Ravi Kumar Perry
144 S. Fitzhugh St. Telephone: (401) 261-7395
Apartment #1 (585) 275-5149
Rochester, NY 14608 Email: ravi_perry@brown.edu
EDUCATION
2005-current Ph.D. (Expected May 2009), Brown University, Political Science
Dissertation: “21st Century Black Mayors, Non-Majority Black Cities, and the
Representation of Black Interests.”
The dissertation is an examination of the conditions under which Black mayors of non-majority Black cities
actively pursue policies designed to improve the quality of life of Black residents and examines the
implications of two phenomena: demographic changes in many American cities that are steadily reversing
the population dynamics that brought about the election of this nation’s first African-American mayors and
how the election of a Black mayor is viewed by Black residents with high expectations and as a result as an
opportunity to see city government work in their interests and to address inequities.
Committee Members: Marion Orr, Chair; James Morone, Wendy Schiller, Darrell West
2006 M.A., Brown University, Political Science
2004 B.A., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Political Science, with University Honors
Teaching and Research Interests
Urban Politics, African American and Minority Politics, Public Policy, Political Representation (African American,
Ethnic Minorities), American Politics and Institutions, Contemporary Political Theory (modern political thought,
liberalism and its critics)
PUBLICATIONS
Perry, Ravi. “Voting Rights Act of 1965.” Encyclopedia of African American Education. Forthcoming, January 2009.
Perry, Ravi. “Black Mayors in Non-Majority Black Cities: A Theoretical and Methodological Approach to their Study in
the 21st Century.” Ethnic Studies Review. Forthcoming, Spring 2009.
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Perry, Ravi. “The Sociology and Politics of Applied Black Studies: An Analysis of the Applied Work of Selected 20th
Century Political and Sociological Scholars.” Forthcoming, Spring 2009.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Visiting Instructor, Wheaton College, Norton, MA Spring 2008
PS 271: African American Politics
This class focused on how the struggle for African Americans for full integration
and empowerment has influenced the past and current American political
environment; the shifting notion of 'community' within the African American
experience post the Civil Rights era of the 1960s and development and diversity
within the African American community.
Teaching Assistant, Brown University Spring 2008
Mass Media, Dr. Darrell West, Professor
Ravi Kumar Perry, page 2
Teaching Assistant, Brown University Fall 2007
African American Politics, Dr. Katrina Gamble, Professor
Introduction to the American Political Process, Drs. Roger Cobb and Wendy Schiller, Professors
Teaching Assistant/Section Instructor, Brown University
City Politics, Dr. James Morone, Professor
Teaching Assistant/Section Instructor, Brown University Fall 2006
Introduction to Public Policy, Dr. Ross Cheit, Professor
Trained Inter-group Dialogue Facilitator, University of Michigan 2002-2004
Courses Taught: Men/Women, International Students/United States Students
The Program on Inter-group Relations, Dr. Charles Behling & Monita Thompson, Instructors
Guest Lecture, University of Toledo Fall 2007
Introduction to Africana Studies
Lecture Title: Constitutional through post Civil War Legislation Regarding African Americans
Guest Lecture, Eastern Michigan University Fall 2007
African American Politics
Lecture Title: Black Mayors: An Overview and Contemporary Challenges
Guest Lecture, Wheaton College Spring 2007
Urban Politics, Dr. Marcus Allen, Assistant Professor.
Lecture Title: Deracialization and Urban Campaigns
Relevant Employment
Mayoral Fellow in the Executive Office of Providence, RI June-August 2006
Developed and implemented strategy related to new city ordinance on graffiti
abatement and criminalization; worked with Community Relations and the Office
of Neighborhood Services to locate problem areas within the city that needed
attention (missing/broken street signs, graffiti, road repair, etc).
Substitute Teacher, Ann Arbor Public School System, Ann Arbor, MI March-July 2005
Coordinated effective and safe educational interaction among students in grades
6-12. Repeatedly assigned to Forsythe Middle School as an instructor of social
studies, language arts, and civics, upon teachers’ recommendations, due to
positive feedback
Campaign Headquarters Coordinator, Mayor Jack Ford (D, Toledo) December 2004 – March 2005
Mayoral Re-Election Campaign, Toledo, Ohio
Daily operation of the office; coordinated volunteers and organized nightly
meetings; phone services; key contact for the minority community; driver for the
Mayor; photographer for the campaign. As the only paid campaign staff member
at the time, my duties were multiple.
Ravi Kumar Perry, page 3
Yard Sign Director/Coordinator of Youth Volunteers at Lucas County May - August 2001
Democratic Party for the Jack Ford Mayoral Campaign, Toledo, Ohio
Organized, distributed, and assembled all yard signs for the Jack Ford Mayoral
Campaign; coordinated youth volunteer recruitment for office staffing and
rallies/marches; featured speaker at Get Out the Vote programs
Fellowships, Honors and Awards
Pre-Doctoral Fellowship 2008-2009
Center for the Study of African American Politics, University of Rochester
Byron Jackson Dissertation In Ethnic and Racial Politics Research Support Award 2008-2009
Urban Politics Section of the American Political Science Association
Finalist, Erksine Peters Dissertation Year Fellowship 2008
University of Notre Dame, Department of Africana Studies
The Phillips G. Davies Graduate Student Paper Award 2008
National Association of Ethnic Studies Conference, Atlanta, GA
Tuition Grant Award, University of Michigan 2007
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Science Research (ICPSR)
Summer Four Week Competitive Program/Workshop:
“Methodological Issues in Quantitative Research on Race and Ethnicity”
Passed Comprehensive Exam in American politics with Distinction and was awarded 2007
$1,000 by the department. Also passed the exam in political theory
Fellow, Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences (S4), Brown University 2006-present
Summer Fellowship, Department of Political Science Brown University 2006 & 2007
Sammy Younge Best Student Paper Award 2005
National Conference of Black Political Scientists
Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honorary Society 2004
University of Michigan
Bunche Center for African American Studies, University of California – Los Angeles 2003
Summer Humanities Institute, a 10-week Graduate School Preparation Program
Internship, Office of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Washington, D.C. 2002
CONFERENCE PAPERS
April 2008, National Association of Ethnic Studies Conference, Atlanta, GA
“Black Mayors in Non-Majority Black Cities: A Theoretical and Methodological Approach to their Study in the
21st Century.”
April 2008, Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL
“21st Century Black Mayors, Non-Majority Black Cities and the Representation of Black Interests”
Ravi Kumar Perry, page 4
April 2008, Urban Affairs Association Conference, Baltimore, MD
“21st Century Black Mayors, Non-Majority Black Cities and the Representation of Black Interests”
March 2008, National Conference of Black Political Scientists, Chicago, IL
“21st Century Black Mayors, Non-Majority Black Cities and the Representation of Black Interests”
August 2006, Association of Black Sociologists Annual Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
“Black in White: Deracialization and Black Mayoral Governance in ‘White Cities’”
June 2006, Brown University, Spatial Structures for the Social Sciences (S4), Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) 1st Annual Summer Institute Mini-Conference
“Looking at Wards: Ward and Census intersections of 6 black mayors elected in Ohio since 1999”
April 2006, University of Chicago “Eyes of the Mosaic” 13th Annual Minority Graduate Student Conference,
Chicago, IL
“Deracialization and Racial Tension in Ohio: A Spatial Analysis of the effects of campaign platforms
and the inaugural election of two mayors”
April 2006, National Association of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco, CA
“Deracialization and Racial Tension in Ohio: A Survey of Recent African American Mayoral Election
Victories and Re-Election Attempts”
March 2006, National Conference of Black Political Scientists, Atlanta GA
“Black in White: Critical Inaugural Mayoral Election Victories and the Communities Behind Them”
April 2004, Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, IL
“Black Presidential Politics: How The New York Times Portrayed Sharpton and Jackson’s Presidential
Campaigns”
March 2004, National Association of Ethnic Studies Conference, Philadelphia, PA
“Black Presidential Politics: How The New York Times Portrayed Sharpton and Jackson’s Presidential
Campaigns”
March 2004, National Conference of Black Political Scientists, Chicago, IL
“The Effect of NAFTA on African American Farming”
November 2003, People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions Conference, Lincoln, NE
“Developing an Ethnic, Multicultural Curriculum in Undergraduate Colleges”
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Member, Board of Directors (Graduate Student Representative) for the National 2008-2010
Association of Ethnic Studies
Conference Chair, Chief Organizer, Visionary, and Master of Ceremonies 2008
First Annual Graduate Students of Color Conference, sponsored by the
Samuel M. Nabrit Black Graduate Student Association, Brown University
President of Samuel M. Nabrit Black Graduate Student Association, Brown University 2006-2007
Board of Trustees Member, West Side Montessori Center, Toledo Ohio 2004-2005
Ravi Kumar Perry, page 5
Community Service
Guest Essayist, Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY 2008
September 26, 2008: “Obama has upper hand on the topic of race relations”
Guest Columnist, The Sojourner’s Truth, Weekly African American Newspaper, Toledo, Ohio 2008-present
Keeper of Records, Providence Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 2006-2008
Moderator, City Council Debates for Wards 4 and 10, City of Providence, 2006
sponsored by the RI Black Political Action Committee
Member of Re-activation Committee, Endorsement Committee Member 2006
Moderator of RI Black Political Action Committee Debates for select
candidates who pledge to focus on African American issues
Active in the Re-Activation of Rhode Island Black Political Action Committee 2006
Affirmative Action Director, Michigan Youth and College Division of the NAACP 2003-2004
Member, NAACP State of Michigan, Youth/College Division, Executive Committee 2002-2004
Founder, NAACP Chapter at the University of Michigan 2002
Chair of Membership, culminating in the largest membership of a collegiate chapter
Established the Youth Empowerment Award, City of Toledo Board of Community Relations 2002 present
Bestowed annually
Select Community Speaking Engagements
Guest Sunday morning worship speaker at Bethel AME Church, Providence, RI on the
history of the AME Church, the leadership of Richard Allen, and contemporary relevance 2007
Guest Speaker, Black History Month Celebration, Ambulatory Care Center
U.S. Naval Base, Newport, RI 2006
Guest Speaker, Rhode Island Coalition for Affirmative Action Meeting with Providence 2006
Schools Superintendent Dr. Donnie Evans
Keynote Speaker, Ministers’ Alliance of Rhode Island Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2006
Scholarship Prayer Breakfast, Cranston, RI (500-1000 people in attendance, including
the Governor, Lt. Governor, U.S. Senators, the President of Brown University
and other local RI political officials)
Guest Sunday morning worship speaker at Quinn Chapel AME Church, Forrest Park, OH on 2004
the history of the AME Church, the leadership of Richard Allen, and contemporary
relevance
Speaker at City of Toledo Mayor Jack Ford’s Inaugural Celebration, Toledo Museum of Art 2002
Guest speaker at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Toledo, OH) in celebration of Dr. Martin 2001
Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday
Ravi Kumar Perry, page 6
Professional Memberships
American Political Science Association
Midwest Political Science Association
National Association of Black Sociologists
National Association of Ethnic Studies
National Conference of Black Political Scientists
Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honorary Society
Urban Affairs Association
References
Marion Orr, Ph.D.
Director, Taubman Center for Public Policy
Brown University
Box 1977
67 George Street
Providence, RI 02912
401 863 9436
James Morone, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Political Science
Brown University
Box 1844
Providence, RI 02912
401 863 1573
Wendy Schiller, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
Brown University
Box 1844
Providence, RI 02912
401 863 1569
Darrell West, Ph.D.
Vice President and Director of Governance Studies
Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202 797 6481