Dr. Eleanor Schiff

Biography

Eleanor L. Schiff is a Lecturer at Yale University specializing in the study of American political institutions with a particular focus on inter-branch interactions, federal bureaucracy, and the dynamics of policymaking, especially in education. Her work has appeared in notable publications such as Interest Groups & Advocacy and Administration & Society. In 2020, she authored the book Bureaucracy’s Masters Minions: Politics Controlling U.S. Bureaucracy, which explores the dynamics of how the President and Congress jointly control bureaucracy through agency-specific characteristics like workforce composition, responsibilities, and organization, influencing the degree of political control over these institutions. Eleanor has held academic appointments at Penn State University, Bucknell University, and Dickinson College. Prior to her academic career, she served in various demanding roles within the U.S. federal government, including four years at the White House.

Research Interests