Michael A.

Catalano

Contact Binghamton University (SUNY) Email: mcatala4@binghamton.edu

Information Department of Political Science Website: https://catalanopolisci.weebly.com/
P.O. Box 6000 Phone Number: (607) 591-5635
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000

Academic Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Binghamton University, August 2023-present

Positions
Interim Pre-Law Advisor, Harpur Academic Advising Office, Binghamton University, June
2023-January 2024

Pre-Law Advising Associate, Harpur Academic Advising Office, Binghamton University, April
2023-January 2024

Instructor of Record (Graduate Student), Department of Political Science, Binghamton

University, January 2022-August 2023

Editorial Assistant, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion & Parties, August 2022-August 2023

Teaching Assistant, Department of Political Science, Binghamton University, August 2018-

December 2020

Education Binghamton University (SUNY)

Ph.D. Candidate, Political Science Expected Completion: June 2024
Dissertation: Court Curbing in the US States
My dissertation explores the motivations for and implications of court curbing in the US
states. With novel measures of the scope of proposed change in court-curbing bills and
likelihood of enactment of court-curbing bills, I explain motivations for court-curbing
activity and its implications for judicial behavior.
Committee: Wendy Martinek (Chair), Olga Shvetsova, Jeffrey Yates

ICPSR Summer Program at the University of Michigan

Data Science and Text Analysis Summer 2021

Binghamton University (SUNY)

M.A., Political Science December 2019

Gettysburg College
B.S., Political Science, Environmental Studies, Magna Cum Laude May 2010

Research and Law and Courts; American Politics; Constitutional Law; American Political Institutions;
Teaching Judicial Politics; Research Methods; State Politics; Comparative Politics
Interests

Peer- Catalano, Michael. 2022. “Ex Ante and Ex Post Control over Courts in the US States: Court
Reviewed Curbing and Political Party Influence.” Justice System Journal 43(4): 503-523.
Articles Recipient of the 2021 Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award.

VanDusky-Allen, Julie, Stephen Utych, and Michael Catalano. 2022. “Partisanship, Policy, and
Americans’ Evaluations of State-Level COVID-19 Policies Prior to the 2020 Election.” Political
Research Quarterly 75 (2): 479-496.

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 1

 Shvetsova, Olga, Andrei Zhirnov, Abdul Basit Adeel, Mert Can Bayar, Onsel Gurel Bayrali,
Michael Catalano, Olivia Catalano, Hyoungrohk Chu, Frank Gianelli, Ezgi Muftuoglu, Dina
Rosenberg, Didem Seyis, Bradley Skopyk, Julie VanDusky-Allen, and Tianyi Zhao. 2022.
“Protective Policy Index (PPI) Global Dataset of Origins and Stringency of COVID 19 Mitigation
Policies.” Scientific Data (Nature) 9 (319).

Shvetsova, Olga, Andrei Zhirnov, Frank Giannelli, Michael Catalano, and Olivia Catalano.
2022. “Can Correlation Between Governor's Party and COVID-19 Morbidity Be Explained by the
Differences in COVID-19 Mitigation Policies in the States?” American Journal of Preventive
Medicine 62 (6): E381-E383.

Shvetsova, Olga, Andrei Zhirnov, Frank Giannelli, Michael Catalano, and Olivia Catalano.
2022. “Governor's Party, Policies, and COVID-19 Outcomes: Further Evidence of an Effect.”
American Journal of Preventive Medicine 62 (3): 433-437.

Shvetsova, Olga, Julie VanDusky-Allen, Andrei Zhirnov, Abdul Basit Adeel, Michael Catalano,
Olivia Catalano, Frank Gianelli, Ezgi Muftuoglu, Dina Rosenberg, Mehmet Halit Sezgin and
Tianyi Zhao. 2021. “Federal Institutions and Strategic Policy Responses to COVID-19
Pandemic.” Frontiers in Political Science 3 (June): 1-14.

Adeel, Abdul Basit, Michael Catalano, Olivia Catalano, Grant Gibson, Ezgi Muftuoglu, Tara
Riggs, Mehmet Halit Sezgin, Olga Shvetsova, Naveed Tahir, Julie VanDusky-Allen, Tianyi
Zhao, and Andrei Zhirnov. 2020. “COVID-19 Policy Response and the Rise of the Sub-national
Governments” Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de politiques 46 (4): 565-584.

Shvetsova, Olga, Andrei Zhirnov, Julie VanDusky-Allen, Abdul Basit Adeel, Michael Catalano,
Olivia Catalano, Frank Giannelli, Ezgi Muftuoglu, Tara Riggs, Mehmet Halit Sezgin, Naveed
Tahir, and Tianyi Zhao. 2020. “Institutional Origins of Protective COVID-19 Public Health
Policy Responses: Informational and Authority Redundancies and Policy Stringency.” Journal of
Political Institutions and Political Economy 1 (4): 585-613.

Book Hayley Munir, Michael Catalano, and Wendy Martinek. Forthcoming. “Judicial Decision
Chapters Making on Lower Federal Courts.” In Research Handbook of Judicial Politics, eds. Michael Fix
and Matthew Montgomery. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Michael Catalano and Aaron Chan. 2024. “Common Law Systems and COVID-19 Policy
Response: Protective Public Health Policy in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and
Australia.” In Government Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Between a Rock and a Hard
Place, ed. Olga Shvetsova. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan.

Michael Catalano. 2023. “Can the US Constitution Handle Political Parties?” In The US
Constitution in Five Minutes, eds. David Klein and Joseph Smith. Sheffield, UK: Equinox
Publishing Home.

Gerald Benjamin and Michael Catalano. 2020. “New York State’s ‘Multi+’ Party System.” In
Beyond Donkeys and Elephants: Minor Political Parties in Contemporary American Politics, ed.
Richard Davis. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.

Working Michael Catalano, Matthew Walz, Michael Romano, and Todd Curry. “#BLM and Silence by
Papers State Supreme Courts: Representation or Insulation?” (Invited to Revise and Resubmit)

Michael Catalano. “Implications of Court Curbing in the US States.”

Recipient of the 2023 Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award.

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 2

 Michael Catalano. “Measuring Court Curbing.”

Sara Benesh, Wendy Martinek, Taraleigh Davis, Michael Catalano. “Supreme Court
Appearances and Legitimacy.”

Michael Catalano and Allison Bugenis. “Safeguarding Presidential Policy through

Appointments to the US Court of Appeals.”
Recipient of the 2022 Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award.

Nathan Henceroth, Hayley Munir, Michael Catalano, and Marcy Shieh. “State Supreme Court
Endorsements by Interest Groups.”

Michael Catalano and Matthew Walz. “Fusion Voting and Legislative Behavior.”

Book Catalano, Michael. “Review of Kalmoe, Nathan P., With Ballots and Bullets: Partisanship
Reviews and Violence in the American Civil War.” H-Nationalism, H-Net Reviews. March, 2021.
https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=55998

Conference Sara Benesh, Michael Catalano, Taraleigh Davis, and Wendy Martinek. 2024. “Courting Public
Presentations Support: Supreme Court Justice Public Appearances.” Paper accepted at the Conference within a
Conference on Courting Public Support: SCOTUS, the Media and the Public at the Southern
Political Science Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Michael Catalano. 2023. “Did Courts Protect Civil Liberties in COVID-19 Pandemic Onset?”
Paper presented at the Binghamton University International Invitational Workshop on What
Makes a Government a Good Government? Upgrading Democratic Theory and Constitutional
Political Economy in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic Policies, Binghamton, NY.

Michael Catalano. 2023. “Implications of Court Curbing in the U.S. States.” Paper presented at
the Institute for Humane Studies Graduate Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano. 2023. “Implications of Court Curbing in the U.S. States.” Paper presented at
the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Sara Benesh, Michael Catalano, Taraleigh Davis, and Wendy Martinek. 2023. “Flying (Too?)
Close to the Sun: Supreme Court Appearances and Legitimacy.” Paper presented at the
Conference within a Conference on Courts, Public Support and Institutional Legitimacy at the
Southern Political Science Association Annual Conference, St. Petersburg Beach, FL.

Michael Catalano. 2022. “Implications of Court Curbing in the U.S. States.” Paper presented at
the New Directions in Law and Society Conference, Amherst, MA.

Michael Catalano and Aaron Chan. 2022. “Common Law Systems and COVID-19 Policy
Response: Protective Public Health Policy in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and
Australia.” Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Conference,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Michael Catalano. 2022. “Implications of Court Curbing in the U.S. States.” Paper presented at
the American Political Science Association Annual Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Michael Catalano and Matthew Walz. 2022. “Fusion Voting and Legislative Behavior.” Paper
presented at the Institute for Humane Studies Graduate Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 3

 Michael Catalano. 2022. “Implications of Court Curbing in the U.S. States.” Paper presented at
the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Ezgi Muftuoglu and Michael Catalano. 2022 “COVID-19 Pandemic Policy Response and
Outcomes in the United Kingdom and the United States.” Paper presented at the Midwest
Political Science Association Annual Conference, [virtual].
Michael Catalano. 2021. “Measuring Court Curbing in the US States.” Paper presented at the
American Political Science Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano, Matthew Walz, and Todd Curry. 2021. “#BLM and Silence by State Supreme
Courts: Representation or Insulation?” Paper presented at the Law and Society Association
Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano and Matthew Walz. 2021. “Fusion Voting and Legislative Behavior.” Paper
presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano. 2021. “Ex Ante and Ex Post Control over Courts in the US States: Court
Curbing and Political Party Influence.” Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science
Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano and Matthew Walz. 2021. “Fusion Voting and Legislative Behavior.” Paper
presented at the New York Political Science Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano. 2021. “Ex Ante and Ex Post Control over Courts in the US States: Court
Curbing and Political Party Influence.” Paper presented at the Institute for Humane Studies
Graduate Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano. 2020. “Ex Ante and Ex Post Control over Courts in the US States: Court
Curbing and Political Party Influence.” Paper presented at the Great Plains Political Science
Association Annual Conference, [virtual].

Michael Catalano. 2020. “Partisan Control of Courts in the American States.” Paper accepted to
be presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
[Cancelled].

Andrew Foote, Matthew Walz, and Michael Catalano. 2019. “All Are Welcome: Combating
Party Extremists in Congressional Primaries.” Paper presented at the Northeast Political Science
Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Teaching Lecturer
Experience
PLSC 481D: The US Federal Court System, Spring 2024

PLSC 382G: Constitutional Law: First Amendment Rights, Spring 2024

PLSC 481K: The US Executive and Judiciary, Fall 2023

PLSC 111: Introduction to American Politics, Fall 2023

Instructor of Record (Graduate Student)

PLSC 382D: Constitutional Law: Voting Rights and Race, Summer 2023

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 4

 Binghamton University Lyceum: Judicial Decision-Making on Lower Federal Courts,
Seminar for community members ages 55 years and older, Spring 2023

PLSC 382D: Constitutional Law: First Amendment Rights, Summer 2022

PLSC 481D: The US Federal Court System, Spring 2022

Co-Instructor

PLSC 331: Constitutional Law and Politics, Fall 2021 (with Dr. Wendy Martinek)

PLSC 414: The U.S. Supreme Court, Spring 2021 (with Dr. Wendy Martinek)

Teaching Assistant

PLSC 111: Introduction to American Politics, Spring 2019, Spring 2020 (with Dr. Jonathan
Krasno)

PLSC 113: Introduction to Comparative Politics Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020 (with Dr.
William Heller, Dr. Ekrem Karakoc, and Dr. Mikhail Filippov, respectively)

Awards and Binghamton University Graduate Student Excellence Award in Research, 2023
Fellowships Award for important contributions graduate students make to research at the University
and the wide variety of approaches they take to the advancement of knowledge.

Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award, 2023

Award for best paper written by a Political Science graduate student at Binghamton
University over the prior academic year.

Searle Fellow, Institute for Humane Studies, 2023

Dr. David Cingranelli Award, 2022

Award for an outstanding Political Science graduate student at Binghamton University.

Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award, 2022

Award for best paper written by a Political Science graduate student at Binghamton
University over the prior academic year.

Dissertation Year Award (Binghamton University), Fall 2021

Richard I. Hofferbert Best Paper Award, 2021

Award for best paper written by a Political Science graduate student at Binghamton
University over the prior academic year.

Binghamton University Provost’s Doctoral Summer Fellowship, 2019-2022

Harpur College First Year Award (Binghamton University), 2018

Binghamton University (Graduate Student) Fellowship, 2018-2022

Pi Sigma Alpha, 2009-2010

National Political Science Honor Society.

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 5

 Pi Lambda Sigma, 2009-2010
National Honor Society for majors in management, economics political science.

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America, 2005

Academic Graduate Student Conference and Travel Research Fund (GSCTRF), 2023 – $226
Grants Grant funding to present at scholarly conferences, attendance of professional
trainings/workshops, and travel in connection with research for theses/dissertations.

Graduate Student Employee Union Professional Development Award, 2023 – $268

Conference Accelerator Grant, Institute for Humane Studies, 2023 – $2000

Grant funding to accelerate the work of developing a paper into an academic conference
presentation by freeing time and supporting relevant expenses.

Graduate Student Conference and Travel Research Fund (GSCTRF), 2023 – $159
Grant funding to present at scholarly conferences, attendance of professional
trainings/workshops, and travel in connection with research for theses/dissertations.

Expense Support Grant, Institute for Humane Studies, 2023 – $750

Grant funding to support research on themes within the liberal tradition.

Binghamton University Lyceum Course Grant, 2023 - $1000

Grant funding to conduct seminar for community members ages 55 years and older.

Binghamton University Graduate School Travel Award, 2022 – $1000

American Political Science Association Conference Travel Grant, 2022 – $150

New Directions in Law & Society Conference at University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Travel Grant, 2022 – $400

Gettysburg College Student Professional Papers & Conference Grant, 2010 – $600

Gettysburg College Funds for Senior Projects Grant, 2009-2010 – $500

Non- Historical Preservation Grant, Rochester Area Community Foundation, 2018, SSS
Academic Lotus Historical Sailing Program – $4000
Grants
Walmart Community Grant, 2018, High School Career Exploration Programs – $500

Dean Zutes Charitable Trust, 2018, Scouting for youth in Rochester, NY – $2315

Dorothy M Young Trust, 2018, Scouting for youth in Rochester, NY – $11,162

Doane Fay Sumner, 2018, General Scouting Operating and Program Support – $11,430

LGBT Giving Circle: Rochester Area Community Foundation, 2018, Scouting for
underserved youth in Rochester, NY – $1000

M&T Charitable Foundation, 2018, Scouting for youth in Rochester, NY– $5000

Order of the Arrow Service Grant, 2018, Camp amphitheater renovation – $1400

Michael Catalano (02/22/2024) 6

 Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, 2017, Camping Supplies for Urban Scouting – $930

United Healthcare, 2017, Recruitment and Promotional Materials for Scouting – $3000

Dean Zutes Charitable Trust, 2017, Scouting for youth in Rochester, NY – $568

Dorothy M Young Trust, 2017, Scouting for youth in Rochester, NY – $11,162

LGBT Giving Circle: Rochester Area Community Foundation, 2017, Scouting for
underserved youth in Rochester, NY – $1000

Walmart Community Grant, 2017, High School Career Exploration Programs – $250

Walmart Community Grant, 2017, High School Career Exploration Programs – $500

Professional Editorial Assistant, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties, August 2022-
Service August 2023.

Discussant, Undergraduate American Politics Poster Session: LGBTQ+ Politics. Midwest

Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2023.

Discussant, Undergraduate American Politics Poster Session: Crime and Punishment in American
Politics. Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2023.

Chair, Undergraduate Standing ePanel: Courts and Public Policy, Midwest Political Science
Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2022.

Discussant, Undergraduate Institutions and Theory Poster III Session, Midwest Political Science
Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 2020 [Canceled].

University President, Binghamton University Parents Collective, Spring 2022-Summer 2023.

Service
Consultant, Binghamton University Political Science Department Undergraduate Program
Revision Proposal, Fall 2022-Winter 2023.

Chair, Graduate Student Advisory Committee for Faculty Promotion to Full Professor, Fall 2020.

Founder/Organizer, Political Science Virtual Writing Group at Binghamton University, 2020-

2021.

Treasurer, Political Science Graduate Student Organization, 2019-2020.

Founder and Chair, American Politics Graduate Student Summer Working Group at Binghamton
University, 2019-2021.

Chair, Graduate Student Advisory Committee for Faculty Tenure and Promotion, Fall 2019.

Member, Graduate Student Advisory Committee for Faculty Tenure and Promotion, Fall 2018.

Skills Stata, R, LaTeX, Text Analysis

Professional American Political Science Association, 2021-present

Memberships Midwest Political Science Association, 2020-present

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 Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors, 2023-present
National Capital Area Political Science Association, 2023-present
Law and Society Association, 2021

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