University of Pittsburgh
February 2, 2010

Race and Politics the Subject of Feb. 15 Lecture at Pitt

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PITTSBURGH-Vincent Hutchings, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan, will deliver a lecture at the University of Pittsburgh titled "Wedge Politics: The Structure and Function of Racial Group Cues in American Politics."

The talk will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at Pitt's Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP), School of Social Work Conference Center, 20th floor, Cathedral of Learning, 4200 Fifth Ave., Oakland. It is part of the Reed Smith Spring 2010 Speaker Series and is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, and lunch will be provided. For more information, call 412-624-7382.

Hutchings' areas of research include public opinion, elections, voting behavior, and African American politics. In his book "Public Opinion and Democratic Accountability: How Citizens Learn About Politics" (Princeton University Press, 2005), he explores how and under what circumstances citizens monitor their elected representatives' voting behavior.

Hutchings also has looked at how the size of the African American constituency in congressional districts can influence the legislative response to Black interests. Hutchings' research on this has been published in the "Journal of Politics."

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