Dan Shortridge’s beats in the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) include Political Science; History, International Relations; East Asian Languages and Civilizations; Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures; Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies; Russian and East European Studies; and Economics, as well as the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, The Lauder Institute (Wharton/SAS), Penn Program on Opinion Research and Election Studies (PORES), McNeil Center for Early American Studies, Penn Institute for Economic Research, the Center for Study of Contemporary China, Center for East Asian Studies, Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics, Fels Institute of Government, and Center for the Study of Ethnicity, Race, & Immigration. In addition, he covers Penn Carey Law, the SNF Paideia Program, and for Penn Global he covers the China Research and Engagement Fund, Penn Washington, and Perry World House.
Soosun You’s research focuses on gender and equity in South Korea.
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Navigating gender and power in South Korea
As the newest member of Penn’s political science faculty, Soosun You brings global experience—from her work as a former journalist in Seoul to conducting fieldwork in Africa—to research on women’s rights and politics in South Korea.
Gen Z protesters gathered at a parliament house as clashes erupted with police at the Federal Parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sept. 8, 2025.
(Image: Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto via AP Images)
Three things to know: Postdoc Shana Scogin on Nepal’s youth uprising
In the aftermath of the deadly anti-government uprising that led to the fall of the country’s government, Penn Today spoke with the Perry World House fellow for insights.
Deepfakes, digital doubles, and the law: Jennifer Rothman on protecting identity in the AI era
The evolution of AI technology may require more robust copyright laws and guardrails that protect people’s control of their own identities, says the Penn Carey Law professor.
Eric Ryu spent part of his summer in Scottish university archives researching the Scottish Enlightenment.
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Exploring the influence of the Scottish Enlightenment on America’s founding
Fourth-year Eric Ryu studied 18th and 19th century lectures notes from university archives in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews to trace the intellectual roots of the two movements.
Ella Vance says her psychology and criminology double-major meshes well with Paul Robinson’s research on the root causes of crime. Her summer work was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
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Ella Vance: Diving into the causes of crime
Third-year Ella Vance spent the summer working with Penn Carey Law’s Paul Robinson exploring the potential roots of crime, including addiction and poverty. Her 10-week opportunity was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
Political redistricting: All about gerrymandering with Penn’s experts
Political scientist Matthew Levendusky and mathematician Philip Gressman in the School of Arts & Sciences explain gerrymandering and the redistricting process.
Benjamin Nathans has been studying Soviet and Russian history for four decades.
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Penn’s Benjamin Nathans reflects on his work and Pulitzer Prize win
Historian Benjamin Nathans’ huge volume on the stories and lives of Soviet dissidents has gotten renewed attention after winning the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction. Nathan’s research and insights span a four-decade-long career studying Russia and the USSR, modern Jewish history, and the history of human rights.
SNF Paideia Fellows visit Athens, Greece, in 2025.
(Image: Photo by Annalise Howard, courtesy of the SNF Paideia Program)
Paideia Fellows build dialogue in Athens
Penn’s SNF Paideia class of 2025 fellows capped off a three-year experience on a trip to Greece, where they met with local residents, toured historic sites, and discussed local issues with global impact.
