Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Howard University
About
Dr. Harper earned her PhD in political science with concentrations in black politics and international relations from Howard University. Currently, she is a lecturer at Howard University and Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Public Fellow.
Dr. Harper’s research examines the intersection of civic engagement, social inequalities, and public policy in urban areas. She has extensive training and experience in qualitative research methods including ethnography, case studies and content analysis. She specializes in survey design, data analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, needs assessment, and qualitative data collection methods including face-to-face interviews, focus groups, and community forums.
In addition to conducting original research, Dr. Harper has integrated research into practice by working with community advocates and administrators to facilitate programs that increase access to community resources, enhance self-sufficiency programs, and address academic achievement gaps among underserved populations.
Prior to serving as a policy analyst at UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, Dr. Harper held administrative positions in higher education with responsibilities including classroom instruction, community relations, strategic planning, curriculum development, and student development.
Current Work:
Dr. Harper’s current research examines the intersection of identity politics and community control. Specifically, her work seeks to explore the extent to which race influences two areas: (1) participation in electoral politics and implementation of social justice policies and (2) identification with political ideology and development of distributive policies.
Research Area Keyword(s):
Activism, diversity, engagement, politics, and development
