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I am a Professor of Sociology at Wake Forest University. My research examines the political origins and political consequences of social inequalities.  I use an array of qualitative and historical methods to understand the effects of political actors and institutions on racial inequality, the effects of immigration and racial divisions on policy outcomes, and the micro-level effects of state actions on the lives of racial minorities and immigrants. These endeavors bridge insights from multiple subfields in order to understand the institutional foundations of social inequality. 

 My research has been published in such journals as the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Problems, and Ethnic and Racial Studies.  It has been funded by the Russell Sage Foundation and the National Science Foundation and has received awards from multiple sections of the American Sociological Association. 

I am an affiliated faculty member with the Wake Forest University African-American Studies and American Ethnic Studies programs. I  am 2000 Harry S. Truman Scholar and currently serve as the Truman Scholarship Faculty Director with the Wake Forest Scholars Program.