Matt Nelsen
@mattnelsen.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Political Science | Author of The Color of Civics | Civic Education Advocate | Race, Place, and Young People | All Things Chicago
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to share my research with students and faculty at my alma mater—St. Olaf College (Um Yah Yah!)
Talking about the enormous and life changing potential of education at the place that helped lay the path for a research career has me feeling all the feels.
Talking about the enormous and life changing potential of education at the place that helped lay the path for a research career has me feeling all the feels.
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to share my research with students and faculty at my alma mater—St. Olaf College (Um Yah Yah!)
Talking about the enormous and life changing potential of education at the place that helped lay the path for a research career has me feeling all the feels.
Talking about the enormous and life changing potential of education at the place that helped lay the path for a research career has me feeling all the feels.
I’m not teaching this semester, so it was great to dust off my teaching chops with a presentation on community engaged/participatory action research at the Japanese American Services Committee in Chicago.
I am grateful for JASC for the opportunity to engage with these inspiring, young organizers!
I am grateful for JASC for the opportunity to engage with these inspiring, young organizers!
October 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
I’m not teaching this semester, so it was great to dust off my teaching chops with a presentation on community engaged/participatory action research at the Japanese American Services Committee in Chicago.
I am grateful for JASC for the opportunity to engage with these inspiring, young organizers!
I am grateful for JASC for the opportunity to engage with these inspiring, young organizers!
…and ringing in the start of the season with a freeform tomato tart, featuring basil and porch grown tomatoes that I fought squirrels over all summer.
September 1, 2025 at 4:44 PM
…and ringing in the start of the season with a freeform tomato tart, featuring basil and porch grown tomatoes that I fought squirrels over all summer.
@kumar.fyi and I spotted the book we contributed 11 pages to (along Cathy Cohen) out in the world...at the local feminist book store of course.
July 26, 2025 at 9:22 PM
@kumar.fyi and I spotted the book we contributed 11 pages to (along Cathy Cohen) out in the world...at the local feminist book store of course.
Notably, we find that Black Americans—those who are most familiar with reparations—support direct cash payments regardless of their political identification.
The cleavages between White and Black Dems raises an important question: Who are reparations related policies actually for?
(9/12)
The cleavages between White and Black Dems raises an important question: Who are reparations related policies actually for?
(9/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Notably, we find that Black Americans—those who are most familiar with reparations—support direct cash payments regardless of their political identification.
The cleavages between White and Black Dems raises an important question: Who are reparations related policies actually for?
(9/12)
The cleavages between White and Black Dems raises an important question: Who are reparations related policies actually for?
(9/12)
White Republicans—those who possess the least familiarity about reparations—remain strongly opposed to reparations policies, regardless of the form they take. Meanwhile, White Democrats—who are more familiar with reparations—are supportive of policies mirroring Evanston’s.
(8/12)
(8/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
White Republicans—those who possess the least familiarity about reparations—remain strongly opposed to reparations policies, regardless of the form they take. Meanwhile, White Democrats—who are more familiar with reparations—are supportive of policies mirroring Evanston’s.
(8/12)
(8/12)
Highlighting the mechanism of socialization, we first demonstrate that knowledge about reparations is unequally distributed in our national sample. Black Democrats are most familiar with “40 acres and mule” while White Republicans are the least familiar.
(7/12)
(7/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Highlighting the mechanism of socialization, we first demonstrate that knowledge about reparations is unequally distributed in our national sample. Black Democrats are most familiar with “40 acres and mule” while White Republicans are the least familiar.
(7/12)
(7/12)
In this case, our surveys help counter the notion that police divestment was a briefly salient idea that lost support after summer 2020. Our questions about reallocating police budgets or replacing police functions found an increase in support among Black young adults between 2020 to 2022.
(6/6)
(6/6)
June 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
In this case, our surveys help counter the notion that police divestment was a briefly salient idea that lost support after summer 2020. Our questions about reallocating police budgets or replacing police functions found an increase in support among Black young adults between 2020 to 2022.
(6/6)
(6/6)
But by asking more questions about divestment using different terminology, we find that the ideas of divestment from police and reinvestment in other public services receive broad support among Black young adults.
(4/6)
(4/6)
June 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
But by asking more questions about divestment using different terminology, we find that the ideas of divestment from police and reinvestment in other public services receive broad support among Black young adults.
(4/6)
(4/6)
We use GenForward survey data to respond to claims that defunding the police is unpopular among Black young adults. We do find, as many other surveys did, that the idea is not broadly supported when we use the term “defund.”
(3/6)
(3/6)
June 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
We use GenForward survey data to respond to claims that defunding the police is unpopular among Black young adults. We do find, as many other surveys did, that the idea is not broadly supported when we use the term “defund.”
(3/6)
(3/6)
But by asking more questions about divestment using different terminology, we find that the ideas of divestment from police and and reinvestment in other public services receive broad support among Black young adults.
(4/6)
(4/6)
June 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
But by asking more questions about divestment using different terminology, we find that the ideas of divestment from police and and reinvestment in other public services receive broad support among Black young adults.
(4/6)
(4/6)
We use GenForward survey data to respond to claims that defunding the police is unpopular among Black young adults. We do find, as many other surveys did, that the idea is not broadly supported when we use the term “defund.”
(3/6)
(3/6)
June 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
We use GenForward survey data to respond to claims that defunding the police is unpopular among Black young adults. We do find, as many other surveys did, that the idea is not broadly supported when we use the term “defund.”
(3/6)
(3/6)
Early summer as a dessert courtesy of my GBBO cookbook.
June 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Early summer as a dessert courtesy of my GBBO cookbook.
I started working at a pizzeria when I was 15, and kept the job until I graduated from undergrad. And while I don’t know where my boss ended up, I hope he can still sense that I am defying his pleas to “just stick to the classics” so people stop ordering Matt Nelsen originals off menu.
May 30, 2025 at 1:51 AM
I started working at a pizzeria when I was 15, and kept the job until I graduated from undergrad. And while I don’t know where my boss ended up, I hope he can still sense that I am defying his pleas to “just stick to the classics” so people stop ordering Matt Nelsen originals off menu.
Happy 4th 🎂 to Ellington! Owning a Great Dane was never on my bucket list, but he’s been a great emotional support teddy bear for Anthony and I while navigating a pandemic, idiosyncratic careers, and the political milieu.
(I don’t miss carrying the 35 lbs puppy when he decided to nap mid walk).
(I don’t miss carrying the 35 lbs puppy when he decided to nap mid walk).
May 13, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Happy 4th 🎂 to Ellington! Owning a Great Dane was never on my bucket list, but he’s been a great emotional support teddy bear for Anthony and I while navigating a pandemic, idiosyncratic careers, and the political milieu.
(I don’t miss carrying the 35 lbs puppy when he decided to nap mid walk).
(I don’t miss carrying the 35 lbs puppy when he decided to nap mid walk).
Sunday Bakewell Tart 🥧
May 4, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Sunday Bakewell Tart 🥧
I appreciate the University of Miami’s recognition of the work that went into this endeavor.
Now for a semester of no teaching. 😮💨
Now for a semester of no teaching. 😮💨
April 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I appreciate the University of Miami’s recognition of the work that went into this endeavor.
Now for a semester of no teaching. 😮💨
Now for a semester of no teaching. 😮💨
Finished up year 3 teaching 20 undergrads how to code hundreds of hours worth Miami-Dade School Board meetings, create demographic maps of board member districts, and pull campaign finance data for each board member with the goal of fostering greater transparency about who is running public schools.
April 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Finished up year 3 teaching 20 undergrads how to code hundreds of hours worth Miami-Dade School Board meetings, create demographic maps of board member districts, and pull campaign finance data for each board member with the goal of fostering greater transparency about who is running public schools.
Both parents and non-parents also support using history as a way to better understand today's political challenges. Interestingly, both groups exhibit greater skepticism about teachers facilitating in-class conversations about politics.
3/6
3/6
March 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Both parents and non-parents also support using history as a way to better understand today's political challenges. Interestingly, both groups exhibit greater skepticism about teachers facilitating in-class conversations about politics.
3/6
3/6
In a national sample of 2,100 adults fielded by Forthright in April 2024, parents and non-parents appear fairly well-aligned in their preferences for what should be taught in classrooms.
Majorities of both parents and non-parents support teaching about protests, activism, and Black history.
2/6
Majorities of both parents and non-parents support teaching about protests, activism, and Black history.
2/6
March 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
In a national sample of 2,100 adults fielded by Forthright in April 2024, parents and non-parents appear fairly well-aligned in their preferences for what should be taught in classrooms.
Majorities of both parents and non-parents support teaching about protests, activism, and Black history.
2/6
Majorities of both parents and non-parents support teaching about protests, activism, and Black history.
2/6
Adding these cardamom buns to the rotation 🇸🇪 #poliscibakes
March 8, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Adding these cardamom buns to the rotation 🇸🇪 #poliscibakes
“And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it.”
March 5, 2025 at 7:06 PM
“And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it.”