Ravi Perry, Ph.D.

Research and Teaching Interests

Dr. Perry’s teaching interests include African-American politics, urban and local politics, race and representation, American politics and public policy and contemporary political theory (modern political thought, liberalism and its critics, Black political thought, and critical race theory).  His current research foci include: the representation of Black interests and public policy service delivery of African American mayors in medium-sized U.S. cities, the public policy impact of HIV and/or AIDS in the Black community, the contemporary extension and application of civil rights protections to varying minority groups (e.g., the marriage equality debate), the politics of religion and the institution of the Black church, and the intertwined relationship between scholarship and activism for select social science scholars.  He is currently writing a book on the representation of Black interests in the United States by Black politicians who govern within political jurisdictions where their minority constituents do not constitute a numerical majority.  His editorials and award-winning oratory have been featured in varied media outlets across the country.

Publications

Perry, Ravi.  “Voting Rights Act of 1965.” Encyclopedia of African American Education.  Forthcoming, October 2009.

Perry, Ravi.  “Black Mayors in Non-Majority Black (Medium-Sized) Cities: Universalizing the Interests of Blacks.”  Ethnic Studies Review.  Forthcoming, September 2009.

Research in Progress

Perry, Ravi.  “The Politics of Applied Black Studies: An Analysis of the Applied Work of Selected 20th Century Political and Social Science Scholars.”  Journal of Social Science. Forthcoming, Fall 2009.

Perry, Ravi. “Minority Representation.” The Encyclopedia of Political Science. Forthcoming, Spring 2010.