{ "name": "Diego Hernandez", "role": "PhD Candidate in Political Science", "email": "diego.hernandez@stonybrook.edu", "bio": [ { "text": "I study why some people refuse a partisan label, and how that refusal translates into political behavior. My research brings the methods of political psychology to understand a group that most accounts of partisanship treat as a residual category: the American independent." } ], "researchTitle": "My Projects", "researchLede": "In addition to my dissertation work, I have research interests in why some individuals say they believe in conspiracies when they do not behave like they truly believe them, and how that signaling behavior maps onto their politics.", "dataTag": "survey experiments, quantitative and qualitative methods", "publications": [ { "title": "Dissertation", "status": "Job market paper", "meta": "Working paper · title forthcoming", "desc": "", "links": [] }, { "title": "Democratic Governance, Interpersonal Trust, and Interpersonal Responsibility: Do Values Predict Vote Choice in Hypothetical EU Membership Referenda?", "status": "MA thesis", "meta": "Stony Brook University, 2023", "desc": "", "links": [] }, { "title": "Searching For Uniqueness in the Crowd: Conspiracies and their Believers", "status": "MSc thesis", "meta": "London School of Economics, 2021", "desc": "", "links": [] } ], "teachingTitle": "In the classroom", "teachingLede": "I teach comparative and European politics, and I build courses around the gap between how institutions are supposed to work and how citizens actually reason about them.", "teaching": [ { "title": "POL309: Politics of the European Union", "meta": "Instructor of Record", "desc": "", "termSelector": "pol309", "links": [ { "label": "Syllabus", "href": "files/POL309_Summer2026.pdf" }, { "label": "This Week at a Glance", "href": "pol309-tracker.html?term=summer2026" }, { "label": "Grade Calculator", "href": "pol309-grades.html?term=summer2026" } ] } ], "cvTitle": "Curriculum vitae", "cvLede": "A short version lives here. The full document, with all positions, presentations, and service, is in the PDF.", "cvEducation": [ { "year": "2023–2028", "title": "PhD, Political Science", "detail": "Stony Brook University · Committee: Leonie Huddy, Stephanie DeMora, Pazit Ben Nun-Bloom, Eric Groenendyk" }, { "year": "2022–2023", "title": "MA, Political Science", "detail": "Stony Brook University · Advisor: Gallya Lahav" }, { "year": "2020–2021", "title": "MSc, Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe", "detail": "London School of Economics and Political Science · Advisor: Cristóbal Garibay-Petersen" }, { "year": "2018–2020", "title": "BA, Politics", "detail": "University of California, Santa Cruz" }, { "year": "2014–2018", "title": "AA, Political Science; Liberal Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences; Liberal Arts: Arts and Humanities", "detail": "Santa Barbara City College" } ], "cvFields": [ { "year": "·", "title": "Methods", "detail": "Quantitative social science, data analysis in R, Python, and SPSS programming languages, social science experiments, Qualtrics; qualitative methods including focus groups and interviews, text-as-data approaches" } ], "contactTitle": "Get in touch", "contactLede": "Email is the best way to reach me. I am happy to share drafts, materials, or replication code.", "paintings": [ { "title": "The Tree", "image": "images/about-bg.jpg", "pos": "center 15%", "scrimDark": 0.35, "scrimLight": 0.62 }, { "title": "The Archive", "image": "images/gallery/archive.jpg", "pos": "center 30%", "scrimDark": 0.49, "scrimLight": 0.57 }, { "title": "The River", "image": "images/gallery/river.jpg", "pos": "center 30%", "scrimDark": 0.42, "scrimLight": 0.61 }, { "title": "The Laurel", "image": "images/gallery/laurel.jpg", "pos": "center 30%", "scrimDark": 0.41, "scrimLight": 0.66 }, { "title": "The Currents", "image": "images/gallery/currents.jpg", "pos": "center 30%", "scrimDark": 0.41, "scrimLight": 0.59 } ], "pol309": { "terms": [ { "id": "summer2025", "label": "Summer 2025", "meetingInfo": "", "syllabus": "", "calendly": "", "weeks": [], "grading": null }, { "id": "summer2026", "label": "Summer 2026", "meetingInfo": "online, asynchronous · July 6 to August 15", "syllabus": "files/POL309_Summer2026.pdf", "calendly": "https://calendly.com/diego-hernandez-political-science/pol309-politics-in-the-european-union", "weeks": [ { "n": 1, "title": "The Idea of Europe, the Foundation of the Union", "start": "2026-07-06T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-07-12T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 2, “The Idea of Europe” (McCormick)", "Watch “The Idea of Europe” introduction video, up to the 9:50 mark" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 2, "title": "The Political History of the European Union", "start": "2026-07-13T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-07-19T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 3, “The Evolution of the EU” first", "Then read Chapter 1, “What is the European Union”", "Reading-check quiz on Brightspace (covers Weeks 1 & 2)" ], "deadlineLabel": "Weeks 1 & 2 quiz", "deadlineWhen": "2026-07-17T23:59:00-04:00", "deadlineText": "Friday, July 17, 11:59pm", "calendly": false }, { "n": 3, "title": "Institutions of the European Union", "start": "2026-07-20T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-07-26T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 4, “The European Institutions”", "Read Chapter 6, “The EU Policy Process”", "Watch the six institution videos on Brightspace", "Writing assignment (25% of your grade): browse euractiv.com, pick an issue, and write 500+ words on how two EU institutions would engage it" ], "deadlineLabel": "Writing assignment", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "due this week; see Brightspace for the exact deadline", "calendly": false }, { "n": 4, "title": "The Single Market and a Diversity of Opinions", "start": "2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-08-02T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 7, “Economic Policy”", "Read Chapter 5, “The EU and its Citizens”", "Reading-check quiz on Brightspace", "Book your one-to-one meeting about the final paper (this week or next; earlier is better)" ], "deadlineLabel": "Week 4 quiz", "deadlineWhen": "2026-07-31T23:59:00-04:00", "deadlineText": "Friday, July 31, 11:59pm", "calendly": true }, { "n": 5, "title": "The Politics of Crisis and Europe's Response", "start": "2026-08-03T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-08-09T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 8, “Internal Policies”", "Read Chapter 9, “The EU in the World”", "If you have not met with me yet, book your one-to-one now" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": true }, { "n": 6, "title": "Final Papers", "start": "2026-08-10T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-08-15T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Write and submit your final paper (50% of your grade): 6 to 7 pages, double spaced, MLA or APA, substantially referencing the textbook", "Submit on Brightspace" ], "deadlineLabel": "Final paper", "deadlineWhen": "2026-08-15T23:59:00-04:00", "deadlineText": "Saturday, August 15, 11:59pm EST", "calendly": false } ], "grading": { "items": [ { "id": "q1", "name": "Week 1 quiz", "sub": "reading check", "w": 5 }, { "id": "q2", "name": "Week 2 quiz", "sub": "reading check", "w": 5 }, { "id": "q4", "name": "Week 4 quiz", "sub": "reading check", "w": 5 }, { "id": "writing", "name": "Writing assignment", "sub": "week 3, Euractiv piece", "w": 25 }, { "id": "meeting", "name": "One-to-one meeting", "sub": "weeks 4 to 5", "w": 10 }, { "id": "final", "name": "Final paper", "sub": "due August 15", "w": 50 } ], "scale": [ { "letter": "A", "cutoff": 93 }, { "letter": "A-", "cutoff": 90 }, { "letter": "B+", "cutoff": 87 }, { "letter": "B", "cutoff": 83 }, { "letter": "B-", "cutoff": 80 }, { "letter": "C+", "cutoff": 77 }, { "letter": "C", "cutoff": 73 }, { "letter": "C-", "cutoff": 70 }, { "letter": "D+", "cutoff": 67 }, { "letter": "D", "cutoff": 63 }, { "letter": "D-", "cutoff": 60 }, { "letter": "F", "cutoff": 0 } ], "lateAmount": 5, "lateNote": "Late work: 5 points per day off that assignment, weekends included. More than a week late may not be accepted." } }, { "id": "fall2026", "label": "Fall 2026", "meetingInfo": "in person · M/W/F, 2–2:55pm · Frey Hall 305 · August 24 to December 17", "syllabus": "files/POL309_Fall2026.pdf", "calendly": "https://calendly.com/diego-hernandez-political-science/pol309-politics-in-the-european-union", "weeks": [ { "n": 1, "title": "The Idea of Europe, the Foundation of the Union", "start": "2026-08-24T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-08-30T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 2, “The Idea of Europe” (McCormick)", "Read the Churchill Zurich speech and the Schuman Declaration (primary documents on Brightspace)", "Read Della Sala, “Political Myth, Mythology and the European Union” (2010)", "Read Judt, “The Past is Another Country” before Friday" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 2, "title": "The Political History of the European Union", "start": "2026-08-31T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-09-06T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 3, “The Evolution of the EU”", "Read the Monnet and Milward excerpts, plus the Treaty of Rome preamble and de Gaulle's 1963 veto speech (Brightspace)", "Wednesday (9/2) and Friday (9/4) sessions are asynchronous and online" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 3, "title": "Theories of European Integration", "start": "2026-09-07T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-09-13T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Monday (9/7): Labor Day, no class", "Read the Haas, Hoffmann, and Moravcsik excerpts and Hooghe & Marks (2009)", "Friday: interactive session — which theory best explains the last decade?" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 4, "title": "Institutions of the European Union I: The Executive Machinery", "start": "2026-09-14T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-09-20T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 4, “The European Institutions”", "Watch the European Commission, European Council, and Council of the EU videos before class", "Friday (9/18): Reading Day, no class — use the time to catch up on readings" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 5, "title": "Institutions of the European Union II: Parliament, Law, and the Policy Process", "start": "2026-09-21T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-09-27T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 6, “The EU Policy Process”", "Watch the European Parliament, EU financial system, and EU laws videos before class", "Friday: interactive session — following a bill through the ordinary legislative procedure", "Writing Assignment 1 (15% of your grade): browse euractiv.com and write 500+ words on how two EU institutions would engage an issue you find" ], "deadlineLabel": "Writing Assignment 1", "deadlineWhen": "2026-09-25T23:59:00-04:00", "deadlineText": "Friday, September 25, 11:59pm", "calendly": false }, { "n": 6, "title": "The Single Market and Economic Policy", "start": "2026-09-28T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-10-04T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 7, “Economic Policy”", "Friday's lecture on the eurozone crisis bridges into the identity unit" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 7, "title": "Foundations: Social Identity Theory and Political Identity", "start": "2026-10-05T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-10-11T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Tajfel & Turner, “An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict”", "Read Huddy, “From Social to Political Identity”", "Read Chapter 5, “The EU and its Citizens”" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 8, "title": "Is There a European Identity? Identities, Cleavages, and Cross-Cutting Issues", "start": "2026-10-12T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-10-18T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Monday (10/12): Fall Break, no class", "Read Risse ch. 1, the Bruter excerpt, Roccas & Brewer (2002), El-Tayeb (2011), and Hooghe & Marks (2018)", "Schedule your one-to-one meeting about the final paper (weeks 8 to 12 — earlier is better)" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": true }, { "n": 9, "title": "Brexit: Identity, Cleavages, and Exit", "start": "2026-10-19T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-10-25T23:59:59-04:00", "tasks": [ "Read Hobolt (2016) and Goodwin & Heath (2016) on the Brexit vote", "Friday: interactive session — did the cleavage argument pass its test?", "If you haven't scheduled your one-to-one meeting yet, do so this week" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": true }, { "n": 10, "title": "The Migration Crisis I: Politics, Policy, and Public Opinion", "start": "2026-10-26T00:00:00-04:00", "end": "2026-11-01T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 8, “Internal Policies”", "Read Niemann & Zaun (2018) and Kirişci (2014) on Turkey and Syrian refugees", "Friday: guest lecture by Chloe Landis (Long Beach Museum of Art) on the migrant and refugee beyond news media", "One-to-one meetings about the final paper run through week 12 — book yours if you haven't" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": true }, { "n": 11, "title": "The Migration Crisis II: Alan Kurdi, the Psychology of Compassion, and the Empathy Debate", "start": "2026-11-02T00:00:00-05:00", "end": "2026-11-08T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Content note: this week concerns the death of a child; lecture will discuss the photographs but will not require you to view them", "Read Slovic et al. (2017), Small, Loewenstein & Slovic (2007), the Vis & Goriunova selections, and the Bloom excerpt (required for Friday's debate)", "Friday: full-class structured debate — is empathy a good guide to policy?" ], "deadlineLabel": "Writing Assignment 2", "deadlineWhen": "2026-11-07T23:59:00-05:00", "deadlineText": "Saturday, November 7, 11:59pm", "calendly": false }, { "n": 12, "title": "Enlargement I: How the EU Grows", "start": "2026-11-09T00:00:00-05:00", "end": "2026-11-15T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Review the enlargement sections of Chapter 3", "Read Schimmelfennig & Sedelmeier (2004) and the Vachudova (2005) excerpt", "Final week to hold your one-to-one meeting about the final paper (the window is weeks 8 to 12)" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": true }, { "n": 13, "title": "Enlargement II: Eastern Expansion Today: Candidates and Constraints", "start": "2026-11-16T00:00:00-05:00", "end": "2026-11-22T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Read Anghel & Dzankic (2023) and Kelemen (2020)", "Policy briefs on the candidacies of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkan states will be posted to Brightspace" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 14, "title": "The EU in the World", "start": "2026-11-23T00:00:00-05:00", "end": "2026-11-29T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Read Chapter 9, “The EU in the World”, Manners (2002), and Nicolaïdis (2015)", "Wednesday (11/25) and Friday (11/27): Thanksgiving Break, no class" ], "deadlineLabel": "", "deadlineWhen": "", "deadlineText": "", "calendly": false }, { "n": 15, "title": "Futures of Europe", "start": "2026-11-30T00:00:00-05:00", "end": "2026-12-14T23:59:59-05:00", "tasks": [ "Monday: differentiated integration; Wednesday: course synthesis; Friday: final paper workshop and open question session", "Final Paper (40% of your grade): 7 to 8 pages, MLA or APA, must substantially reference the textbook", "Submit on Brightspace" ], "deadlineLabel": "Final paper", "deadlineWhen": "2026-12-14T23:59:00-05:00", "deadlineText": "Monday, December 14, 11:59pm EST", "calendly": false } ], "grading": { "items": [ { "id": "writing1", "name": "Writing Assignment 1", "sub": "The EU in the News, week 5", "w": 15 }, { "id": "writing2", "name": "Writing Assignment 2", "sub": "The Image and the Crisis, week 11", "w": 20 }, { "id": "participation", "name": "Participation", "sub": "across the semester", "w": 10 }, { "id": "debate", "name": "Empathy Debate", "sub": "in-class, week 11", "w": 10 }, { "id": "meeting", "name": "One-to-one meeting", "sub": "weeks 8 to 12", "w": 5 }, { "id": "final", "name": "Final paper", "sub": "due December 14", "w": 40 } ], "scale": [ { "letter": "A", "cutoff": 93 }, { "letter": "A-", "cutoff": 90 }, { "letter": "B+", "cutoff": 87 }, { "letter": "B", "cutoff": 83 }, { "letter": "B-", "cutoff": 80 }, { "letter": "C+", "cutoff": 77 }, { "letter": "C", "cutoff": 73 }, { "letter": "C-", "cutoff": 70 }, { "letter": "D+", "cutoff": 67 }, { "letter": "D", "cutoff": 63 }, { "letter": "D-", "cutoff": 60 }, { "letter": "F", "cutoff": 0 } ], "lateAmount": 5, "lateNote": "Late work: 5% per day off that assignment, weekends included. More than a week late may not be accepted." } }, { "id": "spring2027", "label": "Spring 2027", "meetingInfo": "", "syllabus": "", "calendly": "", "weeks": [], "grading": null } ] } }