Jonathan’s research focuses on questions of human agency and fatalism, especially in the thought of nineteenth century French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville. He also works in public policy and his current research focuses on the problem of gun violence in America.

Jonathan’s work has been published in academic journals including Policy Studies Journal, Journal of Poverty, and Journal of Policy History, as well as newspapers including The New York Times and The Washington Post’s Monkey Cage.

Jonathan regularly teaches courses on the history of political philosophy (both classical and modern), American political thought, public policy, and public administration. He is the recipient of the Excellence-In-Teaching Citation and Graduate Student Teaching Award from Michigan State University (MSU). He was also an Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Teaching (IIT) fellow at the James Madison College within MSU.

Jonathan has a BA in political science and economics from Kenyon College in Ohio, a MPP in social policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and a PhD in political science from Michigan State University.