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Political Scientists of Color will host Morehouse College’s Matthew Platt for the annual Dr. Hanes Walton Jr. Distinguished Speaker Lecture at 1 p.m. Jan. 22. The lecture is organized to honor the legacy of Walton, regarded as the “dean of black politics.”
Platt received his Bachelor of Arts in political science at Morehouse College in 2003. He received his Ph.D. in political science in 2008 from the University of Rochester. Platt currently is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Morehouse College. He worked as an assistant professor in the government department at Harvard University before deciding to return home and join the Morehouse faculty.
Platt says his previous research falls “under a relatively broad umbrella relating to three questions: 1.) Why/how does Congress pay attention to black issues? 2.) How do individuals’ decisions to become active in politics impact policymaking? 3.) Given that the vast majority of bills never become law, why do members of Congress introduce legislation?”
Currently, Platt’s work is related to the “idea of destroying and rebuilding black politics.” He is set to present some of that work in his talk titled “A Mess of Pottage.” The lecture will take place in the Eldersveld Room, 5th Floor, Haven Hall.
Walton also received his Bachelor of Arts in political science at Morehouse College and his Ph.D. at Howard University in 1967. He taught at Savannah State University for the first 26 years of his career, and spent the rest of his time at the University of Michigan in the Department of Political Science.
Walton published more than 80 articles, 25 book chapters, 25 books and edited volumes, served on 12 review boards, and received more than 25 awards and grants throughout his 45 year career.
For more information, email PSOC coordinators at [email protected].
