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Book Review Explores Political Equality Questions Raised in Professor's New Publication

The Center for Faith and Learning and University Libraries will host a review of the new book, Minority Report: Evaluating Political Equality in America, by Brian Newman, professor of political science, on Friday, Oct. 17. Chris Soper, fellow professor of political science, will review the book at 10 a.m. in the Kresge Reading Room of Malibu's Payson Library.

Newman co-authored Minority Report (The University of Chicago Press 2008) with John D. Griffin, assistant professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, to examine disparities in how the concerns of different cultural groups are addressed by the U.S. government.

"The book speaks to fundamental questions of who gets what they want from government," Newman explains.

Minority Report doesn't shy away from exploring some of the most controversial aspects of race relations in the United States today. In particular, Newman and Griffin examine congressional decisions and federal policy to question if governmental action favors white community interests over Latino and African American communities.

"It's pretty rare, when comparing minorities to majorities, to examine these questions from the perspective of the minority side," says Newman, who met co-author Griffin as a graduate student at Duke University. "Griffin's area of expertise is in congressional matters, while mine is in studying public opinion. It’s been a good collaboration to study the intersection between the two."

Soper, the former director of the Center for Faith and Learning, suggested Newman's book for review at this event, particularly in light of the possibility that America might elect its first African American president in November.

"The book asks some big questions about fairness and legitimacy. Particularly that Latino and African Americans are not as well represented in politics as white voters," says Soper. "I teach in the broad area of American politics, and you can't teach it without touching on questions of race. I will focus on the philosophical questions about equal representation that are asked in the book."

Reviewing Minority Report with Soper will be Jennifer Merolla, assistant professor of political science at Claremont Graduate University. Merolla is an expert on racial and ethnic politics. The event is free to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

For more information, please call (310) 506-4141.