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Irwin Morris Named William T. Kretzer Distinguished Professor

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Irwin Morris, executive director of NC State’s School of Public and International Affairs, has been named William T. Kretzer Distinguished Professor.

headshot of Irwin Morris
Irwin Morris

The professorship honors the role the late William T. Kretzer played in the advancement of Humanities and Social Sciences at NC State. He was a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board when he unexpectedly passed away.

Morris came to NC State from the University of Maryland at College Park, where he served since 1998, most recently as chair of the Department of Government and Politics. His research in the field of American politics covers such topics as American institutions, race and ethnic politics, and Southern politics.

Morris has published an array of articles in top-ranked journals such as Legislative Studies Quarterly; Electoral Studies; American Journal of Political Science; Public Choice; American Politics Research; Social Science Quarterly; and Political Behavior. He is working to publish his next book, titled Movers, Stayers, and the Partisan Transformation of 21st Century Southern Politics. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Established in 1999, the William T. Kretzer Distinguished Professorship helps the College of Humanities and Social Sciences maintain a position of national excellence and successfully compete with other universities for outstanding scholars. It is made possible through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Jim Goodnight and the C.D. Spangler Foundation.