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Stan Nguyen Oklobdzija

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Tulane University
Director, Murphy Institute Center for Public Policy Research
Chapter Member: New Orleans SSN
Areas of Expertise:

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About Stan

Oklobdzija's research focuses on interest groups and money in politics in both state and federal elections. He has special topical expertise in both housing and California politics.

Publications

"Public Positions, Private Giving: Dark Money and Political Donors in the Digital Age" Research & Politics 6, no. 1 (2019).

Makes use of the only publicly available donor list for a dark money group in existence today — that of "Americans for Job Security," who contributed $11 million to two conservative-leaning ballot initiative campaigns in California during the 2012 elections. Finds a strong liberal tilt of donors to Americans for Job Security — indicating a social pressure motivation behind concealing one's donations via a dark money group. Shows disclosure laws have an effect on donor's calculus to contribute to a political cause.

"Dark Parties: Citizens United, Independent-Expenditure Networks and the Evolution of Political Parties," University of California, San Diego, June 3, 2018.

Investigates pathways for anonymous giving that emerged from the Citizens United decision and how those pathways allowed more ideologically motivated groups to aggressively challenge more established factions of political parties in ways previously unfeasible. Reveals how changes in campaign finance law empowered these more extreme groups while hobbling efforts of more moderate party factions.

"Closing Down and Cashing In: Extremism and Political Fundraising" State Politics & Policy Quarterly 17, no. 2 (2016): 201-224.

Shows how politically polarizing events can bear financial dividends for extremist politicians. Reveals that polarizing events such as California’s perennial budget impasses can create strong incentives to prolong political discord by extremists.