Academic Affairs

Delphia Shanks, Ph.D.

Shanks Delphia 1335 2022

Delphia Shanks, Ph.D.

Chair, Department of Politics

Director, Arkansas Center for Civic Leadership

Associate Professor of Politics

She/Her/Hers shanks@hendrix.edu www.delphiashanks.com

Academic Background

  • B.A., Grinnell College, 2001
  • M.A., Cornell University, 2016
  • Ph.D., Cornell University, 2018

Recent Publications

  • SoRelle, Mallory E. and Delphia Shanks. 2023. "The policy acknowledgement gap: Explaining (mis)perceptions 
    of government social program use." Policy Studies Journal . 0(00):1-25. DOI: 10.1111/psj.12513

     

  • Shanks, Delphia and Mallory E.SoRelle. 2021. "The paradox of policy advocacy: philanthropic foundations, public interest groups, and second-order policy feedback effects." Interest Groups & Advocacy. DOI:  10.1057/s41309-021-00120-5

    Recipient of 2022 Grant Jordan & Burdett Loomis Best Article Award

     

  • Shanks-Booth, Delphia  and Suzanne Mettler. 2019. "The Paradox of the Earned Income Tax Credit: Appreciating Benefits but not Their Source." Policy Studies Journal . DOI: 10.1111/psj.12305

     

Teaching Interests

    • Civil Society & Civic Engagement
    • American Political Institutions
    • Public Policy
    • The Carceral State
    • Research Methods

Hendrix College Center for Civic Leadership in Arkansas accepting applications for second cohort of Civic Leadership Scholars

March 11, 2026 — Hendrix College’s Center for Civic Leadership in Arkansas (CCL) is now accepting applications for the second cohort of its Civic Leadership Scholars Program, a selective, cohort-based initiative designed to cultivate students’ commitment to civic engagement, public service, and leadership. Applications...

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Hendrix College announces first cohort of the Center for Civic Leadership in Arkansas

September 11, 2025 – Hendrix College is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of Civic Leadership Scholars, part of the Center for Civic Leadership in Arkansas (CCL). CCL is a new initiative designed to cultivate students’ commitment to civic engagement and leadership across the state.

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