On my toughest days, I think about the joy of mentoring and teaching the many students of color who find their way to my office and to my classes. They make Stanford better, and contribute so much to university life. Today, I’m thinking about them and so many others like them. But I’m also thinking about their white peers—many of whom come to this university having spent so little time around people from diverse backgrounds. I worry not just for them but for the rest of us, who will bear the burden of their continued ignorance and lack of exposure.

Every idea I’ve had has stemmed from my experiences in the world as a Black person—even research ideas focused on the social & political lives of white people.

The point? Don’t let people shit on “me-search” or on the idea that diversity matters. There’s value in difference. 🧵 For example, my latest paper highlighting the fact that the liberal-conservative scale lacks validity among black people came about after realizing long ago that the measure didn’t explain variation in policy attitudes for black respondents.

My paper, "The Curious Case of Black Conservatives:
Assessing the Validity of the Liberal-Conservative Scale among Black Americans" is now accepted at Public Opinion Quarterly. I'm stoked.

Science is wild, y'all.

A 🧵 on the paper + some thoughts.

dropbox.com/s/wjr403qp1ghc… Although the overwhelming majority of Black Americans identify with the Democratic Party, surveys suggest that up to one-half of Black respondents identify as conservative.

Available now, “Beyond the Ballot Box: A Conversation about Democracy and Policing in the US” ft. @cathyjcohen @che_shani Becca Thorpe & @VeslaWeaver discussing how policing redefines citizenship & undermines democracy.
Some highlights (A 🧵)
annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.114…

RT & Share I begin the conversation by asking a revised version of a question that Frederick Douglass asked on July 5, 1852: “What, to those who experience the daily harm of policing in this country, is democracy?”

A quick 🧵 for students from diverse backgrounds starting PhDs.

No, you’re not crazy. Yeah, this is a bunch of shit that is nothing like the reason you decided to do this. The canon is v white & very male, and v unrepresentative of your experiences. Go abt building a new canon. Infuse it w/ your brilliant insights rooted in the deep, unrivaled knowledge you have abt how the world works, abt how politics & power work. Build on the brilliant work of your intellectual ancestors who laid the foundation—who long before said, “Nah, that story is incomplete.”

I write abt this as “perceptions of collective costs”—a dominant view among Black Ams. Positively correlates w/perceptions of discrimination & feelings that racial group is disempowered. Higher perceptions of CC correspond w/ more willingness to punish “deviant” in-group members.

https://twitter.com/MajorPhilebrity/status/1508307986824978436

I’ll admit when I look at Will Smith’s assault of Chris Rock, respectability isn’t first thing that comes to mind. But discourse on Black twitter has apparently broken down into certain camps, w/ some drawing line btwn respectable Black folks and those who reject respectability.

It is once again worth noting that there are lots of Black scholars with great expertise in race and American politics. I can think of none of us who have made public comments about “wokeness” being the problem of the day. I wonder why that is. I understand the discomfort in acknowledging this, but it’s true. The way scholars see the world is influenced by their background and experiences. If you want to get commentary that shits on the wokes, reach out to white folks, especially white men in my discipline.

Making arg each time that mentions of race lead Dems to lose elections ignores 1) complexity of politics & coalition building & 2) presumes persuasion doesn’t include mobilization of racial minorities. But I generally find Matt’s takes on race wanting& that’s being generous. 🧵

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1442550466081083393

Moreover, I understand the work on racialization and backlash quite well, so it’s puzzling that Matt makes this argument so confidently, as if there is amazing evidence for this view of NEVER TALK ABOUT RACE. A couple things on this score.