Associate Professor
Director, Doctorate of Public Administration
Education
Ph.D., The George Washington University, Trachtenburg School of Public Policy and Public Administration
MPA, Georgia State University, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
B.S., Miami University
Dr. Mariglynn Edlins is an Associate Professor in Human Services Administration and Program Director of the Public Administration doctoral program within the College of Public Affairs.
Dr. Edlins began her career as a case manager in Atlanta, Georgia’s foster care system, where she encountered the complexities of public administration and human service delivery firsthand. This experience sparked her passion for understanding how government systems can deliver services that are both policy-driven and genuinely helpful to individuals.
Her research centers on the interactions between the public and public service organizations, with a particular focus on how these encounters shape individual experiences. Dr. Edlins has explored topics such as the treatment of children within administrative contexts, the challenges faced by unnaccompanied migrant children in bureaucratic systems, and how public servants can cultivate and practice empathy in their work.
Driven by curiosity and a desire to improve public service, Dr. Edlins continues to examine how we can make public systems more responsive and compassionate, ensuring that public servants have the tools to make a positive, lasting impact.
implementation of public policy; public servants; people's experience of public policy and administration; everyday interactions with government; how individuals—both adults and children—interact and engage with their government through individuals, institutions, technology, and policy.
public administration; public service; human services administration
Refereed Journal Articles
Edlins, M. (2023). Exploring the Role of Felt Experience and the Autonomic Nervous System in Human Service Interactions. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration. 45(4), 294-313.
Edlins, M. (2021). Developing a model of empathy for public administration. Administrative Theory & Praxis. 43(1), 22-41.
Edlins, M., & Larrison, J. (2020). Street-level bureaucrats and the governance of unaccompanied migrant children. Public Policy and Administration. 35(4), 403-423.