Welcome!
Below, you’ll find information “about me,” my research interests, my teaching experience, my publications, and my public scholarship.
Take a look around, and feel free to reach out.
About me
Hello!
My name is Cammie Jo Bolin, and I’m an assistant professor of political science at University at Albany, SUNY.
My research explores questions of identity, representation, and participation in political and religious contexts in the United States.
At UAlbany, I teach courses on Campaigns and Elections, Political Identity, Religion and Politics, and U.S. Politics.
I earned my PhD in political science at Georgetown University. Prior to graduate school at Georgetown University, I received a BA in Politics and History at Centre College in Danville, KY. I continue to actively cheer on the Kentucky Wildcats and my hometown Murray State Racers throughout the college basketball season.
Research
My research explores questions of women’s leadership, representation, and participation in political and religious contexts in the United States.
Book Manuscript:
Redesigning Women Candidates? Strategizing Identity in American Political Campaigns
Through watching and coding 4000+ campaign video advertisements, conducting survey experiments, and interviewing political candidates, staff members, and consultants, Redesigning Women Candidates provides a comprehensive examination of women candidates’ self-presentation on the campaign trail.
I argue the 2018 and 2020 elections were unique not only because of the number of women running for political office, but also because of how these women were campaigning. Using a multi-method approach, I examine how women candidates are shifting the story they present to voters while campaigning and how constituents respond to these decisions
Teaching
Assistant Professor, UAlbany:
Undergraduate courses:
RPOS101W: American Politics (Spring 2025, 2024, 2023)
RPOS 204: Identities, Boundaries, and Mobilization (Spring 2023)
RPOS204: Religion and Politics (Fall 2025, 2023)
RPOS 337: Campaigns and Elections (Fall 2024, 2022)
RPOS 438Z: Political Behavior (Fall 2024)
Graduate Courses:
RPOS539: Seminar on Campaigns and Elections (Spring 2025, Fall 2024)
RPOS 599: Seminar on Political Identity (Fall 2025, Spring 2024)
She Preached the Word
Knoll, Benjamin R. and Cammie Jo Bolin. 2018. She Preached the Word: Women’s Ordination in Modern America. New York: Oxford University Press.
“She Preached the Word is a landmark study of women’s ordination in contemporary American congregations. In this groundbreaking work, Benjamin R. Knoll and Cammie Jo Bolin draw upon a novel collection of survey data and personal narrative interviews to answer several important questions, including: Who supports women’s ordination in their congregations? What are the most common reasons for and against women’s ordination? What effect do female clergy have on young women and girls, particularly in terms of their psychological, economic, and religious empowerment later in life? How do women clergy affect levels of congregational attendance and engagement among members? What explains the persistent gender gap in America’s clergy?
Accessible to scholars and general readers alike, She Preached the Word is a timely and important contribution to our understanding of the intersection of gender, religion, and politics in contemporary American society.”
Selected Publications and Works in Progress
My scholarship explores the intersections of religion, politics, and other identities among elites:
“Religious Communication and Persuasion” with Benjamin R. Knoll. 2019. In Oxford Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion. Oxford University Press.
“Which Civil Religion? Partisanship, Christian Nationalism, and the Dimensions of Civil Religion in the United States” with Abigail Vegter and Andrew R. Lewis. 2023. Politics and Religion 16(2): 286-300.
“Women as Religious Leaders: The Gendered Politics of Shutting Down” with Kelly Rolfes-Haase. 2023. An Epidemic on my People: Religion and the Coronavirus Response, Temple University Press.
“Homestyle Homilies: Use of Religious Rhetoric in Congressional E-Newsletters” (paper, in progress)
Public responses to women’s leadership:
“Who Counts as Patriotic? A racial and Gendered Response to Athletes’ Activism” with Jamil Scott (paper, in progress)
“Single Moms and Family Photos: How Family Arrangements Affect Constituent Attitudes” (paper, in progress)
Public scholarship:
Rockefeller College, Public Engagement :
“US Elections 101,” 2024. Rockefeller College, Election Series
“Biden leaves the race: what are the implications?” 2024. Rockefeller College, Election Series
Blog Posts:
Bolin, Cammie Jo, and Benjamin R. Knoll. 2018. “Here’s one way to increase women’s representation in politics: ordain more women as pastors and priests.” Religion in Public. July 2.
Knoll, Benjamin R., and Cammie Jo Bolin. 2018. “Ten things to know about women’s ordination in the United States.” Oxford University Press blog. June 13.
Knoll, Benjamin R., and Cammie Jo Bolin. 2018. “Can more lay leadership roles for women compensate for male-only clergy? A qualified ‘yes.’” Religion in Public. June 20.
Podcast Episodes:
“She Preached the Word: Interview with Benjamin Knoll and Cammie Jo Bolin.” Potstirrer Podcast: Politics, Religion, History. Hosted by Jaye Pool. September 23, 2018.
“254: When a Woman Leads the Church: Women’s Ordination in the USA: Benjamin Knoll & Cammie Jo Bolin.” A Thoughtful Faith Podcast. July 17, 2018. Hosted by Gina Colvin.
“492-493: Women’s Ordination and Congregational Leadership: Exploring New Research.” Mormon Matters: An Open Stories Foundation Podcast. Hosted by Dan Wotherspoon. July 5, 2018.