Margaret “Maggie” Peters brings a unique perspective to her position as Assistant Professor of Political Science. Before earning her master’s degree in economics and Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University, she worked as a consultant for the management and technology consulting firm BearingPoint (now part of Deloitte). The job took her to Doha, Qatar, where she worked on a modernization project for the Qatari Courts of Justice.
Peters, who completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan, was hired with funding from the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates.
Welcome, Maggie! What are your research interests?
I am interested in the politics of immigration and emigration. I study why states pass the legislation they do, how businesses respond to changes in immigration policy, how public opinion on immigration has changed, and how emigration changes politics in the home country.
What classes will you teach?
Methods of Political Inquiry and Lessons from the Great Depression in the fall and the Politics of Migration in the spring.
What should students expect in the classroom?
I try to tie whatever theories we are learning about to what is happening currently. For example, if I am teaching about immigration, I like to tie what we have learned to what is going on in Congress on immigration. I also try to get students to engage with each other using small group discussions and group presentations.
What are your interests outside of work?
Biking, sailing, and cooking.
If you weren't in the academic world, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a chef.
What's the best book you've read recently?
A Dance with Dragons, the most recent in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R.R. Martin.
Who's your go-to artist on your iPod?
The Civil Wars.
What did you know about Madison before coming here?
There were two lakes here.
Which campus events are you most looking forward to?
A football game – having gone to a Big Ten school, I'm really into college football and Wisconsin games are supposed to be really fun.