Political Science at KU

Come see us at the College Carnival during Hawk Week!

Hawk Week 2026 is almost here! Get ready new Jayhawks, you’re right where you belong ❤️💙

New campus, new home, endless possibilities. We’ve packed the week with events centered around community building, wellness & support, and academics & exploration!

The full event schedule is dropping soon👀 Stay tuned so you can start planning your week!

2026 Kansas Law Review Symposium | KU School of Law October 9, 2026 | KU School of Law

Remembering Dr. Paul Schumaker (1946-2026)
Professor Paul Schumaker came to KU in 1972 and retired in 2017. He taught Political Theory, and he mentored faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates during his time at KU.

Professor Kennedy, Chair, said that Paul was one of the first colleagues who welcomed him to the department, and that he was a great colleague from whom he learned much.

Paul Schumaker was born to Winton and Ruth Schumaker on July 27, 1946 in Appleton, Wisconsin and died in Lawrence, Kansas on July 23, 2026. He remained in Appleton through high school where he was an honors student and also excelled in athletics as a member of championship teams in basketball, tennis and cross-country. He subsequently went to Beloit College and was elected to Pi Beta Kappa and was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Following undergraduate work, he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Paul joined the political science department at the University of Kansas in 1972 and married Jean Bragg Schumaker, also a professor at KU. They had two boys, Jesse in 1980 and Scott in 1985. Paul was a devoted father and present at countless athletic and academic events for the boys while they grew up in Lawrence. He particularly enjoyed spending family time at his parents’ lake house in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in the late summer months to bike, fish, boat, golf and play tennis.

Following an amicable divorce from Jean, Paul reconnected with his college love, Lynn Burlingham, after more than two decades apart. Paul and Lynn married in 1999 and built a life together in Lawrence’s Deerfield neighborhood of Lawrence during the remainder of his 45-year career as a political science professor at KU, which included multiple stints as Chair of the department. In retirement, they travelled together to Lynn’s family cabin in Kristiansand, Norway. They also spent many summers at a cabin on Lake Archibald in Wisconsin, that Paul had by this time inherited from his parents, where they enjoyed reading, playing Scrabble and hosting the Schumaker and Burlingham families. Paul and Lynn remained close with his boys and their families, travelling to visit them often, and delighting in his grandchildren.

Paul was a published author, having written several books on democracy and political theory and would have been thrilled if anyone were to pick up those writings at this point in American political discourse. Equally important to Paul were the friendships he sustained throughout his life – from his high school buddies and his fraternity brothers to his colleagues and friends he played basketball and tennis with, in Lawrence. He is survived by his beloved wife Lynn, sons Jesse (and wife Ashley) and Scott (and wife Jennifer), as well as his grandchildren Bryce (15), Kylie (14), Wesley (9), Emmy (5), Reece (4) and Caden (1), his sister Ellen and stepdaughter Cora. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Paul requested a note of condolence to Lynn or a donation to any organization supporting social justice.

Congratulations, Eli!

Political Science professor, and IPSR Affiliate, Jack Zhang was recently accepted to the Council on Foreign Relations Term Member program. This program is the oldest and most influential foreign policy group in the United States. Congratulations Jack!

Congratulations to students receiving Undergraduate Research Awards!

20 KU students receive Undergraduate Research Awards for summer and fall 2026 The KU Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships gave out $1,000 awards to 20 Jayhawks pursuing mentored research and creative projects across all disciplines.

KU Political Science professor, and IPSR affiliate, Kevin Mullinix, was featured in a KU News article about a study that finds Christian nationalists’ views on punishing lawbreakers are contingent on identity of victim and offender.

Read more:
https://lnkd.in/gGtvv4Nr

SUMMER TRADE WAR LAB talk on Tuesday, July 14, noon, Zoom
RSVP: Https://forms.gle/ttcLjMyqowLYCVCH8
Dr. Tim Cichanowicz, Harvard University, How Domestic Interests Shape the Politics of Trade Securitization