I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from Vanderbilt University in 2015. My current appointment is as Associate Professor of Political Science at Ohio University, where I teach Latin American politics.

 

My Teaching Philosophy

I see comparative politics and area studies as critical fields of study both for the practical value of learning about the world, and in what they teach students about themselves. As a professor, my role encompasses a broad mission to inspire students to value education. The core metric of my success is whether my students are better empowered to pursue lifelong learning when they leave my classroom.

“[Dr. Layton’s] insight and expertise make his classes interesting...it is clearly evident that he wants us to understand the course materials and the larger themes behind them.”
— Student evaluation, Government and Politics of Latin America

Research Summary

I use both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study questions related to political representation and comparative political behavior in Latin America. My research typically analyzes public opinion data obtained through my ongoing affiliation with the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) at Vanderbilt University. I have also conducted extensive fieldwork in Brazil including focus group and elite interviews. My peer-reviewed empirical work appears in leading academic journals including American Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Latin American Politics and Society, and Research & Politics. I also published descriptive work related to Brazil’s anti-poverty program, Bolsa Família, in the Routledge Handbook of Brazilian Politics and the Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy.

grants and awards