Chapman Rackaway is a scholar with a mission: to enhance the knowledge and leadership
skills of students and faculty.
Rackaway comes to Radford having served as Director of Civic Engagement and Professor
of Political Science in the Department of Civic Engagement and Public Service at the
University of West Georgia (UWG). From 2017 to 2020, Professor Rackaway was Political
Science Department Chair. While Chair, Rackaway increased undergraduate and graduate
enrollment, revised the major curriculum and assessment program, improved student
learning outcomes and increased student retention and persistence.
Previously, Rackaway was on faculty at Fort Hays State University (FHSU), where he
held a variety of roles including President of the Faculty Senate, General Education
Director, Chair of Political Science, and Dean of the Graduate School from 2003 to
2017.
Civic engagement has been a central part of Dr. Rackaway’s mission, having participated
in the AASCU American Democracy Project since 2003. Rackaway serves the ADP National
Committee as a Civic Fellow as the convener of the Georgia Caucus of ADP universities.
Rackaway’s teaching and scholarly interests focus on the intersection of republican
democracy and professional electioneering. mostly at the state level. Dr. Rackaway
teaches classes in State and Local Government, Political Campaign Management, Political
Parties, and Campaign Finance.
Rackaway is a frequently published author. Rackaway is the author of Civic Failure and its Threat to American Democracy: Operator Error (Lexington Press 2016) co-editor of Parties Under Pressure (Palgrave 2017) and The Unorthodox Presidency of Donald Trump (2021), as well as other books on American politics, political communication, and voting
behavior. In 2015 Rackaway was named President’s Distinguished Scholar, FHSU’s highest
award for scholarly productivity.
Rackaway’s professional portfolio can be found at www.chapmanrackaway.com