Chris Howard

Background

Chris Howard has worked at William & Mary since 1993. His expertise is in American politics and public policy, especially social policy.  

Recent Courses

Research Methods
Building the American Welfare State
Policy History
The War on Poverty

Books and Edited Volumes

	Christopher Howard, Who Cares: The Social Safety Net in America (Oxford University Press, 2023).
	Christopher Howard, Thinking Like a Political Scientist: A Practical Guide to Research Methods (University of Chicago Press, 2017).
	Daniel Béland, Christopher Howard, and Kimberly J. Morgan (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Social Policy (Oxford University Press, 2015).
	Christopher Howard, The Welfare State Nobody Knows: Debunking Myths about U.S. Social Policy (Princeton University Press, 2007).
	Christopher Howard, The Hidden Welfare State: Tax Expenditures and Social Policy in the United States (Princeton University Press, 1997).

Public Engagement

"The Shallow Bipartisanship of the Child Tax Credit," Basic Facts Brief, Scholars Strategy Network (July 2023)

"The overlooked problem with raising the retirement age for Social Security" CNN.com (April 12, 2023)

"Is There a Democratic and Republican Way to Fight Poverty?" Interview with NPR radio station WNYC in New York (November 2, 2022)

“Democrats aren’t saying much about reducing poverty and unemployment. Why?” Washington Post (October 27, 2022)

"Why charity will never be enough to address poverty," Interview with NPR Dallas radio station KERA (October 24, 2022)

“Reducing child poverty shows promising trends,” op-ed, The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press (September 27, 2022)

"Falling Through the Social Safety Net," Interview with No Jargon podcast (September 6, 2022)

“A Realistic Portrait of the Social Safety Net,” Key Findings Brief, Scholars Strategy Network (September 2022)

“Tax Day is misleading,” op-ed, Richmond Times-Dispatch (April 14, 2022)

“Build Back Better: The challenge of selling a hybrid on Capitol Hill,” op-ed, The Hill (January 26, 2022)

"Build Back Better helps affordable housing," op-ed, Richmond Times-Dispatch (December 12, 2021)

Current Service

Academic advisor for new students, Government majors, and Public Policy majors
WMSURE program, faculty mentor
W&M Undergraduate Research Committee
W&M Admission Policy Advisory Committee
Government Department Scholarships Committee
Public Policy program Curriculum Committee
James City County Social Services Advisory Board

Honors and Awards

Outstanding Faculty Award, state of Virginia
Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence, W&M
Excellence in teaching award, W&M Society of the Alumni 
Elected member, National Academy of Social Insurance 
Research Fellowship, American Council of Learned Societies 
Research Fellowship, National Endowment for the Humanities
Phi Beta Kappa

Education

Ph.D. in Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1993)
M.S. in Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1990)
B.A. in History, Duke University, summa cum laude (1983)