Biography

Dr. Philip V. McHarris (he/him) is an assistant professor in the Department of Black Studies at the University of Rochester. Before arriving at Rochester, McHarris was a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University in the Department of African American Studies and the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab. He earned his PhD in Sociology and African American Studies at Yale University.

His work has been supported by the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. In addition to his scholarly work, McHarris has written for outlets that include The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, The Guardian, MTV, and Nickelodeon. His commentary has been featured on HBO, CNN, TIME, and PBS. In 2020, he was honored as one of the Root 100 Most Influential African Americans.

Research Overview

McHarris’ research focuses on racial inequality, housing, and policing. He is currently at work on “Brick Dreams: The Unfinished Project of Public Housing", an ethnography-based manuscript focused on the New York City Housing Authority and the contemporary realities and challenges of public housing in America. McHarris is also author of the forthcoming book, “Beyond Policing" (Legacy Lit), which traces the historical arc of policing and presents transformative approaches to safety and justice.

Research Interests

• Racial inequality, housing, and policing