Twenty-First Century Black Mayors, Non-Majority Black Cities, And the Representation of Black Interests By Ravi Kumar Perry A.B., University of Michigan, 2004 A.M., Brown University, 2006 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Political Science at Brown University Providence, Rhode Island May 2009 © Copyright 2009 by Ravi K. Perry iii This dissertation by Ravi Kumar Perry is accepted in its present form by the Department of Political Science as satisfying the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date_____________ _________________________________ Marion Orr, Ph.D., Advisor Recommended to the Graduate Council Date_____________ _________________________________ James Morone, Ph.D., Reader Date_____________ _________________________________ Wendy Schiller, Ph.D., Reader Date_____________ _________________________________ Darrell West, Ph.D., Reader Approved by the Graduate Council Date_____________ _________________________________ Sheila Bonde, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School iv CURRICULUM VITAE Ravi Kumar Perry 144 S. Fitzhugh St. Telephone: (401) 261-7395 Apartment #1 (585) 275-5149 Rochester, NY 14608 Email:
[email protected] 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.