Dr. Melissa Lee

Biography

Professor Melissa M. Lee serves as the Klein Family Presidential Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also directs the World House Student Fellows Program at Perry World House. Her research spans international and domestic politics, particularly focusing on statebuilding and state development. She authored "Crippling Leviathan: Foreign Subversion Weakens State," published by Cornell University Press in 2020, which examines the impact of foreign subversion on state authority and governance. Her work has appeared in several prestigious journals, including the American Political Science Review and International Organization, and has received multiple awards from the American Political Science Association for her contributions to the field. Prior to her tenure at Penn, Professor Lee was an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.

Research Interests