Moving Beyond National Politics: Why Local Elections Matter

Join Dr. Andrea Benjamin for "Moving Beyond National Politics: Why Local Elections Matter." 

Moderated by Dr. Stephanie Shonekan

Andrea Benjamin is an Associate Professor in the Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma.  She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2010. Her research interests include Race and Politics, Local Elections and Voting behavior, and Public Opinion.  Her first book, Racial Coalition Building in Local Elections: Elite Cues and Cross-Ethnic Voting, explores the potential for Black and Latino Coalitions.  Using the Co-Ethnic Elite Cues Theory, the book shows that Blacks and Latinos rely on endorsements from co-ethnic leaders when casting their ballots.  This is especially true when race and ethnicity are salient in the campaign.  This book was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017.  Dr. Benjamin is currently working on a project about coalitions, electoral representation, and policy representation in local politics.  A majority of the data come from Durham, NC.  Dr. Benjamin lives in Oklahoma City and she currently serves on the Boards of Sally’s List and Northeast Oklahoma City Renaissance.  She is also a co-chair of the Human Rights Commission Task Force in Oklahoma City.

Itinerary: 

INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER

By:  Dr. April Langley, Chair of the Department of Black Studies and Interim Chair of the Department of English

MODERATOR FOR THE PROGRAM

Dr. Stephanie Shonekan, Associate Dean for the College of Arts & Science and    Co-Chair of the Middleton Center

PRESENTATION

By:  Dr. Andrea Benjamin, Associate Professor in the Clara Luper Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Oklahoma

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

All questions submitted for the event will be reviewed and asked by the moderator for the event, Dr. Stephanie Shonekan