For most of my career I have been known for my research on the social psychology of affirmative action. In that work, I discovered that a person’s evaluations and reactions to affirmative action were mostly determined by the procedures used to bring affirmative action to life. My research showed that procedures of affirmative action have a determinative influence on the perceived fairness of the policy, evaluation apprehension of beneficiaries, perceptions of organizations, and a host of other social psychological outcomes.

With that established, I have moved on to some other interests. For two years, I was in university administration, serving as the Vice Provost for Diversity and African American Affairs. It was a turbulent two years, which I reflect on in my "Making Gumbo" memoir (Nacoste, 2010).

Trained by John W. Thibaut, I have always worked out of Harold Kelley & John Thibaut’s theory of interpersonal-interdependence. Recently, in that context I have developed a model of neo-diversity; the dynamic tension-system in modern interpersonal-intergroup interactions (Nacoste, 2006). Nowadays, most of my time is spent translating these ideas for the non-specialist in my undergraduate classes and in my writings. For example, I have used the ideas that I teach to comment on the now well known-to-be-wrong claim that we live in a post-racial America (Nacoste, 2009).

For more information on my activities, please visit:

http://www.makinggumbo.com/