About

Patrick McSweeney

I am originally from New Zealand and moved to Ohio in 2004. My introduction to American politics came immediately as Ohio was the swing state for that election. I found the high stakes exciting, and a fascination would emerge.

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After a year in Ohio, I moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma where I attended high school and eventually did my undergrad at the University of Oklahoma. 

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After my undergrad, I taught 7th grade social studies for three years. One of those years was in Norman, OK and two were in Mesquite, TX. I still love to use formative assessment such as Kahoot, quizizz, and quizlet that were staples of my 7th grade classroom.

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I received my PhD from Georgetown University. My dissertation considered age dynamics within political parties. I argue that young people can be an important group within parties. With distinct policy demands, the group can use parties to get their issues on the agenda. I am also interested in young people as it relates to mental health, social media, and civic engagement generally.

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I am currently a research specialist at the Civic Education Research Lab (CERL). I evaluate civic education programs and work with our partners to create innovative civics curriculums and interventions. 

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I have taught several classes at Georgetown, including the intro to US gov course and Analysis of Political Data. I also designed my own course inspired by my research, "Young People in American Politics" that examines major themes of American politics through the lens of young people. I am an active participant in the APSA Teaching and Learning section and hope to publish work related to pedagogy and civic engagement.

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When not working on my dissertation I am likely watching sport. I learned early on in life that I am better at watching sport than playing it. Amongst the teams I follow are: Liverpool FC, OKC Thunder, Washington Nationals, OU, and any New Zealand teams especially cricket and rugby.