Pitt Faculty Available to Comment on "Super Tuesday" Primaries

PITTSBURGH-The following University of Pittsburgh faculty are available to comment on the "Super Tuesday" primaries, the remaining contenders, and issues surrounding the presidential elections.

David C. Barker, associate professor and director of graduate studies in Pitt's Department of Political Science in the School of Arts and Sciences, has expertise in American politics, political psychology, and methodology.

Barker's book "Rushed to Judgment? Talk Radio, Persuasion and American Political Behavior," (Columbia University Press, 2002), part of the "Power, Conflict, and Democracy Series" edited by Robert Shapiro, was nominated for the McGannon Communication Policy Research Award and the Bart Richards Award for Media Criticism. It has been cited in many popular media outlets, including "The Atlantic," "The NewsHour," "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," "The Al Franken Show" (Air America radio), and "The Rush Limbaugh Show." Barker may be reached at 412-648-7275 (office), 412-508-6278 (cell), or dbarker@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

Larry Davis, dean of Pitt's School of Social Work and director and founder of Pitt's Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP), is encouraged that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are the final two candidates in the bid for the Democratic nomination. But he says people need to look beyond it as being a Black-White contest. "I am pleased that some Blacks are supporting Clinton and some Whites are supporting Obama," he said. Davis is available to comment on how race and gender issues impact the Presidential primaries.

Davis created CRSP, the first research center on race at any school of social work in the nation, shortly after he arrived at the University of Pittsburgh in 2001. He has added several new courses on race issues to the social work curriculum and is creating a new "Journal on Race and Social Problems." He is the coauthor of "Race, Gender and Class: Guidelines for Practice With Individuals, Families and Groups" (Prentice Hall, 1989) and the author of "Working With African American Males: A Guide to Practice" (Sage Publications, 1999) and "Black and Single: Finding and Choosing a Partner Who is Right for You" (Agate, 3rd edition, 2004). He may be reached at 412-624-6304 (office), 412-780-5012 (cell), or ledavis@pitt.edu; or through Sharon Blake at 412-624-4364 (office), 412-277-6926 (cell), or blake@pitt.edu.

Susan Hansen, professor of political science in Pitt's Department of Political Science in the School of Arts and Sciences, with joint appointments in the Women's Studies Program and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, has expertise in American politics, economic policy, taxation, state and local politics, and women and politics, including state policies affecting women and the impact of women in public office.

Hansen has written numerous articles in academic journals, including "Explaining the 'Brain Drain' From Older Industrial Cities: The Pittsburgh Region," with Leonard Huggins and Carolyn Ban, in "Economic Development Quarterly" (2003); "Governors' Job Performance Ratings and State Unemployment: The Case of California," in "State and Local Government Review" (Winter 1999); "State Implementation of Supreme Court Decisions: Abortion Rates Since Roe v. Wade," in "Journal of Politics" (May 1980); and "The Supreme Court, the States, and Social Change: The Case of Abortion," in "Journal of Peace and Change" (Fall 1980). Her book, "Globalization and the Politics of Pay: Policy Choices in the American States" (Georgetown University Press, 2006), analyzes the impact of economic policy choices and labor regulations on adaptation to globalization in the 50 states since 1970. Hansen may be reached at 412-648-7272 (office), 412-661-5666 (home), or sbhansen@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

David Harris, University of Pittsburgh law professor, has expertise in national security and the law, including homeland security and issues surrounding immigration. He is the leading national authority on racial profiling. His book, "Profiles in Injustice: Why Racial Profiling Cannot Work" (The New Press, 2002), and scholarly articles in the field of traffic stops of non-White motorists influenced the national debate on profiling and related topics. Harris has testified three times in the U.S. Senate and before many state legislative bodies.

His book, "Good Cops: The Case for Preventive Policing" (The New Press, 2005), uses case studies from around the country to suggest that citizens need not trade liberty for safety. He argues that they can be safe from criminals and terrorists without sacrificing their civil rights if law enforcement uses strategies based on prevention.

Harris has appeared on "The Today Show" and "Dateline NBC" and has been interviewed by the "New York Times"," Wall Street Journal," and "Los Angeles Times," among others. He served as a member of the Civil Liberties Advisory Board to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security. Harris may be reached at 412-648-9530 (office), 419-215-8162 (cell), or daharris@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

Gerald Shuster, expert in presidential rhetoric and political communication and faculty member in Pitt's Department of Communication in the School of Arts and Sciences, is primarily interested in the political arena from a political communication perspective, evaluating communication theories and concepts in political campaigns by the strategies candidates and political parties use. Shuster's expertise includes the modern presidency-from John Kennedy through the current president.

Shuster frequently provides the media with commentary on political issues, campaigns, and events, as well as analysis of presidential addresses. Shuster may be reached at 412-624-5199 (office), 724-664-3258 (cell), 724-543-2246 (home), or ges3@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

Jennifer Victor, assistant professor in Pitt's Department of Political Science in the School of Arts and Sciences, has expertise in American politics, U.S. Congress, lobbying, interest groups, and campaign finance.

Victor's articles include "Dynamic Agenda Setting on the U.S. Supreme Court: An Empirical Assessment" in the "Harvard Journal on Legislation" and "The Institutional Effect on Majority Rule Instability: Bicameralism in Spatial Policy Decisions" in "The American Journal of Political Science." In 2004-05, Victor had a congressional fellowship at the American Political Science Association. She has discussed political matters with the media and has appeared frequently on PCNC's "Night Talk." Victor may be reached at 412-624-7204 (office), 412-421-5908 (home), 412-215-5865 (cell), or jnvictor@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

Barbara Warnick, professor of communication_ and chair of Pitt's Department of Communication in the School of Arts and Sciences, is author of "Rhetoric Online: Persuasion and Politics on the World Wide Web" (New York: Peter Lang, 2007). She is interested in new media and the shift in political communication and what it means for rhetorical analysis and criticism. Warnick's current research centers around the question, "How does persuasion as a form of social influence occur in new media environments?" She also can comment on the candidate debates.

Warnick explores how the modes of communication in new media environments are shaped and constrained by the media in which they are communicated. She may be reached at 412-624-1564 (office), 412-781-3577 (home), or bwarnick@pitt.edu; or through Trish White at 412-624-9101 (office), 412-215-9932 (cell), or laer@pitt.edu.

For a list of Pitt faculty experts, visit www.umc.pitt.edu/m/experts.html

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