I work broadly in the areas of political philosophy and the history of American and African American political thought. My research is animated by a set of connected concerns: the value of John Dewey’s political philosophy for democratic life; the character necessary to sustain and nurture democracy, especially as derived from the African American political and moral philosophical tradition; and the ways this character directs our attention to those who have been historically excluded and dominated and helps explain their allegiance to American society amid political alienation.

These considerations have led to a book on the philosophy of Dewey (The Undiscovered Dewey: Religion, Morality, and the Ethos of Democracy) and a related editorial project (John Dewey, The Public and Its Problems) and to a second book project on African American political philosophy (The Darkened Light of Faith: Race, Democracy, and Freedom in African American Political Thought), and a related volume (African American Political Thought: A Collected History, co-edited with Jack Turner). 

2022-2023 James W. C. Pennington Award, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg

Distinguished Visiting Scholar, John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Summer 2019

Safra Center Ethics Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 2015-2016: Declined

Consortium for Faculty Diversity at Liberal Arts College Fellowship: Visiting Assistant Professor, Swarthmore College, 2010-11

Sesquicentennial Fellowship, University of Virginia, Fall 2010-11 (42k)

University of Virginia Summer Grant, Summer, 2008, 2009

Amherst College Memorial Fellowship, 2001-2002; 2003-2004

Ford Predoctoral Fellowship, 1999-2002

Keasbey Memorial Foundation Scholarship, Cambridge, Selwyn College, 1999-2000

Ralph J. Bunche Fellowship, University of Virginia, Summer, 1998

I teach courses broadly in the history of political thought, American and African American political thought, and contemporary political theory. Courses currently teaching and scheduled to teach:

2019-2020

Fall

POLS1335: Slavery and Freedom: Selections from African American Political Thought (Undergraduate lecture)

POLS1820: Pragmatism In Black and White (Undergraduate Course)

Spring

POLS0110: Introduction to Political Theory

2017-2018

Fall

POLS 0820H: Race and Visions of Justice

Spring

POLS2340: Social and Political Philosophy of W. E. B. Du Bois (Grad. Course)