Candis Watts Smith

Candis Watts Smith is the Robert O. Keohane Professor of Political Science at Duke University. A nationally recognized expert in American political behavior and policy preferences, her research critically examines the politics of race, identity, and policy. Over the years, her work has provided evidence of the many ways that inequality is developed in democratic institutions and upheld—intentionally or otherwise—by the stories Americans tell themselves about history, identity, and deservingness. She has served as an associate editor of peer-reviewed journals, and her work has earned support from the National Science Foundation. At Duke, she has served in key leadership positions. As the interim vice provost for undergraduate education, she shaped strategic initiatives and collaborated with a wide range of university leaders to enhance student outcomes, expand Duke’s support infrastructure, and increase material and financial resources for Duke students. Professor Smith currently serves as the faculty director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program. She is a Faculty-in-Residence, living alongside her family and 135 first-year students on Duke’s East Campus.