Susanne ScHwarz

Founder & Lab Director

Susanne Schwarz is Assistant Professor of American Politics in the Department of Political Science at Swarthmore College. Professor Schwarz’s research explores questions on American Political Development (APD) as well as historical perspectives on the American Political Economy (APE).

Her book project investigates how extractive carceral institutions helped consolidate state public finance in the postbellum American South. Other parts of her research explore the impact of political representation on incarceration during Reconstruction, the role of education on political participation of Southern blacks in the pre-Civil Rights era, and political dynamics of remembrance culture in the United States. Her work has been published in outlets such as the Journal of Politics and Political Behavior.

Brooke Bothner

Brooke is a freshman at Swarthmore who currently plans to study political science, economics, and cognitive science. She is thrilled to be a part of the HPE lab to explore the past through an interdisciplinary lens and use that insight to face modern challenges. When not in the classroom, you can find Brooke exploring the outdoors and studying up on geopolitics.

Mahika Shergill

Mahika is a freshman from Mumbai, India. She plans to double major in English and Economics and is keen to explore American history through a political and economic lens at the HPE lab. At Swarthmore, she enjoys writing news articles for the Phoenix and is an editor for the Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal. Outside academic life, she's an avid reader, loves playing the piano, and championing environmental causes.