Shelley Liu

Shelley Liu is an assistant professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy. Her primary research and teaching focuses on issues relating to conflict, development, and state-building in fragile political contexts. Her ongoing research projects examine (1) how war shapes politics and development, (2) citizen agency in state legibility projects, and (3) the determinants of polarization, politicization, and disengagement. Liu's research has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Peace Research, PLOS ONE, Political Science Research and Methods, Politics & Society, and World Politics.

Prior to joining Duke faculty, Liu was an assistant professor at UC Berkeley, Goldman School of Public Policy. She holds a PhD in government from Harvard University (2020).

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy · 2023 - Present Sanford School of Public Policy

Assistant Professor of Political Science · 2024 - Present Political Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Affiliate of the Duke Center for International Development · 2024 - Present Duke Center for International Development, Sanford School of Public Policy

In the News

Published April 22, 2024

Kristin Zhu Wins Gaither Junior Fellowship

Published April 11, 2024

Spring Books by Duke Authors: Meditations, Baseball, Rebels and Stomach Pains

Published October 17, 2023

Helping Social Scientists Grow an Idea into a Research Project

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Recent Publications

Sustaining Exposure to Fact-Checks: Misinformation Discernment, Media Consumption, and Its Political Implications

Journal Article American Political Science Review · January 1, 2025 Exposure to misinformation can affect citizens’ beliefs, political preferences, and compliance with government policies. However, little is known about how to durably reduce susceptibility to misinformation, particularly in the Global South. We evaluate an ... Full text Cite

Coercive Legacies: From Rebel Governance to Authoritarian Control

Journal Article Journal of Politics · October 1, 2024 Ex-rebels govern almost a quarter of sub-Saharan Africa today. How does war affect these countries’ long-run political development, and what explains their rebel regimes’ longevity? The article explores the role of coercion in rebel governance: postwar gov ... Full text Open Access Cite

When does education increase political participation? Evidence from Senegal

Journal Article Political Science Research and Methods · April 1, 2024 We argue that education’s effect on political participation in developing democracies depends on the strength of democratic institutions. Education increases awareness of, and interest in, politics, which help citizens to prevent democratic erosion through ... Full text Open Access Cite

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