GVPT Associate Professor Chryl Laird Receives Philip Converse Award at APSA 2025

Department of Government & Politics (GVPT) Associate Professor Chryl Laird, along with co-author Ismail White, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, has received the Philip Converse Award from the American Political Science Association (APSA) for their book Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior (2020). The award recognizes an outstanding contribution in the field of Elections, Public Opinion, and Voting.

The award committee praised Steadfast Democrats for its innovative approach to understanding why Black Americans so consistently support the Democratic Party. Beyond policy or strategic interests, the book highlights the role of social norms and the anticipated social costs of deviating from them in shaping Black political behavior.

According to the award committee, Steadfast Democrats demonstrates the causal impact of social forces through a series of carefully designed experiments—showing that when social pressure is present, Black participants are more likely to express support for Democrats, including through behaviors such as political donations. The committee commended the book’s rigorous and sustained experimental program and its significant contribution to the study of political behavior.

Congratulations to Professor Laird on this prestigious recognition!

Published on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 13:39