Mary Atkinson

Mel Atkinson is assistant professor of political science at UNC Charlotte. Her research focuses on the policymaking process with an emphasis on the roles public opinion, issue framing, and media coverage play in shaping policy debate. Dr. Atkinson also studies the roles gender and race play in shaping legislative agendas in the United States and Europe.

Dr. Atkinson teaches an introductory American politics course and upper-level courses on women and politics, and issue framing.

Prior to her academic career, Dr. Atkinson worked as a writer for a K Street communications firm and as a campaign manager. She now studies the impact of the slogans and sound bites she once helped to create.

Recent Publications

Atkinson, Mary Layton. 2017. Combative Politics: The Media and Public Perceptions of Lawmaking. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Atkinson, Mary Layton, John Lovett and Frank R. Baumgartner. 2014. “Measuring The Media Agenda,” Political Communication, 31(2): 355-380.