Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science, specializes in political mobilization and race, as well as competition between minority groups. Her current research focuses on the political leadership of the post-civil rights generation. Gillespie's experience as a pollster and consultant has helped shape her research into what works — and what doesn't — in minority politics today as new leadership emerges.
She recently completed her forthcoming book, Race and the Obama Administration (Manchester University Press, 2019), which analyzes Barack Obama's performance on substantive and symbolic issues of importance to African Americans and compares his performance on racial issues to other recent presidents. She also was the editor of Whose Black Politics? Cases in Post-Racial Black Leadership (Routledge, 2009). The book features case studies of prominent Black elected officials largely born after 1960 and asks whether the advent of a new generation of Black political leadership will actually lead to substantive political changes in the Black community.
In addition, Gillespie is the author of The New Black Politician: Cory Booker, Newark and Post-Racial America (NYU Press, 2012). This book examines the decade-long evolution of African American politics in New Jersey’s largest city and challenges students of Black politics to revise their understanding of the connection between racial solidarity, vote choice, and policy preferences. In addition, Gillespie also maintains secondary academic interests in political participation, inter-minority group competition and evangelical politics in the United States. See andragillespie.com for more information.
