Tana Johnson

Tana Johnson (Ph.D., University of Chicago) is a member of the faculty in Public Affairs and Political Science.  Her work is driven by big puzzles in international relations and by important real-world problems.  In national and international affairs, how do we design institutions, delegate tasks, and manage bureaucracies?  How do we navigate tradeoffs when issues—such as economic and environmental policy—overlap?  How can governments, businesses, and civil society operate better?

Johnson’s research uses interviews, analyses of original data, archival research, formal models, and computer-assisted textual analysis.  She examines the operations of the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international institutions.  Her research has been published in top outlets such as International Organization, Journal of Politics, Review of International Political Economy, and Review of International Organizations.

Johnson’s book Organizational Progeny: Why Governments are Losing Control over the Proliferating Structures of Global Governance shows that in a variety of policy areas, global governance structures are getting harder for national governments to control.  The book won the International Studies Association’s Alger Prize for the best book on international organization and multilateralism.

Johnson’s co-authored book International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governanceexamines policymaking across many international institutions.  Intended as a comprehensive examination of governance concepts, actors, and policy areas, the book is of use to scholars, students, and practitioners.

Johnson has received fellowships from Princeton University, Vanderbilt University, and other research centers.  She has been an energy policy fellow through the Global Governance Futures (GGF) program, which brings together practitioners and academics from the United States and other parts of the world.  In addition, she has served as a faculty advisor and instructor for graduate students who intern in international governmental and non-governmental organizations in Geneva, Switzerland.  Prior to joining the faculty at UW-Madison, Johnson was an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at Duke University.