I am a political theorist with interests in the history of political thought (ancient to contemporary), democratic theory, political philosophy, and U.S. politics and political thought. I focus on bridging the gap between political philosophy and practice, using political theory to directly illuminate current sociopolitical issues and critically engage with quantitative social scientific research. My overall goal is to understand whether and how democracy (and other social and political arrangements) can foster communities of care and collaboration.

My current research speaks to the crisis of political trust in the United States. In particular, I question what kind of trust democracy needs, between whom, and the role a democratic constitution and institutions play in fostering and maintaining democratic trust. In this project, I draw from political theory, US politics, history, sociology, psychology, and economics to build a definition of democratic trust, critique institutionalized distrust, and imagine alternative institutional ways to safeguard against abuse of power.

Other interests that occupy my time and brain space include dance, community advocacy, micro-mobility/non-car-centric advocacy, theater, design, food, museums, photography, and movies and television.

I hold a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Baylor University. I am currently a Postdoctoral Associate at Boston University’s Kilachand Honors College. I can be reached at sahrens [at] bu [dot] edu.