David C. Wilson

David C. Wilson is the dean of the Goldman School and a Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. His research examines how individuals formulate and communicate their political preferences on contentious issues related to intergroup relations, social interactions, and psychological justice. Broadly, he covers American public opinion and survey methods, focusing on how social cognition shapes broader survey response behaviors. His research is published widely across areas of inquiry that include the application of double standards in evaluating racial groups and related policy issues, attitudes toward voter identification laws and electoral malfeasance, blame attributions toward elected leaders and political groups, and how diversity culture and climate affect organizational employee engagement. He is also the co-author Racial Resentment in the Political Mind (University of Chicago Press, 2022) and the co-editor on Public Opinion Quarterly’s 2023 special issue on Race, Justice, and Public Opinion.

Wilson holds life memberships in several organizations including the American Political Science Association (APSA), the International Society for Political Psychology (ISPP), Midwest Political Science Association, Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration, the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS), and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. He most recently served on the executive council for the American Association of Public Opinion Researchers, and on the Advisory Committee and Editorial Board of Public Opinion Quarterly (POQ).

Prior to joining the Goldman School, Wilson was the senior associate dean for the social sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Delaware and a full professor in the department of political science and international relations with a joint appointment in the department of psychological and brain sciences.

Wilson has also held senior positions with the Gallup Polling Organization, leading national and international survey projects examining topics ranging from workplace creativity to prejudice in politics. He served as a product application consultant for the SPSS statistical software corporation, assisting public and private sector clients in data analysis and market research.

He earned a BA in government from Western Kentucky University. He holds an MPA (public policy and administration), MA in political science, and a PhD in political science, all from Michigan State University.

David C. Wilson is a military veteran with 19 years of service to the US Army Reserves, including combat tours for Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.