Publications

Books

  1. Cooper, Christopher A. 2024. Anatomy of a Purple State: A North Carolina Politics Primer. University of North Carolina Press.
  2. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2017. The Resilience of Southern Identity. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
  3. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts, eds. 2008. The New Politics of North Carolina. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  1. Cooper, Christopher A. “Electoral Resilience in the Face of Disaster: The Impact of Hurricane Helene on the 2024 Election in North Carolina.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. Forthcoming.
  2. Cooper, Christopher A. 2026. “Incursion and Reclamation in U.S. House Midterm Elections” The Forum.
  3. Bitzer, J. Michael, Christopher A. Cooper, Whitney Ross Manzo, David McLennon, and Susan Roberts. 2026. “Much Ado About Nothing: The Birth, Life, and Death of the No Labels Party in a Purple State.” PS: Political Science and Politics. 59(3): 413-420.
  4. Cooper, Christopher A., Shaun Adams, Tiffany Anderson, Adeshola Bamodua, Kaitlin Guyer, Haley Johnson, Miles Kish, Jacob Morgan, Kristen Robinson, Hunter Rogers, Nathaniel Speier, and Stephanie Sweeney. 2025. “A Buoy in the Storm: Election Administration as Public Administration in the Wake of Hurricane Helene.” Journal of Public Affairs Education. 32(1): 47–56.
  5. Cooper, Christopher A., Scott Huffmon, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth C. McKee. 2025. “Revisiting the Politics of Southern Identity.” Journal of Political Science. 53(1): 73-91. [special issue on southern politics].
  6. Cooper, Christopher A., and J. Michael Bitzer. 2025. “The Curious Case of the Missing Data: Registration Roll-Off and Election Administration.” Journal of Election Administration Research and Practice. 4(2): 91-101.
  7. Cooper, Christopher A., Scott Huffmon, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth C. McKee. 2025. “Population Change, Racial Settlement Patterns, and the Newest Southern Electorate.” Politics, Groups, and Identities. 13(1): 182–198.
  8. Cooper, Christopher A. 2024. “The 11th: Politics, Polarization, and Partisan Change in a Southern District, 1972-2022.” The Forum.
  9. Cooper, Christopher A., Scott Huffmon, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth C. McKee. 2024. “Partisanship, Race, and Public Opinion on Redistricting.” Election Law Journal. 23(4): 333-344.
  10. Cooper, Christopher A., Scott Huffmon, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth C. McKee. 2024. “Intraparty Factionalism as Identity in the Modern American South.” American Politics Research. 52(1): 30-40.
  11. Cooper, Christopher A., and Heather Rimes. 2024. “Towards a Measure of Local Legislative Professionalism.” Urban Affairs Review. 60(4): 1254-1271.
  12. Bitzer, J. Michael, Christopher A. Cooper, Martha Kropf, Robert Orr, and Jennifer Roberts. 2023. “The North Carolina Network for Fair, Safe, and Secure Elections: Implications for Practice.” Journal of Election Administration Research and Practice. 2(1): 4-11.
  13. Bitzer, J. Michael, Tyler Dukes, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2023. “A Turnout Effect, a Substitution Effect or Both? Changes in Distance to the Early Voting Site and Voter Turnout” Election Law Journal. 22(3): 278-285.
  14. Bitzer, Michael, Christopher A. Cooper, Whitney Ross Manzo, and Susan Roberts. 2022. “Growing and Distinct: The Unaffiliated Voter and American Politics.” Social Science Quarterly. 103(7): 1587-1601.
  15. Cooper, Christopher A. 2021. “Innumeracy and State Legislative Salaries.” Public Opinion Quarterly. 85(1): 147-160.
  16. Cooper, Christopher A., Scott Huffmon, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth McKee. 2021. “Heritage v. Hate: Assessing Opinions in the Debate Over Confederate Monuments and Memorials.” Social Science Quarterly. 102(3): 1098-1110.
  17. Cooper, Christopher A., M.V. Hood III, Scott Huffmon, Quintin Kidd, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Seth McKee. 2020. “Switching Sides but Still Fighting the Civil War in Southern Politics.” Politics, Groups, and Identities. 10(1): 100-116.
  18. Cooper, Christopher A. 2020. “Maybe They’re Not So Different After All: The Uniform Effects of Personality on Job Satisfaction Among Government and Non-Government Workers.” Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. 6(1): 63-78.
  19. Cooper, Christopher A., and John D. Gerlach. 2019. “Diversity Management in Action: Chief Diversity Officer Adoption in America’s Cities.” State and Local Government Review. 51(2): 113-121
  20. Reinagel, Tyler, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2019. “Assessing the State of Mandatory Fees in America’s Public Colleges and Universities: Causes and Consequences.” Social Science Quarterly.
  21. Menickelli, Justin, Christopher A. Cooper, Chris Withnall, and Michael Wonnacott. 2019. “Analysis and Comparison of Lateral Head Impacts Using Various Golf Discs and a Hybrid III Head Form.” Sports Biomechanics. 18(6).
  22. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2019. “Do I Have to Take the GRE? Standardized Testing in MPA Admissions.” PS: Political Science & Politics. 52(3): 470-475.
  23. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, and James Bourne. 2018. “When the Personal Vote Isn’t Enough: Voter Mobilization and the Failed Effort to Change the Form of Government in Columbia, SC.” Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. 4(3): 251-264.
  24. Cooper, Christopher A. 2018. “Not Just for Oprah Anymore: Incorporating Book Clubs Into Political Science Classes.” Journal of Political Science Education.
  25. Amira, Karyn, Christopher A. Cooper, H. Gibbs Knotts, and Claire Wofford. 2018. “The Southern Accent as a Heuristic in American Campaigns and Elections.” American Politics Research. 46(6): 1065-1093.
  26. Cooper, Christopher A. and Tyler Reinagel. 2017. “The Limits of Public Service Motivation: Confidence in Government Institutions Among Public Servants.” 49(9): 1297-1317. Administration and Society
  27. Chaffin, Latasha, Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2017. “Furling the Flag: Explaining the 2015 Legislative Vote to Remove the Confederate Flag in South Carolina.” Politics and Policy. 45: 944-963.
  28. Cooper, Christopher A., Whitney Bridges, and David M. McCord. 2017. “Personality and the Teaching of Public Administration: A Case for the Big Five.” Journal of Public Affairs Education. 23: 677-690.
  29. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, and Jordan Ragusa. 2016. “The Constrained Governor? Gubernatorial Decision-Making on U.S. Senate Appointments.” Political Research Quarterly. 69: 482-494.
  30. Collins, Todd A., and Christopher A. Cooper. 2016. “The Case Salience Index, Public Opinion and Decision Making on the U.S. Supreme Court.” Justice System Journal. 37: 232-245.
  31. Menickelli, Justin, David Barney, Dan P. Grube, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2016. Disc Golf and Walking Benefits: A Pedometer Based Physical Activity Assessment. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports. 5(1): 1-5.
  32. Collins, Todd A., and Christopher A. Cooper. 2015. “Making the Cases Real: Media Coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court.” Political Communication. 32(1): 23-42
  33. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2014. “Partisan Composition in Southern State Legislatures.” Southern Cultures. 20: 75-89.
  34. Cooper, Christopher A., Dale Carpenter, Audrey Ranier, and David M. McCord. 2014. “Personality and Job Satisfaction: Evidence from a Sample of Street Level Bureaucrats.” International Journal of Public Administration. 37: 155-162.
  35. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2013. “Overlapping Identities in the American South.” Social Science Journal. 50: 6-12.
  36. Cooper, Christopher A., Alan Socha, and Lauren Golden. 2013. “The Big Five Personality Factors and Mass Politics.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 43: 68-82.
  37. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, David M. McCord, and Andrew Johnson 2012. “Taking Personality Seriously: The Five Factor Model and Public Administration.” American Review of Public Administration. 43(3): 397-415.
  38. Collins, Todd A., and Christopher A. Cooper. 2012. “Case Salience and Media Coverage of Supreme Court Decisions: Toward a New Measure.” Political Research Quarterly. 65: 396-407.
  39. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2012. “The Changing Relationship Between Race and Region: Opinions Towards Southerners from 1964 to 2008.” Social Science Quarterly. 93: 58-75.
  40. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, and Katy Elders. 2011. “The Geography of Social Identity in Appalachia.” Southeastern Geographer. 51: 457-472.
  41. Bowen, Glenn, Carol Burton, Christopher A. Cooper, Laura Cruz, Anna McFadden, and Chesney Reich. 2011. “Listening to the Voices of Today’s Undergraduates: Implications for Teaching and Learning.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
  42. Cooper, Christopher A., David McCord, and Alan Socha. 2011. “Reassessing the College Sophomore Problem: The Case of Personality and Politics.” Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 145:23-37.
  43. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts and C. Don Livingston. 2010. “Regional Identity and Policy Choice.” Journal of Appalachian Studies. 26-41.
  44. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2010. “Rethinking the Boundaries of the South.” Southern Cultures. Winter: 72-88.
  45. Collins, Todd A., Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2010. “Scholarly Productivity in Non-PhD Departments.” PS: Political Science and Politics. 43: 509-514.
  46. Socha, Alan, Christopher A. Cooper, and David M. McCord. 2010. “Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the M5-50: An Implementation of the IPIP Item Set.” Psychological Assessment. 22: 43-49.
  47. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2010. “Declining Dixie: Regional Identification in the Modern American South.” Social Forces. 88(3) 1083-1102.
  48. Cooper, Christopher A., and Martin Johnson. 2009. “Representative Reporters? Journalists and Media Bias in Context.” Social Science Quarterly. 90: 387-406.
  49. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, and Moshe Haspel. 2009. “The Content of Political Participation: Letters to the Editor and the People Who Write Them.” PS: Political Science and Politics. 42: 131-137.
  50. Cooper, Christopher A., Moshe Haspel and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2009. “The Importance of Voterfiles for State Politics Research.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 9: 102-121.
  51. Cooper, Christopher A. 2008. “Reassessing Conference Goals and Outcomes: A Defense of Presenting Identical or Similar Papers at Multiple Conferences.” PS: Political Science and Politics. 41: 293-296.
  52. Brennan, Kathleen, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2008. “Rural Mountain Natives, In-Migrants, and the Cultural Divide.” Social Science Journal. 45: 279-295.
  53. Cooper, Christopher A., H. Gibbs Knotts, and Kathleen Brennan. 2008. “Trust in Government, Citizen Competence, and Public Opinion on Zoning.” Public Administration Review. 68(3): 459-468.
  54. Cooper, Christopher A., Anthony J. Nownes, and Martin Johnson. 2007. “Interest Groups and Journalists in the States.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 7: 39-53.
  55. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2006. “Region, Race and Support for the South Carolina Confederate Flag.” Social Science Quarterly. 87: 142-154.
  56. Cooper, Christopher A., and Lilliard E. Richardson. 2006. “Institutions and Representational Roles in U.S. State Legislatures.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 6: 174-194.
  57. Richardson, Lilliard E., and Christopher A. Cooper. 2006. “E-mail Communication and Target Groups in US State Legislatures.” Policy Studies Journal. 34: 113-129.
  58. Cooper, Christopher A., Anthony J. Nownes, and Steven Roberts. 2005. “Perceptions of Power: Interest Groups in Local Politics.” State and Local Government Review. 37: 206-216.
  59. Cooper, Christopher A., and Anthony J. Nownes. 2004. “Money Well Spent: An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Advertorials on Citizen Opinion.” American Politics Research. 32: 546-569.
  60. Richardson, Lilliard E., Brian E. Russell, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2004. “Legislative Representation in a Single-Member Versus Multi-Member District System: The Arizona State Legislature.” Political Research Quarterly. 57: 337-344.
  61. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2004. “Defining Dixie: A State Level Measure of the Modern Political South.” American Review of Politics. 25: 25-40 (Special Issues on Southern Politics).
  62. Cooper, Christopher A. 2004. “Internet Use in the State Legislature.” Social Science Computer Review. 22: 347-354.
  63. Cooper, Christopher A., and Anthony J. Nownes. 2003. “Citizen Groups in Big City Politics.” State and Local Government Review. 35: 102-111.
  64. Cooper, Christopher A. 2002. “Media Tactics in the State Legislature.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 2: 353-371.
  65. Cooper, Christopher A. 2002. “E-Mail in the State Legislature: Evidence From Three States.” State and Local Government Review. 34: 127-132.
  66. Cooper, Christopher A. and Marc Schwerdt. 2001. “Depictions of Public Service in Children’s Literature: Revisiting an Understudied Aspect of Political Socialization.” Social Science Quarterly. 82: 614-630.

Book Chapters

  1. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2026. “The 2024 Presidential Election in the South in Context.” In Branwell DuBose Kapeluck and Mark Owens, eds. The 2024 Presidential Election in the South. Bloomsbury.
  2. Cooper, Christopher A. 2026. “The Lone Competitive Congressional District in the South.” In Walter Clark Wilson, Marcia L. Godwin, and Sean D. Foreman, eds. The Roads to Congress 2024: Navigating Elections in an Era of Upheaval. Palgrave Macmillan.
  3. Rimes, Heather, and Christopher A. Cooper. 2025. “Historical Legacies, Modern Solutions: Reparations in Asheville, NC.” In Aimee L. Williamson and Marc Holzer, eds. Public Administration and Nonprofit Management in Practice. Routledge.
  4. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2022. “Reliably Purple: The 2020 Presidential Election in North Carolina.” In David Schultz and Rafael Jacob, eds. Presidential Swing States, Third Edition. Lexington Press.
  5. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2018. “North Carolina: Still Swingin’ in the South.” In David Schultz and Rafael Jacob, eds. Presidential Swing States, Second Edition. Lexington Press.
  6. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2015. “The Bluest Red State in America: North Carolina as a Swing State.” In David Schultz and Stacy Hunter Hecht, eds. Presidential Swing States: Why Only Ten States Matter. Lexington Press.
  7. Cooper, Christopher A., and Mandi Bates. “Entertainment Media and Political Knowledge: Do People Get Any Truth out of Truthiness?” 2008. In Joseph Foy, ed., Laughing Matters: Humor in American Politics. University Press of Kentucky. Paperback edition published in 2010.
  8. Cooper, Christopher A. “Multimember Districts and State Legislatures.” 2008. In Bruce Cain, Todd Donovan, and Caroline Tolbert, eds. Electoral Reform in the United States. Brookings Institution Press.
  9. Cooper, Christopher A. 2008. “The People’s Branch: The North Carolina State Legislature.” In The New Politics of North Carolina, ed. Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. Chapel Hill: UNC Press.
  10. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2008. “Traditionalism and Progressivism in the Old North State.” In The New Politics of North Carolina, ed. Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. Chapel Hill: UNC Press.
  11. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2008. “Rethinking Progressivism and Governance in the Old North State.” In The New Politics of North Carolina, ed. Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. Chapel Hill: UNC Press.
  12. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2004. “Packaging the Governor: Television Advertising in the 2000 Elections.” In Lights, Camera, Campaign! Media, Politics, and Political Advertising, ed. David Schultz. Peter Lang Publishing: 101-120.
  13. Cooper, Christopher A. and Anthony J. Nownes. 2002. “Textiles, Traditions and Scandal: Money in South Carolina Politics.” In Laboratories of Democracy: Money in State Politics, ed. David Schultz. Durham: Carolina Academic Press: 133-154.

Other Scholarly Publications

Editor-Reviewed Academic Publications

  1. Cooper, Christopher A. “Politics of Health Communication.” 2023. North Carolina Medical Journal. 84(3).
  2. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2020. “Tips for Talking with the Media.” The Department Chair. 31(2): 10-11.
  3. Cooper, Christopher A. 2020. “Back to Basics: Cultivating Community Among Faculty.” The Department Chair 30(4): 3-4.
  4. Collins, Todd A., and Christopher A. Cooper. 2011. “The Case Salience Index: A Potential New Measure of Legal Salience.” Law and Courts Newsletter 21: 5-7.
  5. Cooper, Christopher A. 2010. Instructor’s Manual for State and Politics: Institutions and Reform, Second Edition, by Todd Donovan, Christopher Mooney and Daniel Smith. Wadsworth Publishing.
  6. Cooper, Christopher A., and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2009. “Public Opinion on Land Use Planning.” Popular Government. Fall: 24-28.
  7. Collins, Todd A., Christopher A. Cooper, and H. Gibbs Knotts. 2008. “Picturing Political Science.” PS: Political Science and Politics, 42: 365.
  8. Cooper, Christopher A. 2008. Instructor’s Manual for State and Politics: Institutions and Reform, by Todd Donovan, Christopher Mooney and Daniel Smith. Wadsworth Publishing.

Encyclopedia and Handbook Entries

  1. Cooper, Christopher A. 2008. “Multi-Member Districts.” In the Political Encyclopedia of the US States and Regions, edited by Donald P. Haider-Markel, Michael Card, Keith Gaddie, Gary Moncrief, and Kenneth Palmer. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
  2. Cooper, Christopher A. 2008. “State Senator.” In the Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics, edited by Michael A. Genovese and Lori Cox Han. New York: Facts on File.
  3. Cooper, Christopher A., and Brian Noland. 2004. “Lobbying the Executive Branch.” In Research Guide to U.S. and International Interest Groups, ed. Clive Thomas. Westport, CT: Praeger Press: 176-178.

Book Reviews

  1. Cooper, Christopher A. 2025. Review of Southern News, Southern Politics: How a Newspaper Defined a State for a Century. By Rob Christensen. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians.
  2. Cooper, Christopher A. 2023. Review of White Nationalism and the Republican Party: Toward Minority Rule in America. By John Ehrenberg. New York: Routledge Press, 2022. Perspectives on Politics 21(2).
  3. Cooper, Christopher A. 2022. Review of The Vote Collectors. By Michael Graff and Nick Ochsner. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2021. North Carolina Historical Review. XCIX(2) 229-230.
  4. Cooper, Christopher A. 2020. Review of The Rise and Fall of the Branchhead Boys: North Carolina’s Scott Family and the Era of Progressive Politics. By Rob Christensen. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2019. North Carolina Historical Review.
  5. Cooper, Christopher A. 2006. Review of Bringing Representation Home: State Legislators Among Their Constituencies, by Michael A. Smith. Perspectives on Politics 2: 603-604.