Matt Nelsen
Lecturer
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Bio
Matt Nelsen is A Postdoctoral Scholar affiliated with the Department of Political Science and the GenForward Survey at the University of Chicago . He received my Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University in June of 2020.
Prior to beginning graduate school, he worked as a 5th grade teacher within the San Antonio Independent School District. In 2014, Matt received the district’s Rising Star Award, given to exceptional first-year teachers within the district.
He also holds a bachelor’s degrees in political science and Asian Studies from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in social science from the University of Chicago.
Personal Statement
I am a Postdoctoral Scholar affiliated with the Department of Political Science and the GenForward Survey at the University of Chicago . I received my Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University in June of 2020..
My book project explores the ways in which civic education courses shape the political attitudes and behaviors of high schoolers along the lines of race and ethnicity. More specifically, I find that critical pedagogy—an educational philosophy that centers the local knowledge and grassroots political action of marginalized groups—has the ability to close the civic empowerment gap between white youth and young people of color.
My work is featured in Political Behavior, the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics, the Washington Post, and GenForward’s Race and Place: Young Adults and the Future of Chicago
I believe that research is most powerful when it is placed into the hands of individuals who are entrusted to institute policy change. As a public scholar, I have contributed to research at a number of organizations including the Obama Foundation, iCivics, GenForward, and the American Bar Foundation.
In addition to research, I am deeply committed to teaching. As a former public school teacher and a first generation college student, I am committed to ensuring that students can leverage the knowledge and skills they acquire in the classroom to play an active role in shaping their communities and the decision-making processes of elected officials.