Carolyn Beth Abott

Professor Abott specializes in American state and local politics and public policy. She is particularly interested in the politics of public finance. Much of her work focuses on the political causes and consequences of fiscal decisions and the link between democratic accountability and financial sustainability. Professor Abott’s research interests are directly tied to a concern for the material well-being of those in the United States who are most vulnerable to economic distress, and the impact that differences in governmental resources can have on various types of inequality.  Professor Abott’s research has been published in American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy, Journal of Public Economics, and Public Administration Review. She received her Ph.D. in politics and social policy from Princeton University.