Computing & Engineering 205B

Mail Drop

  • SB-ACA

Experience

Quinnipiac University

Faculty Director of University Honors Program

Hamden, CT USA

2022 - Present

Quinnipiac University

Professor of Political Science

Hamden, CT

2008 - Present

Quinnipiac University

Director, Quinnipiac Washington DC Programs ("QU in DC")

Hamden, CT

2004 - Present

Quinnpiac University

Associate Professor of Political Science

Hamden, CT

2000 - 2008

Quinnipiac University

Assistant Professor of Political Science

Hamden, CT

1995 - 2000

Whitman College

Visiting Professor of Politics

Walla Walla WA

1994 - 1995

Selected Publications

Chapter

More than Blue, More Than Yankee: The Diversity of New England Politics in an Era of National Partisan Divides

McLean, Scott L.

“Connecticut Sings the Blues: Suburbia, Mavericks, and Policy Innovation.” 2024 Amherst, MA (University of Massachusetts Press 2024)

Chapter

Generations in American Politics: From the Silents to Gen Z and Beyond

McLean, Scott L.

“Collective Memory and the Pandemic Emergence of Generation Z.” 2024 Ann Arbor, MI (University of Michigan 2024)

Chapter

Presidential Swing States (ed. by Schultz, D. and Jacob, R.)

McLean, Scott L.

“Politics Now is All About the Purple Battlegrounds.” 3rd (2022) Lanham, MD (Lexington Books 2022)

Chapter

Generations in American Politics, (ed. by Schultz, D. and Friedman, S.)

McLean, Scott L.

Collective Memory and the Pandemic Emergence of Generation Z 1st Ann Arbor, MI (University of Michigan 2022)

Peer Reviewed Proceedings

"Teaching the Presidency When Democratic Legitimacy Is Questioned.”

McLean, Scott L.

American Political Science Association, Seattle, WA (2021)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“Arizona: On the Fast Track to Swing State Status.”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill. Oct. 30 (2020)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“Why Trump, Like Biden, Should Not Expect a Post-Convention Polling Bounce.”

McLean, Scott L.

Newsweek August 25 (2020)

Chapter

Presidential Swing States (ed. by Schultz, D. and Jacob, R.)

McLean, Scott L.

“Purple Battlegrounds: Presidential Campaign Strategies and Swing State Voters.” 2nd (2019) 5-50 Lanham, MD (Lexington Books 2019)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“A Keystone State of Mind: Is Pennsylvania A Swing State?”

McLean, Scott L.

17 (March) Juniata Voices https://www.juniata.edu/offices/juniata-voices/media/volume-17/vol17-McLean.pdf 2018 (2018)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“The Anatomy of A Swing State in the Trump-Clinton Race.”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/campaign/301245-the-anatomy-of-a-swing-state-and-why-it-matter Oct. 16 (2016)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“Arizona and Georgia: Not Swing States – Yet.”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/campaign/302775-arizona-and-georgia-not-swing-states-yet Oct. 25 (2016)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“When Swing States Stop Swinging.”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill http://origin-nyi.thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/campaign/303898-when-swing-states-stop-swinging Nov. 1 (2016)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“What’s Going On With These Final Week Election Polls?”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill http://origin-nyi.thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/304709-whats-going-on-in-thes Nov. 2 (2016)

Non-Peer Reviewed Journal

“Trump’s Candidacy and Win Didn’t Tarnish The Republican Brand.”

McLean, Scott L.

The Hill http://origin-nyi.thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/campaign/305555-trumps-candidacy-and-win-didnt-tarn Nov. 11 (2016)

Books

Social Capital: Critical Perspectives on Community and “Bowling Alone.”

McLean, Scott L., Schultz, David, and Steger, Manfred (eds).

2002 New York, NY (NYU Press 2002)