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Carol Mershon

Department of Politics
185 Gibson Hall, 1540 Jefferson Park Avenue
P. O. Box 400787, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4787 USA
tel 434/924-7875, fax 434/924-3359, e-mail mershon@virginia.edu
http://politics.virginia.edu/carolmershon/

Appointments

Education

Grants, Awards, Fellowships, and Honors

Extramural

• Lifetime Achievement Award, Conference Group on Italian Politics and Society, 2018.
• National Science Foundation Grant, 2014-2017. Funded as SES-1447782. Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. “Workshop: Building Collaboration across Diverse Groups to Improve Scholarship.”
• Collegio Carlo Alberto Visiting Fellowship, Turin, Italy, Spring 2015.
• Approved for the Fulbright Specialist Roster, 2013.
• National Science Foundation Grant, 2004-2007. Funded as SES-0339877. William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. “EITM: Collaborative Research on Legislative Party Switching: Integrating Theoretical and Comparative Empirical Analyses.”
• National Science Foundation Grant, 1994-1999. Funded as SBR-9320666. Lee Epstein, Carol Mershon, Jeffrey Segal, and Harold Spaeth. “Collaborative Research on the Formation of Opinion Coalitions on the U.S. Supreme Court.”
• Fulbright-Hays Faculty Fellowship, 1988-1989.
• Social Science Research Council Dissertation Fellowship, 1981-1983. Mershon / April 2019 / 2
• Fulbright-Hays Dissertation Fellowship, 1981-1982.
• Phi Beta Kappa, Dickinson College, Alpha Chapter, Pennsylvania, 1977.

Intramural

• Hugh S. and Winifred Cumming Chair in Politics, Autumn 2016-Autumn 2019 term.
• Page Barbour Fund, talk series (Lead PI), AY 2018-2019, “Democratic Struggles over National Identity and for Social Justice,” co-funded Politics, Sociology, WGS, Power, Violence, & Inequality Collective.
• Research Support in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, UVa, 2017. Project: “Grounding Co-Authorship: A Visit to UVa Grounds for Completing a Book.”
• Research Support in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, UVa, 2016. Project: “Developing Partnerships and Pursuing Qualitative Research in South Africa.”
• Summer Stipend 2015, University of Virginia (UVa), Office of the Vice President for Research. Project: “The Political Determinants of Health: South Africa in Comparative Perspective.”
• Summer Stipend 2014, UVa, Office of the Vice President for Research. Project: “The Political Supply of Safe Water in South Africa.”
• Research Support in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, UVa, 2014. Project: “The Political Supply of Safe Water and Health Outcomes in South Africa.”
• Center for Global Health, UVa, Travel Award to support participation in the Second International Conference of the School of Health Sciences, University of Venda (South Africa), 2014.
• Center for International Studies, UVa, Global Content Development Grant (Project: “The Politics of Infectious Disease”), 2013-2014.
• Invited participant, UVa Leadership in Academic Matters, Fall 2103.
• Summer Stipend 2012, UVa, Office of the Vice President for Research.
• Seed Grant, Politics, UVa, 2012, 2014, 2015.
• Social Sciences Research Support, UVa, Summer and Fall 2007, Summer 2009, 2012.
• University of Rome-UVa Faculty Exchange Research Support, 2009.
• Faculty Fellowship for Summer Research, UVa, 2004 and 2006.
• Sesquicentennial Research Leave, UVa, 1996-1997, Fall 2008; awarded for half-time AY 2014-2015, project: “Social Grants, Safe Water, and Health in South Africa.”
• Rowland Egger Grant, Politics, UVa, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 2001.
• Research Fellowship/Leave, Washington University, Spring and Fall 1989.
• Faculty Research Summer Grant, Washington University, 1986.

Research

Books

• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2019. Formal Modeling in Social Science. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Forthcoming September.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2013. Party System Change in Legislatures Worldwide: Moving Outside the Electoral Arena. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Paperback edition 2015.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds. 2009. Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Mershon / April 2019 / 3
• Carol Mershon. The Costs of Coalition. 2002. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
  • Discussed at an “Author Meets Critics” panel at the April 2002 Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
• Carol Mershon and Gianfranco Pasquino, eds. 1994. Italian Politics: Ending the First Republic. Volume 9 in a series organized by the Cattaneo Institute, Bologna. Boulder: Westview, 1995.
  • Italian edition: Politica in Italia, Edizione ’94. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Edited Symposia in Refereed Journals

• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. 2016. “Why Diversity Matters in Political Science,” coeditors, multi-article symposium. Politics, Groups, and Identities. Vol. 4: 462-528.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh, eds. 2015. “How Political Science Can Become More Diverse.” PS: Political Science & Politics. Vol. 48: 441-471.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh, eds. 2014. Critical Perspectives symposium on “Advocating for Change in the Discipline.” Politics & Gender. Vol. 10: 432-473.

Articles in Refereed Journals

• Carol Mershon. N.d. “Challenging the Wisdom on Electoral Personalism.” Journal of Theoretical Politics. Accepted pending minor revision, revised and resubmitted.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2019. “Traditional Authority and Bargaining for Legitimacy in Dual Legitimacy Systems.” Journal of Modern African Studies. Forthcoming.
• Bevelyn Dube, Sylvester Maphosa, Carol Mershon, and Karen Miner-Romanoff. 2017. "Innovation in Conducting Writing Retreats for Academic Staff in Higher Education." South African Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 31: 4-21.
• Vicki Hesli Claypool and Carol Mershon. 2016. “Does Diversity Matter? Evidence From a Survey of Political Science Faculty.” Politics, Groups, and Identities. Vol. 4: 483-498.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. 2016. “Diversity in Political Science: Why It Matters and How to Get It,” introduction to multi-article symposium. Politics, Groups, and Identities. Vol. 4: 462-466.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. 2015. “How Political Science Can Become More Diverse: Introduction.” PS: Political Science & Politics. Vol. 48: 441-444.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. 2015. “Organizing Women: Diversifying Leadership and Addressing Discrimination in Political Science Departments.” PS: Political Science & Politics. Vol. 48: 459-463.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. 2014. “Political Science, Heal Thyself.” Introduction to Critical Perspectives symposium on “Advocating for Change in the Discipline,” eds. Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. Politics & Gender, Vol. 10: 432-437.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2014. “Change in Parliamentary Party Systems and Policy Outcomes: Hunting the Core.” Journal of Theoretical Politics, Vol. 26: 331-351.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2013. “The Micro-Foundations of Party System Stability in Legislatures.” Journal of Politics, Vol. 75, 865-878.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2008. “Dealing in Discipline: Party Switching and Legislative Voting in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, 1988-2000.” American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 52, 910-925.
• Carol Mershon. 2008. “Legislative Party Switching and Executive Coalitions.” Japanese Mershon / April 2019 / 4 Journal of Political Science, Vol. 9, 391-414.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2008. “Parliamentary Cycles and Party Switching in Legislatures.” Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 41, 99-127.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2005. “Party Switching in the Italian Chamber of Deputies, 1996-2001.” Journal of Politics, Vol. 67, 536-559.
• Carol Mershon. 2001. “Contending Models of Portfolio Allocation and Office Payoffs to Party Factions: Italy, 1963-79.” American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 45, 277-293.
• Carol Mershon. 2001. “Party Factions and Coalition Government: Portfolio Allocation in Italian Christian Democracy.” Electoral Studies, Vol. 20, 555-580.
  • Published in Japanese in 2001 in Leviathan, the journal of the Japanese Political Science Association.
• Carol Mershon. 1996. "The Costs of Coalition: Coalition Theories and Italian Governments." American Political Science Review, Vol. 90, 534-554.
• Lee Epstein and Carol Mershon. 1996. "Measuring Political Preferences." American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 40, 261-294.
• Carol Mershon. 1994. "Expectations and Informal Rules in Coalition Formation." Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 27, 40-79.
• Robert Fishman and Carol Mershon. 1993. "Workplace Leadership and Labor Organization: Limits on the Mobilization and Representation of Workers." International Contributions to Labor Studies, Vol. 3, 67-90.
• Carol Mershon. 1990. "Relationships among Union Actors after the Hot Autumn." Labour, Vol. 4, 35-58.
• Carol Mershon. 1990. "Generazioni di leader sindacali in fabbrica: L'eredità dell'autunno caldo" [Generations of Workplace Union Leaders: The Legacy of the Hot Autumn]. Polis, Vol. 4, 277-323.
• Carol Mershon. 1989. "Between Workers and Union: Factory Councils in Italy." Comparative Politics, Vol. 21, 215-235.

Book Chapters, Invited Publications, and Other Articles

• Dana Moyer* with Carol Mershon. 2019. “Challenges and Strategies: An Interview with Carol Mershon.” The Legislative Scholar, special issue on “Interviews, Reflections, and Advice from Women in Legislative Studies.” Vol. 3, Winter, 3-6. (*Graduate student coauthor)
• Carol Mershon. 2017. “Parties and Elections as Instruments of Reconciliation and Social Cohesion.” In Kate Lefko-Everett, Rajen Govender, and Don Foster, eds., Rethinking Reconciliation: Evidence from South Africa. Pretoria, South Africa: Human Sciences Research Council Press.
• Carolyn Coberly* with Carol Mershon. 2017. “Seeking and Securing Grants in Legislative Research: An Interview with Carol Mershon.” The Legislative Scholar, Vol. 2, Spring, 13- 15. (* Graduate student co-author)
• Carol Mershon. 2016. “Party Systems in Post-World War II Italy.” In Mark Gilbert, Erik Jones, and Gianfranco Pasquino, eds. Oxford Handbook of Italian Politics. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Carol Mershon. 2014. “Legislative Party Switching.” In Shane Martin, Thomas Saalfeld, and Kaare Strøm, eds. Oxford Handbook of Legislative Studies. New York and Oxford: Oxford Mershon / April 2019 / 5 University Press.
• Carol Mershon. 2014. “Reflections on Lessons and Gifts from Juan Linz.” In H. E. Chehabi, ed. Juan J. Linz: Scholar, Teacher, Friend. Cambridge, MA: Tŷ Aur Press.
• Kerstin Hamann and Carol Mershon. 2013. “Los gobiernos autonómicos en España: explorando las teorías sobre la formación de gobiernos” [Regional Governments in Spain: Exploring Theories of Government Formation]. In Josep María Reniu i Vilamala, ed., Pactar para gobernar. Dinámicas coalicionales en un contexto multinivel [Agreeing to Govern: Coalitional Dynamics in a Multilevel Context]. Valencia, Spain: Editorial Tirant lo Blanch.
  • Adaptation with updating of 2009 English-language book chapter.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2011. “Moving in Time: Legislative Party Switching as Time-Contingent Choice.” In Norman Schofield and Gonzalo Caballero, eds., Political Economy and Institutions. New York: Springer.
• Carol Mershon. 2009. “Parties as Electoral Actors.” Invited article, Symposium on “Concepts that Hinder Understanding… and What to Do About Them.” APSA-CP, Newsletter of the Organized Section on Comparative Politics of the American Political Science Association, Vol. 20, 10-11.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2009. “Conclusions.” In William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds., Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2009. “Integrating Theoretical and Empirical Models of Party Switching.” In William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds., Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2009. “Introduction: Legislative Party Switching, Parties, and Party Systems.” In William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds., Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• William B. Heller and Carol Mershon. 2009. “Legislator Preferences, Party Desires: Party Switching and the Foundations of Policy Making in Legislatures.” In William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds., Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. 2009. “Timing Matters: Incentives for Party Switching and Stages of Parliamentary Cycles.” In William B. Heller and Carol Mershon, eds., Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Kerstin Hamann and Carol Mershon. 2009. “Regional Governments in Spain: Exploring Theories of Government Formation.” In Bonnie N. Field and Kerstin Hamann, eds., Democracy and Institutional Development: Spain in Comparative Theoretical Perspective, Houndsmill Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Junko Kato and Carol Mershon. 2006. “Internal Party Organization in the Italian Christian Democrats and Japanese Liberal Democrats: Factional Competition for Office, Clienteles, and Corrupt Exchange.” In Junichi Kawata, ed., Comparing Political Corruption and Clientelism. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. 
  • Published in 2008 in Japanese.
• Carol Mershon. 1999. "The Costs of Coalition: A Five-Nation Comparison." In Shaun Bowler, David M. Farrell, and Richard S. Katz, eds. Party Discipline and Parliamentary Government. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
• Carol Mershon. 1996. "The Costs of Coalition: The Italian Anomaly." In Norman Schofield, ed. Collective Decision-Making: Social Choice and Political Economy. Boston: Mershon / April 2019 / 6 Kluwer.
• Carol Mershon. 1996. "Italy." In Byron Shafer, ed. Postwar Politics in the G-7: Orders and Eras in Comparative Perspective. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
• Carol Mershon and Gianfranco Pasquino. 1995. "Introduction." In Carol Mershon and Gianfranco Pasquino, eds. Italian Politics: Ending the First Republic. Boulder: Westview.
  • Italian edition Bologna: Il Mulino, 1994.
• Carol Mershon. 1994. "Electoral Behavior and Coalition Politics in Contemporary Italy: Towards Reconceptualizing Change in Party Systems." Italian Politics and Society, No. 42, 18-23.
• Carol Mershon. 1992. "The Crisis of the CGIL: Open Division in the Twelfth National Congress." In Stephen Hellman and Gianfranco Pasquino, eds. Italian Politics: A Review, Vol. 7. New York and London: Pinter.
  • Italian edition Bologna: Il Mulino, 1992.
• Carol Mershon. 1992. "The 1992 Parliamentary Elections: How Much Change?" Italian Politics and Society, No. 36, 54-55.
• Carol Mershon. 1987. "Inside Italian Unions: Factory Councils in 1982 and 1986." Italian Politics and Society, No. 21, 11-22.
• Carol Mershon. 1987. "Unions and Politics in Italy." In Howard R. Penniman, ed. Italy at the Polls, 1983: A Study of the Parliamentary Elections. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
• Carol Mershon. 1983. "Federal-State-Local Relations and the Policy Process." In E. F. Zigler, S. L. Kagan, and E. Klugman, eds. Children, Families, and Government: Perspectives on American Social Policy. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Under Review

• Ben Farrer, Carol Mershon, and Olga Shvetsova. “The Power of the Initial Agenda Setter: The Heresthetics of Negotiating a Treaty or Constitution.” Under review at a refereed journal.
• Dana Moyer* with Carol Mershon. “Challenges and Strategies: An Interview with Carol Mershon.” Under review at a discipline-wide refereed journal (previously published in The Legislative Scholar, Vol. 3, Winter, 3-6). (* Graduate student co-author.)

Working Papers

• Elizabeth Kaknes and Carol Mershon. “Policy Transfers, Health Benefits, and Electoral Preferences in Brazil.” Article manuscript in preparation for submission to refereed journal.
• Carol Mershon. “The Political Determinants of Health: Elective and Chiefly Authority in South Africa.” Article manuscript in preparation for submission to refereed journal.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Meta-Constitutional Bargaining for Legitimacy in Dual Legitimacy Systems.” Conference paper under revision for submission to refereed journal.

Professional Papers (last dozen years)

• Ben Farrer, Carol Mershon, and Olga Shvetsova. “Heresthetical Institutional Design at the Founding of Regimes.” Paper proposed for the 2019 Conference on Analyzing Strategic Interactions in Political Decision-Making, European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on Analytical Politics and Public Choice, Lisbon, Portugal, May.
• Ben Farrer, Carol Mershon, and Olga Shvetsova. “The Power of the Initial Agenda Setter: The Heresthetics of Negotiating a Treaty or Constitution.” Paper accepted for presentation at Mershon / April 2019 / 7 the 2019 Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Meta-Constitutional Bargaining for Legitimacy in Dual Legitimacy Systems.” Paper presented at the 2018 Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Boston, August.
• Cassandra Fraser, Gertrude Fraser, Pamela Norris, Kelly Feltault, Jean McLaughlin, Carol Mershon, and Debra Mincarelli. “An Advocates and Allies Initiative: Faculty Leaders as Directors of Diversity and Inclusion.” Presentation delivered by Cassandra Fraser at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, August.
• Carol Mershon. “Redressing Gender Bias in Academe and Beyond: Strategy, Policy, and Practice.” Invited presentation delivered at the 2018 Workshop on Institutions in Context, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Finland, June.
• Benjamin Farrer, Carol Mershon, and Olga Shvetsova. "The Heresthetic Theory of Constitution and Treaty Making." Paper presented (by Olga Shvetsova) at the 2018 Workshop for Women in Political Economics, Barcelona, Spain, June.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Bargaining for Legitimacy in Dual Legitimacy Systems.” Paper presented at the 2018 Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April.
• Carol Mershon. “Challenging the Wisdom on Electoral Personalism.” Invited conclusions presented at the Conference on Revisiting Electoral Personalism, University of Chicago, March 2018.
• Benjamin Farrer, Carol Mershon, and Olga Shvetsova. "The Heresthetic Theory of Constitution and Treaty Making." Paper presented by Olga Shvetsova, Political Economy Research Workshop, Binghamton University, December 2017.
• Carol Mershon. "Local Public Goods and Political Elites: Elective and Chiefly Authority in South Africa." Paper presented at the 2017 Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Elizabeth Kaknes and Carol Mershon. “Policy Transfers, Health Benefits, and Electoral Preferences in Brazil.” Poster presented at the 2017 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago (revision of 2016 poster, with revised associated paper).
• Carol Mershon. "Placing Parties in Legislative Politics." Invited keynote presented at the 2016 Meetings of the Legislative Studies Group of the Latin American Association of Political Science, Santiago, Chile.
• Danilo Buscatto Madeiros and Carol Mershon. “The Origins and Impact of Informal Rules in the Brazilian Legislature: A Comparative Perspective.” Paper presented at the 2016 Meetings of the Legislative Studies Group of the Latin American Association of Political Science, Santiago, Chile.
• Carol Mershon. “Chiefs in South Africa: What Role in Upholding or Undermining Inequalities?” Invited paper presented at the 2016 Workshop on Institutions in Context, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Finland, June.
• Carol Mershon. “Advancing Women’s Research in Higher Education.” Invited lecture at the School of Human and Social Sciences, University of Venda, South Africa, June 2016.
• Carol Mershon. “Writing for Academic Publication.” Opening address at the University of Venda-University of Limpopo Writing Retreat, Tzaneen Country Lodge, South Africa, June 20-23, 2016. Mershon / April 2019 / 8
• Elizabeth Kaknes and Carol Mershon. “Policy Transfers, Health Benefits, and Electoral Preferences in Brazil.” Poster presented at the 2016 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon. “The Political Determinants of Public Goods Provision in South Africa.” Paper presented at the 2016 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
  • Media coverage in: Johan Fourie. 2016. “Municipal Elections Matter. But Not in the Way We Think.” FinWeek. July 27. At https://m.fin24.com/Finweek/Opinion/municipal-elections-matter-but-not-inthe-way-we-think-20160721
• Carol Mershon. “The Political Determinants of Health in South Africa: Diversities Reconsidered.” Paper presented at the 2015 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. “Building Coalitions and Working to Advance Diverse Women across the Profession.” Paper presented at the 2015 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, San Francisco.
• Carol Mershon. "Formal Modeling for Substantive Social Research: The Place of Narratives in Linking Theory to Models." Presentation, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, May 2015.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. "Strategies for Diversifying Academe: Redressing Bias against Women and Scholars of Color in the Social Science Professions." Presentation, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, March 2015.
• Carol Mershon. “Political Elites and the Supply of Safe Water in South Africa.” Paper presented at the Second International Conference of the School of Health Sciences, University of Venda, July 1-3, 2014.
• Gertrude Fraser, Carol Mershon, and Denise Walsh. “Diversifying Our Departments: A Dialogue with a Focus on Women Faculty of Color.” Workshop presentation, Annual National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education, May 2014, Indianapolis.
• Carol Mershon. “What’s Will Got to Do with It? Redefining Equality and Transforming Political Science.” Invited paper presented at the 2013 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, roundtable on “Leaning In and Having It All? Redefining Equality and Transforming Political Science in the New Millennium,” sponsored by the APSA Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. “Gendering Political Science: Strategies for Organizing and Advancing Diverse Women in the Profession.” Paper presented at the Short Course on “Gendering Political Science: Strategizing New Directions for Advancing Diverse Women in Political Science,” 2013 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. “Diversifying Leadership and Addressing Discrimination in the Political Science Profession.” Paper presented at the 2013 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon. “Party Systems in Post-World War II Italy.” Paper presented at the January 2013 Workshop on the Oxford Handbook of Italian Politics, Bologna, Italy.
• Carol Mershon and Denise Walsh. “Organizing Women: Diversifying Leadership and Addressing Discrimination in the Political Science Profession.” Paper presented at the 2013 Annual Meetings of the Southern Political Science Association, Orlando. Mershon / April 2019 / 9
• Carol Mershon. “Enforcement of Constraints on Legislative Party Switching.” Paper presented at the 2012 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Curbing Elite Discretion: Banning Legislative Party Switching.” Paper presented at the 2011 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Seattle.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Change in Parliamentary Party Systems and Policy Outcomes: Hunting the Core.” Paper presented at the 2011 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Hunting the Core: Change in Parliamentary Parties and Policy.” Paper presented at the 2010 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Institutional and Preference-Based Determinants of Party System Change in Parliaments.” Paper presented at the 2009 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association, Toronto.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Change and Stability in Parties and Party Systems between Elections.” Invited paper presented at the 2009 Workshop on the Political Economy of Democratic Institutions, Hoover Institution.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “The Midterm Effect: Forces for Stability in Legislative Party Systems.” Paper presented at the 2009 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Parliamentary Party Switching and the Midterm Effect.” Paper presented at the 2008 Joint Sessions of the European Consortium for Political Research, Rennes, France.
• Carol Mershon and Timothy Nokken. “Party Formation and Changes of Party Affiliation among Legislators: The United States and Great Britain in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries.” Paper presented at the 2008 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.
• Carol Mershon. “The Effects of Party Switching on Coalition Politics.” Invited paper prepared for the 2007 International Workshop on Governability across Regime Types, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
• Kerstin Hamann and Carol Mershon. “Regional Governments in Spain: Exploring Theories of Government Formation.” Paper presented at the 2007 Annual Meetings of the American Political Science Association.
• Carol Mershon and Olga Shvetsova. “Party Switching in Legislatures and the Midterm Effect.” Paper presented at the 2007 Annual Meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association.

Professional Service

Conference Leadership

• Keynote Address, 2016 Meetings of the Legislative Studies Group of the Latin American Association of Political Science, Santiago, Chile.
• Program Committee (Section Head for “Research Programs, Grantsmanship, and Research Administration”), Southern Political Science Association, 2013 Annual Meeting.
• Program Committee (Program Co-Chair, Legislative Studies Section), American Political Mershon / April 2019 / 10 Science Association, 2012 Annual Meeting.
• Program Committee (Section Head for “Comparative Politics: Advanced Industrial Countries”), Midwest Political Science Association, 2003 Annual Meeting.
• Program Committee (Section Head for “Comparative Politics: Advanced Industrial Countries”), Southern Political Science Association, 2000 Annual Meeting.
• Program Committee (Section Head for “Comparative Politics: Advanced Industrial Countries”), Midwest Political Science Association, 1998 Annual Meeting.

Award Committees, Review Panels, and Peer Reviewing

Travel Award Committee, American Political Science Association, Organized Section on European Politics, 2018-present.

• Kellogg/Notre Dame Committee (“Best Paper in Comparative Politics” Committee), Midwest Political Science Association, 2016 Annual Meeting.
• Pi Sigma Alpha Committee (“Best Paper” Committee), Southern Political Science Association, 2010 Annual Meeting; 2014 Annual Meeting.
• Screening Committee, Fulbright/Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Competition (Italy), 2009; 2013; 2014.
• Screening Committee, Fulbright Specialist Program, 2016-2017 (three competition cycles).
• National Science Foundation Review Panel on Interdisciplinary Social and Behavioral Science, 2016.
• National Science Foundation Review Panel on Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation, 2008.
• Sage Award Committee (“Best Paper” Committee), Organized Section on Comparative Politics, American Political Science Association, 2005 Annual Meeting.
• Heinz Eulau Award Committee (“Best Article” Committee), American Political Science Association, 1999 Annual Meeting.
• Book Award Committee, Section on Political Economy, American Political Science Association, 1999 Annual Meeting.
• Screening Committee, International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship Program, Social Science Research Council/American Council of Learned Societies, 1997-2002.
• Referee: American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, Asian Security, British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, Comparative Politics, Electoral Studies, European Political Science Review, Flanders Research Foundation, Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS, Belgium), Government and Opposition, Homo Oeconomicus, Israel Science Foundation, Journal of Modern Italian Studies, Journal of Politics, Journal of Theoretical Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly, National Political Science Review, National Science Foundation (Political Science Program; Decision, Risk, and Management Sciences Program; Economics Program; Law and Social Sciences Program; Office of International Science and Engineering; Social, Behavioral, and Economic Multidisciplinary Activities), Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Party Politics, Political Behavior, Political Science Research and Methods, Politics & Gender, Politics and Policy, Political Research Quarterly, Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica, Scandinavian Political Studies, South European Society and Politics, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, West European Politics. Mershon / April 2019 / 11
• Compensated Manuscript Reviewer: Cambridge University Press, DC Heath, Longman, McGraw-Hill, Princeton University Press.

Editorial Positions and Boards

• Book Review Editor, Italian Politics and Society, 1987-1994.
• Member, International Scientific Board, Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica / Italian Review of Political Science (official journal of the Italian Political Science Association), January 2014- present.
• Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Politics, January 2015-December 2016.
  • JOP Gender Task Force, January 2015-December 2016.
• Member, Editorial Board, The Legislative Scholar (Newsletter of the APSA Legislative Studies Section), 2015-present.

Leadership Roles and Membership

• Co-Ombuds, American Political Science Association, 2017-2019
• Ombuds, Southern Political Science Association, January 2019 Meetings
• Ombuds, Midwest Political Science Association, invited to serve at April 2019 Meetings
• Co-Ombuds, American Educational Research Association, invited to serve at April 2019 Meetings
• American Political Science Association, Organized Section on European Politics, Steering Group, 2018-present.
• Member, Committee on Organized Sections, American Political Science Association, 2015- 2018
• Executive Council, Midwest Political Science Association, 2004-2007
• Executive Council, Section on Political Economy, American Political Science Association, 2000-2002
• Nominating Committee, Midwest Political Science Association, 1998 Annual Meeting
• Chair, Committee on the Status of Women, Midwest Political Science Association, 1994- 1995
• President, Conference Group on Italian Politics and Society (CONGRIPS), 2003-2005
  • Vice-President, 2001-2003
  • Executive Committee, 1995-2001
  • Nominating Committee Chair, 1997; member, 2007
• Mentoring Program: American Political Science Association, 2016- present; Midwest Political Science Association, 2016- present.
• Member: American Political Science Association, APSA Legislative Studies Section, APSA Section on Comparative Politics, APSA Section on Political Economy, APSA Section on Representation and Electoral Systems, International Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association, Conference Group on Italian Politics and Society, Women's Caucus for Political Science.

Conference Activities

• American Political Science Association: Chair, 2017 (“Centralization, Decentralization”), Chair and Discussant, 2016 ("The Dynamics and Consequences of Internal Party Politics”), Co-Organizer and Co-Chair, Short Course 2015 (Coalition Building to Advance Diverse Mershon / April 2019 / 12 Leadership and Address Discrimination in Political Science”); Co-Organizer, Working Group 2015 on Diversity and Discrimination in the Profession; Co-Organizer and Co-Chair, Short Course 2013 (“Gendering Political Science: Strategizing New Directions for Advancing Diverse Women in Political Science”); Discussant, 2012 (“Institutions and Legislative Parties,” performed by email, given weather-induced cancellation of conference); Short Course Chair and Instructor, 2004 (“Integrating the ‘New’ Italian Politics into Undergraduate Teaching and Comparative Research”); Panel Chair and Discussant, 2003 (“Rationality and Culture in Comparative Politics: Revisiting Classics in Italian Politics”); Panel Chair and Discussant, 1998 (“Party Competition and Voter Mobilization”); Panel Chair, 1995 ("The Politics of Institutional Design and Policy Change: European Cases"); Discussant, 1995 ("Rational Choice in Comparative Contexts"); Discussant, 1993 ("Political Change and Conflicting Identities in Western Europe"); Discussant, 1991 ("Ideology and Party Politics"); Panel Co-Chair, 1988 ("Rational Choice Approaches to Comparative Politics").
• Midwest Political Science Association: Chair and Discussant, 2018 (”Politicians in Developing Countries”); Discussant, 2017 (“Networks and Connections in Developing Countries”); Discussant, 2014 (“Descriptive Representation and Congruence in Congress”); Roundtable Participant, 2010 (“Political Science Dissertation Research: Submitting Dissertation Improvement Grant Proposals to the National Science Foundation”); Panel Chair, 2002 (“Author Meets Critics: Carol Mershon, “The Costs of Coalition”); Panel Chair, 1992 ("Legislative Coalitions in Europe and the United States"); Panel Chair, 1988 ("Rational Choice Approaches to Comparative Politics: Parties and Voters"); Discussant, 1987 ("Political Competition, Representation, and Development").
• Southern Political Science Association: Co-Chair, Conference within Conference, 2013 (“Applying the Lessons of Gender, Race, and Intersectionality to the Political Science Discipline”); Roundtable Chair, 2013 (“Research Fellowships in Political Science”); Roundtable Participant, 2011 (“NSF Funding Opportunities and Procedures”); Discussant, 2000 (“Author Meets Critics: Paul Sniderman, The Outsider: Prejudice and Politics in Italy”).
• African Studies Association: Discussant, 2012 (“When Democracy Disappoints: Reconsidering the Origins of Political Instability and Policy Failure”); Panel Chair, 2012 (“Ethnic Favoritism, Voting and Violence”).
• Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research: Unified Session Instructor, 2011 (“Writing Grant Proposals”).
• Società Italiana di Scienza Politica (Italian Political Science Association): Discussant, 2003 (“La nuova rappresentanza politica” [Novel Political Representation]).
• International Political Science Association: Discussant, 1998 (Annual Meeting of the IPSA Research Committee on Socio-Political Pluralism). • European Consortium for Political Research: Invited participant, April 1995 Joint Workshops, Bordeaux, France; April 2008 Joint Workshops, Rennes, France.
• Conference of Europeanists: Panel Chair, 1987 ("Continuities and Ruptures in Electoral Alignments: Italy in Comparative Perspective").
• Invited participant, Symposium on the Future of Center-Right Parties in Industrial Democracies. Conference co-sponsored by the College of William and Mary and the HannsSeidel Stiftung’s Academy for Politics, Williamsburg, Virginia, September 2000. 
• Invited participant, Research Workshops on Party Politics in Japan and Europe. Conferences Mershon / April 2019 / 13 organized in 1995 (Dublin), 1996 (Kyoto), 1997 (Warwick), and 1998 (Kumamato) by the European Consortium for Political Research and the Japanese Political Science Association.
• Invited participant, “Primavera 1994-Primavera 1995: La situazione politica italiana” [Spring 1994-Spring 1995: The Italian Political Situation]. Conference organized by the University of Bologna and the Italian Fulbright Commission, Bologna, Italy, 1995.
• Invited participant, “The Politics of the European Community.” Workshop organized by the Belgian Fulbright Commission, Brussels, Belgium, and Luxembourg, 1989.

Translations and Book Reviews

• Co-translator of five chapters and chronology of events for Italian Politics: Ending the First Republic. Co-editors Carol Mershon and Gianfranco Pasquino. Boulder: Westview, 1995.
• Translator, Ida Regalia, "Democracy and Unions: Towards a Critical Appraisal." Economic and Industrial Democracy, Vol. 9, 1988, 345-371.
• Review of Per una rifondazione del welfare state [Towards a Refoundation of the Welfare State], ed. Achille Ardigò. Italian Politics and Society, No. 21, 1987, 44-47.

University Service

University of Virginia (1993-present)

Department of Politics Governance

• Comparative Politics Group, 1993-present
  • Group Co-Chair, 2007-2009, 2015-2018
  • Subcommittee on Graduate Curriculum, 2013
• Methods Group, 2009 (date of creation)-present
• Graduate Committee, 1994-1996, 1998-2003, 2011-2012
  • Subcommittee on Admissions and Financial Aid, 1998-1999, 2011-2012
  • Recruitment Coordinator 1994-1995
  • Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Reforms, 1998-1999
• Undergraduate Committee, 1993-1994, 2000-2009 
  • Subcommittee on Direct Credit, 2006-2009
• Gender and Diversity Climate Committee, Chair, 2011-2014; member, 2015-present
• Women’s Caucus, 2011-present
• Computer Committee, 1993-1996
  • Committee Chair, 1994-1995
• Methods Review Committee, 1995-1996
• Equal Opportunity Officer, 1998-1999, 2003-2009
• Library Liaison Officer, 2000-2002
• Personnel Committee, 2001-present
  • Subcommittee on Promotion, 2001-2002, 2007-2008, 2013-2014
  • Subcommittee on Third-Year Review, 2007-2008 
  • Subcommittee on Fifth-Year Review, 2016
• Peer Review Committee, elected member, 2012-2014; 2016-present
• Founding Member, Working Group on Undergraduate Research in Political Science, 2013- present Mershon / April 2019 / 14
• Member, Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Working Group, 2016-present
• Director of Diversity and Inclusion, 2015-present

Department of Politics Search Committees

• Comparative Politics Search, 1995-1996
• Ad Hoc Committee on Female Faculty Recruitment, 1998
• International Relations Search, 1998-1999 • American Politics Search, 1999-2000 • American Politics Search, 2001-2002
• Comparative Politics/International Relations Search, 2004-2005
• International Relations Search, 2006-2007
• Methods Search, 2011-2012
  • Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Appointment at Rank of Associate Professor with Tenure 2011-2012
• Methods Search, 2012-2013
• American Politics Search, 2013-2014
• Endowed Chair Search, 2014-2015
• Comparative Politics Search, 2015-2016
  • Subcommittee on Special Circumstances hire, 2015-2016
• Methods Postdoc Search, 2015-2016
• Environmental Politics Search, 2016-2017
• American Politics Search, 2017-2018
• Advising and Mentoring of Students
• Associate Undergraduate Advisor (Advisor to Incoming Majors), Politics, 1994-1996, 2000- 2001
• First- and Second-Year Advisor, College of Arts and Sciences, 1994-1996, 2001-2005
  • Advisor to Echols [Honors] Scholars, 2001-2003
• Co-Founder and Faculty Advisor, Forum on Motherloss/Women without Mothers, 1997-99
• Faculty Speaker, Forum on Motherloss/Women without Mothers, Fall 1997, Fall 1998
• Faculty Speaker, Model United Nations, Fall 1998
• Politics Honors Program Examination Committee, 1999, 2004
• Faculty Speaker, College of Arts and Sciences, Echols Scholars, Spring 2001
• Mentor, Office of African-American Affairs Faculty-Student Mentoring Program, 2003-2006
• Faculty Partner in the College Technology Intern Practicum, 2006-2007
• Discussant, Annual Graduate Student Conference, Politics, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2017
• Invited Panelist, Workshop on Graduate Student Fellowships, Politics, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2017
• LAMI FYRE faculty supervisor, three undergraduate research assistants, Summer 2018

Extra-Departmental Service

• Computer Advisory Group, Arts and Sciences, 1994-1995
• Institutional Representative, European Consortium for Political Research, 1995-present
• Cabell Hall Classroom Improvement Project Committee, Office of the Vice Provost, Mershon / April 2019 / 15 University of Virginia, 1998-1999
• Invited member of the Raven Society, 2002-present
  • Scholarship Selection Committee, 2003
• Selection Committee, All-University Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Spring 2003
• Faculty Senate, 2003-2009
  • Subcommittee on Senate Structure and Representation, Spring 2006
  • Standing Committee on Research and Scholarship, 2006-2009
  • Standing Committee on Communications, 2006-2009
  • Nominating Committee, Spring 2008
• Consultant (Mentor), Excellence in Diversity Fellowship Program, 2004-2007
• Faculty Project, Arts and Sciences Center for Instructional Technology, 2007-2008
• University Undergraduate Admissions Committee, 2007-2009
• Panelist, Securing Research Funding and Fellowships, University of Virginia Grad Days 2012; 2013
• Siena Curriculum Oversight Committee, Spring 2012-2014
• Modern European Studies Committee, Arts and Sciences, 2012-2014
• Modern European Studies M.A. program, Arts and Sciences, affiliated faculty, 2016-present
• Member, XX@UVa, 2012-present
• Steering Committee, Quantitative Collaborative, Arts and Sciences 2012-2014
  • Faculty Mentor to QC Graduate Fellows 2012-2013
  • Subcommittee on Proposal Review, Spring 2013
  • Subcommittee on Research Retreat, Spring-Summer 2013, Fall 2013
• Panelist, Session on “The Water and Health in Limpopo Project,” UVa Quantitative Collaborative Research Retreat, September 2013
• Moderator, “Federal Funding for Social and Behavioral Sciences,” Plenary Session, UVa Quantitative Collaborative Research Retreat, September 2013
• Invited participant for Leadership in Academic Matters, Fall 2103
• Invited Panel Presentation, World Water Day Workshop, March 2014, UVa Center for Global Health
• Third Year Review Committee, College of Arts and Sciences, Spring 2014
• Invited participant, interviewed in August 2014 for Oral Histories project, “Voices and Visibility,” UVa CHARGE, an NSF ADVANCE Program
• Ad Hoc Working Group on Revisions to Student Sexual Misconduct Policy, Arts and Sciences, November-December 2014
• Interim Co-PI and Program Director, UVa CHARGE | NSF ADVANCE at UVa, 2015- August 2016
• Member, Implementation Team, UVa CHARGE | NSF ADVANCE at UVa, 2015-present
• Member, Internal Advisory Board, UVa CHARGE | NSF ADVANCE at UVa, November 2016-present
• Invited Panelist, A&S Women in Academe, organized by the Arts and Sciences Graduate Women in Academic Group, May 2016, May 2017
• Steering Committee, Directors of Diversity and Inclusion, Arts and Sciences, May 2016- December 2018.
• Referee, SPRINT, São Paolo Researchers in Collaboration, UVa-São Paolo Research Foundation, Fall 2016 Mershon / April 2019 / 16
• Mentor, Center for Global Health Case Competition, Spring 2017
• Invited panelist, Roundtable on Promotion to Full Professor, organized by Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Spring 2017
• Discussant, Diversity in Scholarship Conference, Fall 2017
• Arts & Sciences Representative, Associate Deans for Diversity monthly meetings with Vice Provosts Abrams, Brandt-Pierce, and Holmes, 2017-2018 AY, Summer 2018, Fall 2018
• Chair, Search Committee for Arts and Sciences Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Summer 2018
• Member, Organizing Committee, Reducing Sexual Harassment at UVa, 2018-2019
• Member, History Department Chair Search, 2018-2019

Non-Research Publications: “I Profess.” Teaching Concerns (Newsletter of the Teaching Resource Center at the University of Virginia), Spring 2001.

Washington University (1985-1993)

• Departmental Search Committees: Comparative Politics Search, 1987-1988, 1990-1991.
• Departmental Governance: Founder and Organizer, Research Seminars in Political Science, 1985-1987, Fall 1988, 1990-1992; Convener, Comparative Politics graduate examination, 1990-1991; Honors Committee, 1991-1992; Selection Committee, Truman Scholarships, 1991.
• Advising: Freshman Advisor, Arts and Sciences, 1990-1992.
• Extra-Departmental Service: Assembly Series Committee, College of Arts and Sciences, 1986-1987, Fall 1988, 1990-1992; Co-Founder and Co-Organizer, Faculty Seminar on Contemporary Theory of Coalitions, Departments of Political Science and Economics, Spring 1991; Faculty Reader, Honorary Scholarship Competition, Arts and Sciences, 1991.

Harvard University (1987-1988)

• Center for European Studies: Chair, Study Group on Parties, Elections, and Representation, 1987-1988; Co-Chair, Italian Study Group, 1987-1988; Selection Committee, Summer Grants, 1988. 

Courses Taught (last dozen years)

• Special Topics in Comparative Politics: Parties, Poverty, and Health (undergraduate)
• Special Topics in Comparative Politics: Parties and Policies (undergraduate)
• The Politics of Infectious Disease (undergraduate)
• Politics, Poverty, and Health (undergraduate) 
• Comparative Legislatures (undergraduate)
• Comparative Political Parties (undergraduate and graduate)
• Politics in Southern Europe (undergraduate)
• Core Seminar in Comparative Politics (graduate)
• Seminar on Comparative Institutions (graduate)
• Seminar on Comparative Legislative and Electoral Institutions (graduate)
• Graduate Professional Development Seminar Mershon / April 2019 / 17

Community Service

• Volunteer reader (mostly English texts, a few Italian and Spanish) at Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2002-2003
• Volunteer interpreter (Italian-English), Language Bank, University of Virginia Hospital, 2000-2009
• Member, Board of Directors, Association of Unit Owners of the Holsinger Condominium, 2005-2013

Languages

• Native: English
• Fluent Italian (reading, speaking, writing, and oral comprehension)
• Fluency in reading and oral comprehension of French and Spanish, good speaking ability in Spanish, adequate speaking ability in French
• Fluency in reading, adequate oral comprehension of Portuguese
• Reading ability in Catalan and Romanian, adequate oral comprehension of Catalan
• Rudimentary reading ability in Dutch and German

References available upon request