About Dr. Downey

Davia Downey is the director of the Ph.D. in Urban Affairs program in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Memphis. Prior to this position, she served as the MPA Program Coordinator and Associate Professor of Public Administration at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in research methods, urban theory, local politics, public policy, and public. Recent publications include, “Federalism, Intergovernmental Relationships, and Emergency Response”, co-authored with William Myers (University of Tampa) in the American Review of Public Administration, “Governing without Government: Nonprofit Governance in Detroit and Flint” with Sarah Reckhow and Joshua Sapotichne (Michigan State University), “Sudden Versus Slow Death of Cities: New Orleans and Detroit”, co-authored with Laura A. Reese (Michigan State University) in the DuBois Review: Social Science Research on Race; “Disaster Recovery in Black and White: A Comparison of New Orleans and Gulfport” in the American Review of Public Administration; and an edited book, Cities and Disasters (Taylor & Francis/CRC Press), which was published in 2015. She has also published work in Economic Development Quarterly, Perspectives on Federalism, and the Urban Affairs Review. She recently published a book entitled,” Economic Development and Disasters (Routledge Publishing) in Spring 2021.

Professor Downey holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Michigan State University, a Master of Public Administration from Eastern Michigan University, and a BA in Music Performance with a concentration in Human Services from Albion College. In addition to her academic research, she has sat on several community boards including, the Non-Conforming Use Committee, Community Development Advisory Committee and Housing Commission for the city of East Lansing.  She previously served as a board member of Count MI Vote, the sister organization to the Voters Not Politicians Ballot Committee which successfully reformed the Michigan state constitution in 2018 by changing the redistricting process in the state. She also served as the state co-chair for the Scholars Strategy Network from 2019-2021.

Education

 

          2001 -PhD Michigan State University: East Lansing, Michigan Examination Fields: American Politics and Public Policy Dissertation Title: “Wade in the Water: Race, Class and Hurricane Katrina.”

          2004 - MPA Eastern Michigan University: Ypsilanti, Michigan Concentration: Public Management Capstone Project: Arts in Education: A Program Analysis

1999 - BA Albion College: Albion, Michigan Major: Music Performance Concentration: Human Services

Research Interests

Disaster and emergency management policy, comparative federalism, minority politics, public
administration, state and local government management, and urban policymaking

Recent Publications

Gerber-Chavez, L., Montano, S., Savitt, A., Corbin, T. B., &

 Downey, D. C. 

(2023). Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding allocations and relevance for US disaster policy. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public  Policy.

 https://doi.org/10.1002/rhc3.12269

. Wehde, W. &

 Downey, D.C. 

(2022). Review of Saw IV: Extreme Violence, Ethics, and Street-Level Bureaucracy. Public Integrity.  

https://doi.org10.1080/10999922.2022.2125910

.

Works Currently Under Review

• “Executive Orders and Face Mask Mandates in U.S. States” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). Accepted for publication at Law and Policy. “Effective Communication in Times of Crisis: The Case of Face Mask Mandates in the United States” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). Invitation to Revise and Resubmit at the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management.  “State Instability, Violence and the Ethics of Saw IV: A Pedagogical Exploration of Horror as a Teaching Tool” with Wesley Wehde (Texas Tech University) and Kelli Davis (University of Memphis). Invitation to Revise and Resubmit at Public Integrity.  “The Role of Localized Protest in Responsive National Policymaking” with Jocelyn Taliaferro (North Carolina State University). In preparation for submission to the Journal of Community Practice.
• “Government Crisis Communication: A Textual Analysis of Face Covering Policies Adopted During the COVID-19 Pandemic” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). Under review at Public Administration Review.
• “Executive Orders and Face Mask Mandates in U.S. States” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). Under review at Law and Policy.“Diffusion in Times of Political Polarization: An Analysis of Face Mask Policy Adoption in the United States” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). Under review at Policy Sciences.“The Role of Localized Protest in Responsive National Policymaking” Under Review at Theory and Society“Direct Conflict Between Governments: Federalism and Party Capability Theory” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). In preparation for submission to Regional and Federal Studies.
  

Work In Progress

“Direct Conflict Between Governments: Federalism and Party Capability Theory” with William M. Myers (University of Tampa). In preparation for submission to Regional and Federal Studies.“An Analysis of Emergency Management Program Grant Funding in the United States: Equity in FEMA Funding” with Logan Gerber-Chavez, Samantha Montano, Amanda Savitt, and Tanya Corbin. In preparation for submission to Disaster Studies.“A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Extra-Local Governing Entities: The case of Homeowner Associations in the United States” with Michael Glass and Thomas Skuzinski.“An Analysis of Emergency Management Program Grant Funding in the United States: Equity in FEMA Funding” with Logan Gerber-Chavez, Samantha Montano, Amanda Savitt, and Tanya Corbin. In preparation for ubmission to Disaster Studies.“Saw IV: Extreme Violence, Ethics, and Street-Level Bureaucracy: Horror Films as Pedagogy” with Wesley Wehde and Kelli Davis“A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Extra-Local Governing Entities: The case of Homeowner Associations in the United States” with Michael Glass and Thomas Skuzinski

Books

Downey, D. C. (2021). Disasters and Economic Recovery. London: Routledge PublishingDowney, D. C. (Ed.). (2015). Cities and Disasters, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Refereed Journal Articles

Myers, W. M. & Downey, D. C. (2021). Covid-19 Policy Executive (In)Action in Florida and Michigan. Wayne State Law Review, 67(1).Downey, D. C., & Myers, W. M. (2020). Federalism, Intergovernmental Relationships, and Emergency Response: A Comparison of Australia and the United States. The American Review of Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020941696.

Other Publications

Governing Without Government. Urban Affairs Review, Urban Affairs Forum. (April 24, 2020).