Jessica M. Hayden
Assistant Professor | Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC, UNITED STATES
Jessica M. Hayden's teaching and research interests include Congress, representation, gender and political communication.
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Biography
Jessica M. Hayden is an assistant professor of American Politics at Western Carolina University. Her teaching and research interests include Congress, representation, gender and political communication. In her research, Hayden strives to empirically measure the quality of representation in the contemporary United States. In her teaching, her goal is to relate democratic governance to her students' lives and inspire them to participate in politics.
Industry Expertise (2)
Education/Learning
Political Organization
Areas of Expertise (5)
Congressional Communication
Women's Representation
Gender and Politics
Political Participation
Political Communication
Education (4)
University of Oklahoma: Ph.D., Political Science 2018
University of West Florida: M.A., Political Science 2012
University of Florida: J.D., Law 2010
Appalachian State University: B.S., Political Science 2007
Links (3)
Languages (1)
- English
Articles (4)
Confederate Imagery in Congressional Rhetoric: Divisions and Deliberation
Social Science Quarterly2021 Objective This article examines congressional communication concerning Confederate statues and the Confederate battle flag. Method Using a mixed-methods approach to text analysis, I identify members of Congress who have taken a side in the debate surrounding Confederate symbols, and contextualize the many rhetorical themes present in the debate within our national legislature.
Appointees versus Elected Officials: The Implications of Institutional Design on Gender Representation in Political Leadership
Journal of Women Politics & Policy2021 We explore how institutional design, whether a position is elected or appointed, influences women’s representation in state executive leadership positions, including cabinet secretaries and heads of bureaucratic agencies. We expect this relationship is conditional on if the position addresses a stereotypically feminine or masculine policy area. As women are less politically ambitious and perceive electoral disadvantages in running for masculine positions, we expect the pool of women willing to accept an appointed masculine position is greater than those willing to run for elected office. However, for feminine positions, women may perceive their gender as an advantage and are more willing to run.
Jumping on the Trump Train or Ditching the Donald: Campaign Rhetoric and the 2016 Congressional Election
Journal of Political Marketing2018 The 2016 general election presented an unusual challenge to Republican congressional candidates: whether to market one’s campaign as aligned with or against Donald Trump’s controversial candidacy. In this paper, we determine what district and member-level factors influence candidate endorsements of Trump for president. Second, we study if the endorsements hurt candidates on Election Day. We find that underlying political partisanship, as measured by Mitt Romney’s 2012 vote share in congressional districts, predicts much of incumbents’ support for Trump, and that candidates’ support did not harm them in the general election.
Land, Wood, Water, and Space: Senator Robert S. Kerr, Congress, and Selling the Space Race to the American Public: Land, Wood, Water, and Space
Social Science Quarterly2017 Objective We examine the contribution Sen. Robert S. Kerr (D-OK) made in promoting NASA and space exploration to Oklahoma and the general public while serving as chair of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences. Methods Using newspaper articles as well as speeches and press releases from the archival papers of Robert S. Kerr, we estimate a topic model to uncover the dimensions of debate concerning space. We also use the communications from Kerr's office to provide substantiation and context to the way the senator promoted space in Oklahoma and elsewhere.
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