Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean

Khalilah (Ka-Lie-La) L. Brown-Dean, Ph.D. is Professor of Political Science and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs at Quinnipiac University. With a keen eye toward the practical implications of democratic conflict, her research interests center on voting rights, criminal justice, election administration, and public policy. She is the author of Identity Politics in the United States (Polity Press). The book moves beyond the headlines to show how conflicts over group identity are an inescapable feature of American political development. There’s no question that the United States is incredibly divided. Brown-Dean shows us how we got here, and more importantly, how we move forward. She has published numerous academic and popular pieces including a co-authored report on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that was presented during the 50th anniversary celebration of the historic Bloody Sunday March in Selma, Alabama.

Dr. Brown-Dean’s analysis has appeared in over 400 media outlets including The New York Times, Fox News Radio, NPR, Democracy Now, Al-Jazeera, and The Hill. She works with scholars, legislators, community organizations, and activists to center the experiences of victims and their families within criminal justice reform efforts. She is featured in the documentaries, “The Color of Justice” and “Extinction,” and was recognized by Diverse Magazine as one of the Top 25 Women in Higher Education. Her public scholarship appears across multiple media platforms including a weekly segment on WURD Radio and a weekly blog column for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. She hosted and co-produced topical shows for WNPR and was the 2016 Election Analyst for Connecticut's ABC affiliate, WTNH.

Dr. Brown-Dean is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven—one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation—and has held appointed and elected positions in various professional organizations including the American Political Science Association and the National Association for Ethnic Studies. She is a proud, key-holding native of Lynchburg, Virginia where May 6th is recognized as Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean Day.