About | My Site

Welcome! I am a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the University of Michigan. My research and teaching interests broadly include American politics, Black politics, inequality, and public opinion. My dissertation and book project, When Hard Work Isn’t Enough, examines what it means to believe in the American Dream within the context on ongoing racial inequality. Using mixed methods, I show that Black Americans who believe the opportunity structure is open express less awareness of structural racism, and less support for policies that could ameliorate racial disparities.

My dissertation work has been supported by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (Ford Predoctoral Fellowship), the American Political Science Association (Minority Fellowship), and the Russell Sage Foundation (Dissertation Grant). My co-authored research has appeared in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics and RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences.

I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and earned my B.A. in political science and English from the University of Notre Dame in 2019.

I am currently on the job market. Please explore my website to learn more about my ongoing research or download my curriculum vitae below.

Email: zcwalker [at] umich [dot] edu