Presented By Matthew Hayes, Ph.D.

Matthew Hayes, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Rice University and a faculty affiliate of the Center for African and African American Studies. His primary field is American politics, with a focus on racial and ethnic politics, political psychology, and political representation. Dr. Hayes’ current research lies at the intersection between race and political representation. He studies how the inclusion of underrepresented groups in politics affects policy outcomes, symbolic representation, and citizens' evaluations of democracy. He has also investigated the effect of redistricting on legislators' responsiveness, and the role of both ethnic identity and skin tone in determining perceptions of ethnic discrimination in Latin America. Dr. Hayes’ work has been published in the American Political Science Review, Legislative Studies Quarterly, The Journal of Research in Personality, and The Journal of Politics. At Rice University, Dr. Hayes has taught African American Politics; Political Behavior; Political Psychology; and Race, Ethnicity, and U.S. Politics. He has also served as a faculty speaker in the Glasscock School’s elections course.