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New Book by Hartwick Professor Explores Abortion Opinion After Dobbs

Hartwick College Professor Laurel Elder continues to bring nationally recognized political research into the classroom and broader public conversation with the release of the new book “Not Going Back: Public Opinion on Abortion in Post-Dobbs America”, published May 8 by Temple University Press.

Elder, who serves as chair of Hartwick’s Department of Political Science, Law and International Relations, coordinator of the healthcare administration program and co-director of the Hartwick Institute of Public Service, co-authored the book with Steven Greene and Mary-Kate Lizotte. The book examines how public opinion on abortion has shifted following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The publication marks Elder’s fourth academic book and continues a career of scholarship that has reached audiences well beyond the classroom. Her research and expertise have been featured in or cited by outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, USA Today, HuffPost, The Hechinger Report, Politico, FiveThirtyEight, “The Atlantic,” The Guardian, The Boston Globe, The 19th, “National Journal,” WAMC Northeast Public Radio and The Conversation, for which Elder regularly writes about politics, gender, democracy and public opinion.

As research and media attention surrounding Elder’s work continue to grow, she noted the work remains deeply connected to students at Hartwick.

Hartwick College Professor Laurel Elder

“Because Hartwick emphasizes close faculty-student mentorship, students are not simply learning about political science from a textbook. They are seeing firsthand how research is conducted, how ideas develop into books and publications, and how scholarship can contribute to public conversations about democracy and public policy.”

Laurel Elder

Department of Political Science, Law and International Relations Chair, Coordinator of the Healthcare Administration Program and Co-director of the Hartwick Institute of Public Service

Elder regularly teaches political science research methods and mentors students through the senior thesis process. She notes that remaining actively engaged in research helps students better understand both the challenges and rewards of scholarly work.

“I often tell students that while they are working through the frustrations and challenges of designing research projects, analyzing data and revising drafts, I can genuinely relate because I am navigating many of those same challenges in my own scholarly work.”

The collaboration behind “Not Going Back” also reflects professional relationships built over decades of academic work. Elder and Greene first met as graduate students at The Ohio State University and have collaborated on research involving gender, parenthood, political behavior and public opinion for more than 20 years. Elder later connected with Lizotte through a political science conference, where shared interests in gender and public opinion led to additional collaborative research projects.

Elder pointed out that institutional support has played a major role in sustaining long-term scholarship and student mentorship. Over the years, Elder has received multiple Hartwick Faculty Research Grants, two Winifred D. Wandersee Scholar-in-Residence Fellowships and several sabbaticals supporting major research and writing projects.

“One of the things I value most is that Hartwick truly embraces the teacher-scholar model, encouraging faculty to integrate research, teaching and mentorship,” she said.

Elder emphasized the timing of the book is especially significant as June 2026 marks the fourth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The book argues that Dobbs not only reshaped abortion policy but also transformed public opinion and political engagement in lasting ways.

“The title, ‘Not Going Back,’ reflects one of our core conclusions: the changes unleashed by Dobbs are unlikely to be temporary,” Elder said. “The decision not only changed abortion policy, but also transformed public opinion and American politics in lasting ways.”

“Not Going Back: Public Opinion on Abortion in Post-Dobbs America” is available from Temple University Press and major booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Temple University Press is offering a 25% discount using the code 26BKS.

May 12, 2026
Healthcare Administration, Institute of Public Service, News Release, Political Science

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