Jackie Gehring is an associate teaching professor of Politics and Legal Studies. Jackie arrived at UCSC in the Winter of 2017 after serving as Department Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science at Allegheny College. She earned her Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and has also been a visiting scholar at the Center for the Study of Law and Society at UC Berkeley, as well as at universities in Europe.
Since joining the Politics and Legal Studies departments, Jackie has expanded the types of courses available to undergraduate majors. For example, in Sports, Law and Politics students examine issues of racism, nationalism, colonialism, and post-colonialism that arise at the intersection between sports, politics, and law. They ask how Colin Kaepernick’s recent protests fit into the history of resistance by black athletes in the US, what his legal rights to protest are/are not, and the impact those protests have on our political environment. In another new course, Disability, Law, and Politics, students conduct original interview research projects investigating how individual understandings of the boundaries of ability/disability interact with the law and politics about disability. For example, some students investigated the campus policy on emotional comfort animals and how key stakeholders interpret that policy.
Jackie is also a first-generation college student, and is active in the UCSC first-generation community, as well as in first-generation activities within political science professional organizations. Being a first-generation college student was a defining part of Jackie's college experience, and she works to make her teaching inclusive of first-generation challenges and concerns. While at Allegheny, she taught the first-generation bridge course, and was active in the campus first-generation organization.
Jackie’s research focuses on the law and politics of the body, as well as the Europeanization and Americanization of national and local legal orders in Europe. Her publications explore how Europeans regulate racial discrimination, the persecution of the European Roma and their resistance to discrimination, the rise of mediation and alternative dispute resolution in Europe, the politics of sports, and the debate over contemporary German and French identities.
In addition to her academic interests, Jackie is an avid San Jose Earthquakes and Green Bay Packers fan, and cannot wait for the upcoming 2018 World Cup. She loves exploring local beaches and hiking trails, and is always wondering if there is a mountain lion around the next corner. If you enjoy improv comedy you also might see Jackie on stage honing her improv skills at a local theater, or in the audience at a comedy show.
