Education
Ph.D. Political Science, University of Alabama (Summer 2023)
Major Field: American Politics; Minor Field: Public Policy, International Relations
Dissertation: “Democratic Expectations: Norm-Breaking, Democratic Hypocrisy, and Accountability in an Age of Identity Politics”
Committee: Nicholas Davis (chair), Joseph Smith, Richard Fording, Cynthia Peacock, Regina Wagner
M.A., University of Alabama (with distinction) (Spring 2021)
B.S., Political Science, University of Tennessee at Martin (December 2017), Magna Cum Laude
Minor in Legal Studies

Teaching and Research Interests / Recent Publications or Scholarly Output
I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science whose teaching and research focus on American politics, democratic norms, public opinion, and the role of media in shaping political behavior. My teaching emphasizes critical thinking, research design, and the practical application of political science to contemporary democratic challenges, with courses including American Government, Media and Politics, and political methodology. My research examines how citizens respond to norm-breaking, elite misinformation, and accountability in polarized political environments, often using experimental and quantitative methods.

Recent works include:

Cagle, D., and N. T. Davis. 2024. “ Civility norm violations and political accountability.” Social Science Quarterly 105: 832–842. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13383

Cagle, D. (2025). conflicting norms the case of gerrymandering. Questions in Politics, 11.