Research & Policy
Mackenzie’s research and policy work combines careful research, critical analysis, and clear written communication. Her academic work in Political Science has explored topics including public policy, local government, social issues, and U.S. foreign policy. These projects demonstrate her ability to evaluate sources, synthesize complex information, examine competing perspectives, and develop evidence-based arguments about issues affecting communities and public institutions.
Childcare Access and Women in the Workforce
This essay examines a close look at expansion of access to universal childcare and what it could mean for women in the United States.
Protecting Individuals From Tyranny
This essay calls upon John Locke and John Stuart Mill's perceptions of freedom and tyranny drawing larger conclusions of how each may view limited government based on their individual works.
Social Movement and the Creation of the American Disabilities Act
This essay details the creation of the American Disabilities Act and reflects on the role that social movements played in that creation.
Democratic Backsliding in Brazil
This piece provides extensive research on the democratic backsliding that occurred in Brazil. Mackenzie argues that weak institutions, populism, and polarization caused this backsliding and reflects on what it could mean on a larger scale for the rest of Latin America and the world as a whole.
Analyzing Donald Trump’s First Term
This essay analyzes Donald Trump's first term of presidency and explores themes of populism, polarization, and democracy as a whole.