The Center for Policy and Democracy (CPD) at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs will welcome two prominent scholars this April whose work spans public policy, democratic institutions, and environmental governance. Mallory Elizabeth SoRelle of Duke University and Mark N. Lubell of the University of California, Davis will join CPD for a series of events designed to deepen research collaboration and engage students, faculty, and community partners.

Housed within the CU Denver School of Public Affairs, the Center for Policy and Democracy serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, teaching, and engagement on the forces shaping modern democratic societies. CPD’s work informs the School’s innovative approach to public policy education, including the Policy Workshop Seminar and its Master of Public Policy and PhD in Public Affairs programs. “

Our goal at CPD is to create a vibrant space where faculty, students, and community partners can engage with innovative research that matters,” said Allegra Fullerton. “Dr. SoRelle and Dr. Lubell bring expertise that speaks directly to the challenges facing democratic societies today.”

Mallory Elizabeth SoRelle to Share Insights on Inequality in Public Policy

Mallory Elizabeth SoRelle, an associate professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, will bring her expertise on the intersections of policy design, inequality, and democratic participation to CPD. Her research examines how public policies are created and how they often reinforce socioeconomic and political disparities, especially among underserved communities.

SoRelle’s scholarship focuses on areas that frequently fall outside traditional welfare‑state research, such as consumer financial protection and access to civil justice—domains that significantly influence the lives of marginalized groups. She is the author of Democracy Declined: The Failed Politics of Consumer Financial Protection (University of Chicago Press, 2020), a widely recognized examination of the political dynamics surrounding financial regulation and consumer credit in the United States.

During her stay, she will lead a workshop with SPA students and faculty to give feedback and learn about SPA’s research, have 1:1 research meetings with SPA PhD students, and give a public talk on her newest book, Uncivil Democracy: How Access to Justice Shapes Political Power. Register for the April 6 event.

Mark N. Lubell to Explore Collective Action and Environmental Governance

Also visiting CPD in April is Mark N. Lubell, professor and director of the Center for Environmental Policy & Behavior at the University of California, Davis. Lubell is a leading researcher in environmental governance, with work centered on how institutions and human behavior interact to solve collective action problems.

His research uses environmental policy as a living laboratory, exploring watershed management, environmental activism, agricultural best practices, and institutional change in local governments. Lubell also incorporates experimental economics and simulation modeling into his work to better understand cooperation and governance systems. At UC Davis, he is affiliated with the graduate groups in Ecology and Geography, underscoring the interdisciplinary nature of his scholarship.

While at CPD, Lubell will participate in research discussions and share insights into how policy systems evolve to address complex environmental challenges. He will have a public talk on April 27 (more information). He will also co-lead a workshop on April 28 with SPA Faculty, Alejandra Medina, José Pepe Sánchez, and Tanya Heikkila on network methods for interested SPA students.

Advancing Dialogue on Democracy and Public Policy

The visits from SoRelle and Lubell underscore CPD’s commitment to fostering rigorous, collaborative scholarship that extends across institutions, disciplines, and regions. Throughout the month, both scholars will engage with the CU Denver community through talks, workshops, and conversations aimed at advancing understanding of policy design, institutional behavior, and the functioning of democracy.

Their contributions are expected to strengthen CPD’s growing intellectual community and spark new conversations on some of the most significant policy challenges shaping democratic life today.

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Peter deLeon

The Center on Policy and Democracy also honors the legacy of Dr. Peter deLeon, a giant in the field of policy studies and policy sciences. In his work first at RAND/UCLA, then Columbia, and finally at the School of Public Affairs at CU Denver, Peter pioneered several subfields of policy research and authored influential books and articles that continue to shape the field.

A beloved mentor, Peter guided at least half of the students graduating from the School’s PhD in Public Affairs program between 1990 and 2010 and generously supported many junior faculty members throughout his career. His impact on policy scholarship and the CU Denver community remains profound.