I am a first generation scholar that obtained my Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. At Milwaukee I studied American politics, comparative politics, and political methodology. While completing my graduate studies, I had the opportunity to be employed as a teaching assistant at the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) methodological summer camp. 

Following the completion of my Ph.D., I held a postdoctoral fellowship in Political Behavior at Lund University in Sweden where I taught methodology and published on political behavior. Prior to my appointment at the University of Turku, I had a tenure track professor position in the United States. In this position, I was elected to prominent leadership roles on campus, such as the Chair of the Faculty Senate. In my previous position, I taught on a range of topics; including political methodology, American politics, European politics, and comparative politics. 

My research broadly focuses on political behavior and public opinion in Europe and the United States. I am the co-author of two books. The first book is titled Political Entrepreneurship in the Age of Dealignment
The Populist Far-Right Alternative for Germany. This book traces the Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) rise from its founding in 2013 through the 2021 Bundestag election, framing the party as a "populist issue entrepreneur” that capitalized on the Eurozone crisis, refugee crisis, and COVID-19 pandemic. Combining advanced quantitative analysis of voter behavior with a nuanced examination of the party’s communication strategies, the book offers a theoretically grounded account of the AfD’s political development and appeal.

The second book is titled The European Union: Politics and Policies (8th Edition). This book is a rigorous introduction to the European Union, covering its history, institutions, and key policies. It addresses major contemporary challenges such as migration, economic stagnation, Euroscepticism, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, while highlighting the Union’s evolving global role and its impact on the everyday lives of Europeans.

Additionally, a substantial amount of my current research explores gender and politics. I have published articles in journals such as Politics and Gender, Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy, European Journal of Politics and Gender, Political Research Quarterly, Political Behavior, and American Politics Research on gendered politics. The topics I have published on include attitudes towards the #MeToo movement, perceptions of women candidates' underrepresentation in elected office, the gender gap in political knowledge, the gender gap in voting for radical right parties, and the gender gap in the use of force in conflicts. A lot of my work in this area demonstrates the ever important role that partisanship plays in the subfield.

I have also developed active research agendas on criminal justice and attitudes toward sex work. This work explores public opinion on policing, correctional reform, and officer-involved shootings, as well as the political and ideological factors that shape these views. My research on sex work examines how individuals perceive the sex industry, including the effects of survey design and the role of personal and political attitudes.

I teach mainly the methodology courses at the advanced Bachelor's level and the Master's level; including both quantative and qualitative methodologies. In my courses, I emphasize that the research question should determine the methodological tool that a student utlizes rather than a student developing a research agenda to implement a specific method. 

Pedagogical Approaches

Quantitative methodological courses in particular have a tendency to be intimidating to students due to the difficulty of learning the intricacies of a statistical software platform. Learning any statistical software platform requires consistent and diverse modes of practice akin to learning a language. Therefore, an effective instructor must provide ample opportunities to engage with the platform and implement the quantitative techniques. This requires the utilization of several pedagogical approaches. The pedagogical approaches that I utilize include traditional facilitated learning, inquiry-based, constructivist, and collaborative pedagogical approaches - highlighted above and summarized below:

• Traditional facilitated learning - Material is introduced through assigned readings and lectures. 
• ​​​​​​​Inquiry-Based - Students are provided clearly defined, structured activities.
• Constructivist - Students are tasked with developing their own research activities.
• Collaborative - Students are assigned to work in teams to develop research activities.
  
  

I have also published research on effective approaches to teaching quantitative methodology and optimal doctoral supevision strategies:

• Hansen, Michael A. Forthcoming. “Enhanced Outcomes, Improved Feedback: Maximizing Success Through Collaborative Final Projects in Quantitative Methods Courses,” Journal of Political Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2024.2392729
• Hansen, Michael A. 2025. “Personalized Supervision: Enhancing Supervision Strategies in Dissertation-Based Doctoral Programs,” European Journal of Social Science Education and Research 21(1): 169-195. https://doi.org/10.26417/v6tve106

Pedagogical Training:

• ​​​​​​​Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Course Completion
• LGBTQIA+ Safe Zone Training - Designated Ally
• ​​​​​​​Culture and Diversity in the Classroom Training
• Teaching and Learning Online I - Course Developer Training
• ​​​​​​​Teaching and Learning Online II - Advanced Instructor Training
• Community-Based Learning Training
• High-Impact Practices in the Classroom Training