View Natasha Altema McNeely's CV.pdf - College of Liberal Arts ...

Natasha E. Altema McNeely
University of Iowa Phone: (319)335-3844
Department of Political Science Email: natasha-altema@uiowa.edu
341 Schaeffer Hall https://sites.google.com/site/natashaaltema/home
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Education
PhD, Political Science, University of Iowa, expected May 2013
Major fields: American Politics and Comparative Politics
Minor field: Methodology
Dissertation: Take Two: Reexamining the Origins of Institutional Structures
Committee:
Abstract:
Dr. Rene R. Rocha (chair), Dr. Tracy Osborn, Dr. Caroline Tolbert, Dr. Erica Townsend-
Bell, and Dr. Charles Connerly (Urban and Regional Planning)
I examine the impact of racial context upon the origins of structural reform at the local
level. Specifically, I demonstrate that racial diversity and minority political
empowerment cause white elites to attempt to alter existing institutional structures as a
strategy to protect their preferences. I use the Internal City Managers Association datasets
from 1996, 2002, and 2006, as well as the spring 2011 Hawkeye Poll to conduct my
analysis. I also discuss several case studies in order to demonstrate the impact of minority
political empowerment. I find that elites in predominately white cities with significant
African American populations are more likely to attempt to alter existing district
elections to at-large elections. I also find that growing levels of political empowerment
among Latinos cause elites to attempt to change existing strong-mayor councils to
council-manager plans. An important implication of my research is that as cities continue
to become diverse and racial minority groups continue to exercise their political power,
white elites will attempt to protect their preferences at these groups’ expense.
Masters of Arts Degree, University of Iowa, May 2010
Bachelors of Arts Degree, Berry College, December 2007

Research and teaching interests
American Politics: race and ethnicity politics, state and local politics, urban politics, political institutions,
public opinion, and political behavior.
Comparative Politics, Latin American politics, democracy, comparative public opinion
Awards
Dean’s Graduate Fellowship recipient 2008-2013
Working papers
“The Impact of Racial Diversity upon Electoral Structure Reform”
“Emotive Racism: Affect, Symbolic Racism, and Public Opinion” co-authored with Dr. Tolbert
Professional presentations:
“Emotive Racism: Affect, Symbolic Racism, and Public Opinion.” with Dr. Caroline Tolbert, Presented
at the American Political Science Association annual meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 30-
September 2, 2012 (meeting cancelled)
“The Impact of Racial Diversity upon Institutional Structure Reform.” Presented at the Midwest Political
Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, April 2012
“Why Should We Help Them? How Symbolic Racism Affects Latinos’ Attitudes toward Affirmative
Action.”, Presented at the Southern Political Science Association annual meeting, New Orleans,
Louisiana, January 3-5, 2012
“Minority Representatives, Electoral Constraint, and Racialized Institutions: When and Where Does
Descriptive Representation Matter?” with Dr. Tracy Osborn and Dr. Rene Rocha, Presented at the
American Political Science Association annual meeting, Seattle, Washington, September 2011
“Why Should We Help Them? How Symbolic Racism Affects Latinos’ Attitudes toward Affirmative
Action.”, Presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, April
2011
“To Trust or Not to Trust? How Trust in the Federal government Affected Whites’ and Latinos”
Decisions to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election.” Presented at the Midwest Political
Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, April 2010
Research experience
Hawkeye Poll Cooperative member, summer 2009-present
Teaching experience
Teaching Assistant, American Public Policy (Rene Rocha, Instructor), spring 2012

Teaching Assistant, The Presidency (Cary Covington, Instructor), spring 2012
Teaching Assistant, Latin American Politics (Erica Townsend-Bell, Instructor), fall 2011
Teaching Assistant, Race in the World Politics (Erica Townsend-Bell, Instructor), fall 2011
Teaching Assistant, Racism & Politics in the U.S. (Rene Rocha, Instructor), spring 2011
Instructor, American State Politics, fall 2010 and spring 2011
Teaching assistant, Introduction to American Politics (Cary Covington, Instructor), fall 2009 and spring
2010
Professional service
Graduate Student Senate representative, fall 2010- spring 2011
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Technologies Committee member, April 2011
Graduate Student Senate alternate, fall 2009- spring 2010
Graduate Association of Political Science officer, 2009-2011
Hawkeye Poll Cooperative, summer 2009-present
Professional memberships,
American Political Science Association (section memberships: Race, Ethnicity and Politics; Urban
Politics; and Representation and Electoral Systems) and Midwest Political Science Association
References
Rene Rocha Tracy Osborn
Associate Professor of Political Science Associate Professor of Political Science
Department of Political Science Department of Political Science
341 Schaeffer Hall 341 Schaeffer Hall
University of Iowa University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Iowa City, Iowa 52242
(319)335-2528 (319)335-2337
rene-rocha@uiowa.edu tracy-osborn@uiowa.edu
Caroline Tolbert Erica Townsend-Bell
Professor of Political Science Assistant Professor of Political Science
Department of Political Science Department of Political Science
341 Schaeffer Hall Oklahoma State University
University of Iowa 201 Murray Hall
Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
(319)335-2358 etowns@okstate.edu
caroline-tolbert@uiowa.edu