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Dr. Nathan Micatka

Dr. Nathan Micatka

Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice

Education

  • BA, Political Science, University of Iowa
  • BA, Ethics and Public Policy, University of Iowa
  • MA, Political Science, University of Southern California
  • MA, Political Science, University of Iowa
  • PhD, Political Science, University of Iowa

Biography

Dr. Nathan Micatka is an Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice. He holds a BA in Political Science and in Ethics and Public Policy from the University of Iowa, an MA in Political Science from the University of Southern California, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Iowa. His dissertation research was supported by a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant from the American Political Science Association and the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Micatka’s research focuses on poverty, public policy, and American political behavior. He is especially interested in how social policies, such as SNAP and Medicaid, shape not only material well-being but also political attitudes and behaviors. His work is guided by two central questions: Why do people in the United States live in poverty? And what are the political consequences of poverty? His research is published in Policy Studies Journal, Political Research Quarterly, Electoral Studies, JAMA Health Forum, Social Science Quarterly, Representation, and the Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy.

His teaching interests include American political behavior, public opinion, the politics of public policy, social policy, and research methods. 

Research Interests

American Politics

  • Political Behavior
  • Public Opinion
  • Political Socialization
  • Inequality

Public Policy

  • Social Policy
  • Poverty
  • Policy Feedback
  • Policy Process
  • Politics of Public Policy
  • Policy Design

Recent Publications

  • Micatka, Nathan K. 2025. "Learning to Avoid: The Long-term Effects of Adolescent Welfare Participation on Voting in Adulthood." Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.70003.
  • Dowling, Eveline, Caroline Tolbert, Nathan K. Micatka, and Todd Donovan. 2025. "Is Ranked Choice Voting Associated with Turnout across Race / Ethnic Groups?" Social Science Quarterly. 106(3): e70025. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.70025.
  • Donovan, Todd, Caroline J. Tolbert, and Nathan K. Micatka. 2025. "Composition of the Electorate in Alaska’s Top-four Nonpartisan Primary Compared to the Partisan Primary." Representation. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344893.2025.2460451.
  • Pacheco, Julianna, Nathan K. Micatka, and Caroline Tolbert. 2025. "Physician Voting Rates in the 2020 and 2022 Elections." JAMA Health Forum. 6(2): e245443. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.5443.
  • Micatka, Nathan K., Caroline J. Tolbert, and Robert G. Boatright. 2024. "All Candidate Primaries, Open Primaries, and Voter Turnout." Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy. 5(3): 363-385. https://www.nowpublishers.com/article/Details/PIP-0105.
  • Micatka, Nathan K. and Julianna Pacheco. 2024. "Socializing Policy Feedback: The Long-term Effects of Adolescent Program Participation on Adult Party Identification." Political Research Quarterly. 77(4): 1350-1363. https://doi.org/10.1177/10659129241268825.
  • Dowling, Eveline, Caroline Tolbert, Nathan K. Micatka, and Todd Donovan. 2024. "Does Ranked Choice Voting Increase Voter Turnout and Mobilization?" Electoral Studies. 90: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102816.
  • Boatright, Robert G., Caroline J. Tolbert, and Nathan K. Micatka. 2024. "Public Opinion on Reforming US Primaries." Social Science Quarterly. 105(3): 876-893. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13370.

Courses

Fall 2025

  • PSC 301: Public Policy
  • PSC 390: Special Topics – US Social Policy