Sarah Reckhow

Sarah Reckhow is an American political scientist and professor at Michigan State University whose research focuses on philanthropy, education policy, and urban governance. She has authored books and articles examining the influence of private funding on public education systems and the dynamics of nonprofit and philanthropic involvement in local governance.

Early life and education Reckhow was born to Kenneth and Ellen Reckhow. She completed a B.A. in social studies at Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude in 2002. She earned a Ph.D. in political science at the University of California, Berkeley in 2009.

Career Reckhow joined Michigan State University (MSU) as an assistant professor in the department of political science in 2009. She was promoted to associate professor in 2017 and became a full professor in 2023. At MSU, she also served as the director of graduate studies in the department of political science from 2019 to 2023.

During the 2018 to 2019 academic year, she was a fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. While there, she began work on her book, Governing Without Government, which examines the weakening of local governmental structures and the increasing reliance on philanthropic and nonprofit entities in urban governance. The establishment was inspired by their experiences in Cambridge, Massachusetts.