Her general research interests include American politics, public opinion, and race and ethnicity. In particular, her work seeks to problematize the study of racial identity by examining the development of political group consciousness among the U.S. mixed-race population. Professor Davenport's current book project, Politics Between Black and White, assesses how social, historical, and economic processes help construct multiracials' identities and political outlook. Her other ongoing research projects examine the gendered nature of racial labeling, public attitudes towards interracial marriage, the policy ramifications of multiple-race identification, and the influence of coethnicity on voter support for political candidates. Professor Davenport received her Ph.D. from Princeton University; she also holds an M.A. from Princeton and a B.A. (with distinction) from the University of Michigan.