Sydney L. Carr

PhD Candidate (ABD), University of Michigan

Department of Political Science & Ford School of Public Policy

Welcome!

*I am currently on the job market for the 2022-2023 season!*

I am a joint PhD Candidate at the University of Michigan in the Department of Political Science and the Ford School of Public Policy. I received my B.A. in political science from the University of Connecticut and M.A. in political science from the University of Michigan.

 

My research has been supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the APSA Minority Fellowship Program, the Center for American Women & Politics Research Grant, and the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research Hanes Walton Jr. Fellowship, among others.  

 

My primary research interests include American political behavior, race, ethnicity, and politics, gender and politics,  and political communication.Within my dissertation, I pose the following question: When and under what circumstances do Black female political elites face a disadvantage in the political arena? To explore this question, I first examine whether Black women in the political limelight face unique biases in public opinion that their counterparts (White women, White men, and Black men) do not. After uncovering the extent to which Black women political elites face unique disadvantages in the context of public opinion relative to their counterparts, I also explore whether these biases emerge in news media coverage. Last, I analyze whether direct exposure toward negative news disproportionately impacts public evaluations of Black women political elites in unique ways when compared to their counterpart groups. 

 

 I see my work as critical at a time when the political arena continues to grow more diverse across racial and gender lines than ever before. As more Black women enter into the political limelight, it is imperative that scholars pay critical scholarly attention toward their unique experiences both in public opinion and in the news.  Further, I remain committed toward centering the experiences of marginalized political leaders within my work, and particularly those with intersecting identities.

 

Beyond research, I have remained active in regard to DEI initiatives at the university level. I previously served as the President of SCOR (Students of Color Rackham)- an organization devoted to the well-being of graduate students of color at the University of Michigan. In my role as SCOR president, I was devoted to working toward improving the well-being of minority graduate students. To this end, I often worked closely with university administrators in order to ensure that the concerns of graduate students of color are met. 

 

Please explore my website to learn more about  my research!