James Breckwoldt, Politics, University of Manchester (2021 Cohort)

I was fortunate to spend ten wonderful weeks from September to November 2023 at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia for an overseas institutional visit.

I worked closely with my host supervisor, Professor Dan Hopkins, who provided invaluable guidance and feedback on a research paper I am developing on whether voters prioritise ‘culture war’ issue in an election. Professor Hopkins also connected me with a Penn PhD student, and we are now working on a project analysing the ideological sorting of American voters.

In addition to working on research, I audited four PhD-level courses during my visit: an introduction to statistical analysis, the global rise of populism, major issues in comparative politics, and the causes and implications of political polarisation in the contemporary United States. These courses expanded my theoretical and methodological knowledge and provided new perspectives on my research area.

I also regularly attended the political science department’s academic workshops, which featured faculty, postdocs, and PhD students presenting working papers. These sessions exposed me to a breadth of innovative scholarship and provided opportunities to get constructive feedback on my own work.

Socially, the other Penn PhD students welcomed me warmly. We formed a close-knit group, studying together often and using our free time to explore Philadelphia. Watching an overtime thriller NFL game between the hometown Eagles and rival Washington Commanders was a particular highlight!

I did manage to get out of Philly a few times to visit nearby cities. I went to New York City three times, but unfortunately faced heavy rain during each trip. Nevertheless, I enjoyed (indoor!) visits to MOMA, the Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

My two trips down to Washington DC brought better weather. I was able to take in all the major monuments and landmarks, as well as the Smithsonian’s American history and science museums.

In all, this overseas institutional visit provided tremendous value, substantially benefiting both my research and my overall PhD experience. I am grateful to have expanded my academic horizons through this opportunity and highly recommend that other doctoral researchers consider this opportunity if they are in a position to do so.