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Sean McCandless

Sean McCandless

Associate Professor—Public and Nonprofit Management
 
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Professional Preparation

PhD - Public Affairs
University of Colorado Denver's School of Public Affairs - 2017
MA - Political Science
University of Colorado Denver - 2009
BAs - History, Political Science, & Psychology
Colorado State University - 2007

Research Areas

Public Administration and Public Management: Societal narratives; identities and positionalities; fairness and justice; organizational dynamics; emotional labor; life and work satisfaction and meaning. 

Publications

Research & Publication Awards and Fellowships
  • (2024). Journal of Social Equity in Public Administration Founders Award. American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Democracy and Social Justice. Co-awarded with S.T. Gooden & R.G. Johnson III. 
  • (2022-2023). University of Illinois System: Public Voices Fellowship Recipient. 
  • (2022). Public Integrity: Editorial of the Year, “Introduction to the special issue: Popular culture, social equity, and public administration.” American Society for Public Administration. With N.R. Elias. 
  • (2021). University of Illinois System: University Scholars Award (System’s highest research award). 

Remunerated Research Projects
  • (2021). Equity consultant: Commonwealth of Virginia COVID-19 health and vaccine distribution equity project. L. Douglas Wilder School (Virginia Commonwealth University), Research Institute for Social Equity. Project Leads: S.T. Gooden & N. Douglas-Glenn. Affiliate Faculty Status here: https://wilder.vcu.edu/research-and-outreach/research-institute-for-social-equity-rise/ 
  • (2021). Equity consultant: Commonwealth of Virginia language access and equity project. L. Douglas Wilder School (Virginia Commonwealth University), Research Institute for Social Equity. Project Leads: S.T. Gooden & N. Douglas-Glenn.

Scholarly Book Series 
  • Zavattaro, Z., McCandless, S.A., Blessett, B., & Santis, E. (Eds.). (2021-present). Social justice for public service: A liberatory perspective. New York: Routledge.

Edited Books
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (Eds.).(2020). Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions (1st ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh.
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (Eds.). (Forthcoming). Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions (2nd ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh.
  • McCandless, S.A., & Gooden, S.T. (Eds.). (2024). Teaching social equity: A cross-curricular perspective. New York: Routledge. 
  • Sabharwal, M., McCandless, S.A., & Viswanath, S. (Eds.). (Forthcoming). Elgar Handbook of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Administration. Edward Elgar Publishing. 

Instructor Manuals
  • Guy, M.E., McCandless, S.A., & Croft, A. (2020). Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions: Instructor manual (1st ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh. 
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions: Instructor manual (2nd ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh. 

Scholarly Journal Special Issues Guest Edited 
  • Barbera, C., Ferry, L., Hyndman, N., Liguori, M., McCandless, S., & Midgley, H. (Forthcoming). Governance and accountability in reshaping public services: Open challenges and wicked problems of the 21st Century. Public Administration. 
  • Bartle, J.R., Ferry, L. Jordan, M.M., McCandless, S.A., McDonald, B.D., & Steccolini, I. (Forthcoming). Social equity budgeting. Public Administration. 
  • Blessett, B., & McCandless, S.A. (Eds.). (2022). Dismantling white supremacy in public service organizations and society. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 44 (2). 
  • Meyer, S., Johnson, R.G., & McCandless, S. (Eds.). (2022). The new 4Es: Fostering engagement, empathy, equity, and ethics in an era of uncertainty (Part 1). Public Integrity, 24(4-5). 
  • Meyer, S., Johnson, R.G., & McCandless, S. (Eds.). (2022). The new 4Es: Fostering engagement, empathy, equity, and ethics in an era of uncertainty (Part 2). Public Integrity, 24(4-5). 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Elias, N.R. (2021). Popular culture and social equity: Lessons for public administration. Public Integrity, 23(1). 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Zavattaro, S. (2020). COVID-19 Dialogues special issue (Part 2). Administrative Theory & Praxis, 42(3). 
  • Zavattaro, S., & McCandless, S.A. (2020). COVID-19 Dialogues special issue (Part 1). Administrative Theory & Praxis, 42(2). 

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 
  • McDonald, B., Larson, S.E., Maher, C.S., Kavanagh, S., Hunter, K.W., Goodman, C.B., Minkowitz, H., McCandless, S.A. [...] Zielke, N. (2024). Establishing an agenda for public budgeting and finance research. Public Finance Journal, 1(1), 9-28. https://doi.org/10.59469/pfj.2024.15 
  • McDonald, B., & McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). Budgeting for social equity: Exploring the (nearly) unknown. Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. 
  • Bishu, S.G., & McCandless, S.A. (2024). Tracing and teaching gender across core public affairs curriculum. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 30(1), 75-96, https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2023.2216396
  • McDonald, B. D., Hatcher, W., Bacot, H., Evans, Michelle D., McCandless, S. A., McDougle, L. M., Young, S. L., Elliott, I. C. Emas, R., Lu, E. Y., Abbott, M. E., Bearfield, D. A., Berry-James, R. M., Blessett, B., Borry, E. L., Diamond, J., Franklin, A. L., Gaynor, T. S., Gong, T., Goodman, D., Guy, M. E., Hall, J. L., Hatch, M. E., Jin, M. H., Jordan, M. M., Levine Daniel, J., Love, J. M., Maher, C. S., Menifield, C., O’Flynn, J., O’Leary, R., Liu, P., Pliscoff, C., Puron-Cid, G., Rinfret, S. R., Sowa, J. E., Stazyk, E. C., Stewart, K., Torneo, A. R., Wiley, K. K., & Zhang, Y.  (2024). The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Public Administration: An Agenda for Future Research. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 30(1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2023.2294654 
  • Zavattaro, S., McCandless, S.A., Knox, C.C., Medina, P., & Santis, E. (2023). The Myth of expertise: A collaborative auto-ethnography. Journal of Public Management and Social Policy, 30(1), article 7, https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/jpmsp/vol30/iss1/7 
  • Yu, H., McCandless, S.A., & Rauhaus, B. (2023). Social Equity in Public Administration: Past, Present, and the Future. Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 9(3), 437-452. https://doi.org/10.20899/jpna.9.3.437-452 
  • Rinfret, S., McCandless, S.A., & Muehlbauer, B. (2023). Expanding the discussion of “Emotional labor & COVID-19: MPA Program Director Perspectives.” Journal of Public Affairs Education, 29(1), 9-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2022.2070096
  • Gooden, S.T., Johnson, R.G., McCandless, S.A., & Berry-James, R. (2023). The Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration: From Vision to Victory. Journal of Social Equity & Public Administration, 1(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v1i1.4770  
  • Meyer, S., Johnson, R.G., & McCandless, S.A. (2022). Meet The New Es: Empathy, Engagement, Equity, and Ethics in Public Administration. Public Integrity, 24(4-5), 353-363. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2022.2074764
  • Meyer, S., Johnson, R.G., & McCandless, S.A. (2022). Moving the Field Forward with Empathy, Engagement, Equity, and Ethics. Public Integrity, 24(4-5), 422-431. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2022.2089476
  • Rinfret, S., McCandless, S.A., & Grewell, C. (2022). Emotional Labor & COVID-19:  MPA Program Director Perspectives. Journal of Public Affairs Education 28(3), 251-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2022.2035888.  
  • McCandless, S.A., Bishu, S.G., Gomez Hernandez, M., Pardes, E., Sabharwal, M., Santis, E., & Yates, S. (2022). A long road: Global prospects for diversity, equity, and inclusion in public administration. Public Administration, 100(1), 129-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12830
  • McCandless, S.A. & Blessett, B. (2022). Dismantling racism and white supremacy in public service organizations and society. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 44(2), 91-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2022.2043071
  • Berry-James, R., Blessett, B., Emas, R., McCandless, S.A., Nickels, A., Norman-Major, K., & Vinzant, P. (2021). Stepping up to the plate: Making social equity a priority in public administration’s troubled times. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 27(1), 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2020.1820289
  • McCandless, S.A. (2021). The rule of law. Public Integrity, 23(1), 107-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2020.1832383
  • McCandless, S.A., & Elias, N.R. (2021). Introduction to the special issue: Popular culture, social equity, and public administration. Public Integrity, 23(3), 217-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2020.1837506
  • McCandless, S.A., & Elias, N. (2021). Popular culture informing public administration: Messages and prospects for social equity. Public Integrity, 23(3), 220-234. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2020.1837505
  • McCandless, S.A., & Elias, N.R (2021). Taking stock of Bostock: Implications for theory and praxis. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 43(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2020.1840903
  • Bishu, S., McCandless, S., & Elias, N. (2020). Gender in emergency services: Foundations for greater equity in professional codes of ethics. Public Integrity [OnlineFirst release]. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2020.1825179
  • Johnson III, R.G., McCandless, S.A., & Renderos, H. (2020). Transgender Inmate Populations in Latin America: An Exploratory Exploration of Experiences. Public Integrity, 22(4), 330-343. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2018.1557027
  • McCandless, S.A., & Ronquillo, J. (2020). Social equity in professional codes of ethics. Public Integrity, 22(5), 470-484. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2019.1619442
  • McCandless, S.A., & Vogler, G.M. (2020). “Habermasville”: Police-community intersections and communicative rationality. Administrative Theory & Praxis 42(4), 443-458. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2019.1678350
  • McCandless, S.A., & Zavattaro, S. (2020). Editor’s introduction: Since last We spoke... Administrative Theory & Praxis, 42(3), 357-363. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2020.1799665
  • Zavattaro, S., & McCandless, S.A. (2020). Editor’s introduction: Our public service manifesto during pandemic. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 42(2), 233-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2020.1752593
  • McCandless, S.A. (2018). LGBT homeless youth and policing. Public Integrity, 20(6), 558-570. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2017.1402738
  • McCandless, S.A.  (2018). Improving community relations: How police strategies to improve accountability for social equity affect citizen perceptions. Public Integrity, 20(4), 370-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2017.1416880
  • McCandless, S.A., & Larson, S.J. (2018). Prioritizing social equity in MPA curricula: A cross-program analysis and a case study. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 24(3), 361-379. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2018.1426429
  • Lee, J., & McCandless, S. (2016). Local charter school service delivery: The explanatory power of interest groups. The Social Science Journal, 53(1), 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2015.11.005
  • McCandless, S.A., & Guy, M.E. (2013). One more time: What did Woodrow Wilson really mean about politics and administration? Administration & Praxis, 35(3), 356-377. https://doi.org/10.2753/ATP1084-1806350302
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (2012)—Social equity: Its legacy, its promise. Public Administration Review, 72, s5-s13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2012.02635.x

Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Publications (Reprinted)
  • Berry-James, R., Blessett, B., Emas, R., McCandless, S.A., Nickels, A., Norman-Major, K., & Vinzant, P. (2021). Stepping up to the plate: Making social equity a priority in public administration’s troubled times. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 27(1), 5-15. Reprinted in: Abott, M.E., McDonald, B.D., & Hatcher, W. (Eds)(2023). Social equity in the public administration classroom (1st ed.)(Chapter 1). New York: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Larson, S.J. (2018). Prioritizing social equity in MPA curricula: A cross-program analysis and a case study. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 24(3), 361-379. Reprinted in: Abott, M.E., McDonald, B.D., & Hatcher, W. (Eds)(2023). Social equity in the public administration classroom (1st ed.)(Chapter 7). New York: Routledge. 

Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
  • Humphrey, N., & McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). Chapter 3: The Importance of Emotional Labor. In S. Rinfret & M. Pautz (eds.), Women & Regulations: Challenging the Status Quo. Temple University Press. 
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). In Pursuit of Social Equity: Issues of Process, Access, Quality, and Outcomes. In M.E. Guy & S.A. McCandless (Eds.), Achieving Social Equity: From Problems to Solutions (2nd ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh. 
  • McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). Policing and LGBTQ Homeless youth. In R. Colvin, A. Dwyer, & Giwa, S (Eds.)., Policing and LGBTQ Youth. Southern Illinois University Press. 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Guy, M.E. (Forthcoming). Chapter 7: How to Teach Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. In W. Hatcher, B. McDonald, & B. Rauhaus (eds.), The Craft of Teaching Public Administration. New York, NY: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Guy, M.E. (Forthcoming). The social equity imperative. In M.E. Guy & S.A. McCandless (Eds.), Achieving Social Equity: From Problems to Solutions (2nd ed.). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh. 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Katchy, J.M. (Forthcoming). Chapter 7: Social equity case study. in B. McDonald & J. Schafer (eds.), Engaged Learning in the Public Service Classroom. New York, NY: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A., Sabharwal, M., & Viswanath, S. (Forthcoming). Integrating Knowledge, Frameworks, and Future Directions: Reflections and Considerations for DEI in Public Administration. In M. Sabharwal, S.A.McCandless, & S. Viswanath (eds.), Elgar Handbook of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Administration. Cheltenham, UK: Elgar.
  • Sabharwal, M., McCandless, S.A., & Viswanath, S. (Forthcoming). Gender in Public Administration. In M. Sabharwal, S.A.McCandless, & S. Viswanath (eds.), Elgar Handbook of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Administration. Cheltenham, UK: Elgar.
  • Viswanath, S., Sabharwal, M., & McCandless, S.A. (Forthcoming). Introduction to the Handbook on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Administration. In M. Sabharwal, S.A.McCandless, & S. Viswanath (eds.), Elgar Handbook of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Administration. Cheltenham, UK: Elgar.
  • McDonald, B., McCandless, S.A., Minkowitz, H. (2024). The case of social equity budgeting and Seattle, Washington. In S. Rinfret (ed.), Street-level public servants: Case studies for a new generation of public administration (pp. 147-164). New York: Routledge. 
  • Cooper, T., & McCandless, S.A. (2024). Introduction to Public Administration. In S.A. McCandless & S.T. Gooden (eds.), Teaching social equity in public administration: A cross-curricular guide for faculty and programs (pp. 17-41). New York: Routledge. 
  • Gooden, S.T., & McCandless, S.A. (2024). Introduction. In S.A. McCandless & S.T. Gooden (eds.), Teaching social equity in public administration: A cross-curricular guide for faculty and programs (pp. 1-14). New York: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A., & Gooden, S.T. (2024). Teaching social equity: Tips from across the chapters, literature, and experience. In S.A. McCandless & S.T. Gooden (eds.), Teaching social equity in public administration: A cross-curricular guide for faculty and programs (pp. 329-349). New York: Routledge. 
  • Diggs, S.N., Castillo Krewson, R., & McCandless, S.A. (2023). Intersectional disparities during crisis: Improving social equity through public and nonprofit management. In H. Knepper, M. Evans, & T. Henley (Eds.), Intersectionality and crisis management: A path to social equity (pp. 81-100). New York: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A. (2023). Policies, procedures, and structures. In S. Dolamore & A. Kline (Eds.), Organizational culture and social equity: An experiential guide (pp. 23-42). New York, NY: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A. (2022). Unseen but irreplaceable: The role of air traffic controllers. In S. Zavattaro, J. Sowa, A. Henderson, & L.H. Edwards (Eds.), Serving in silence: The unheard stories of essential public servants. New York: SUNY Press. 
  • McCandless, S.A. (2022). #MeToo and public administration HR. In P. Shields & N. Elias (Eds.), The Elgar handbook of gender in public administration (Pagination pending). Elgar Publishing.
  • McCandless, S.A.  (2022). Social equity in policing: An exploration of four dimensions. In D.W. Jackson III (ed.), Key Issues Confronting the Black Community in Denver, CO: A Community in Transition (pp. 16-40). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 
  • McDonald, B.D., & McCandless, S.A. (2022). Incorporating social equity. In B.D. McDonald & M.M. Jordan (eds.), Teaching public budgeting and finance: A practical guide (pp. 236-256). New York: Routledge. 
  • McCandless, S.A. (2021). Social equity. In R. Brinkmann (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Global Sustainability (pp. 1-13). London: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38948-2_71-1 
  • Guy, M.E., & McCandless, S.A. (2020). In pursuit of social equity. In M.E. Guy & S.A. McCandless (eds.), Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions (pp. 172-182). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh.
  • Mackey, J., & McCandless, S.A. (2020). Social equity in public administration: A primer. In D. Slagle and A. Williams (Eds.), Practicum in Public Administration (pp. 157-188). San Diego, CA: Birkdale Publishers.
  • McCandless, S.A., & Kline, A. (2020). Islamophobia in France: Intersectoral collaborations to advance social equity. In S. Gooden (Ed.), Global equity in administration (pp. 255-280). New York, NY: Routledge.
  • McCandless, S.A., & Guy, M.E. (2020). The social equity imperative. In M.E. Guy & S.A. McCandless (eds.), Achieving social equity: From problems to solutions (pp. 1-12). Irvine, CA: Melvin & Leigh.
  • McCandless, S.A. (2019). Follett in the squad car. In M. Stout (Ed.), The future of progressivism: Applying Follettian thinking too contemporary issues (pp. 219-248). Anoka, MN: Process Century Press.
  • McCandless, S.A., & Vogler, G.M. (2018). Managing police organizations. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), The Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3023-1
  • McCandless, S.A., & Hooker, J. (2018).  Ally training: A model for collaboration. In W. Swan (Ed), The Routledge Handbook of LGBTQIA Administration and Policy (pp. 390-398). New York, NY: Routledge.
  • McCandless, S.A. (2017). Accountability for social equity: An examination of local law enforcement agencies. In R.G. Johnson III (ed.), Social Equity in a Time of Change: A Critical 21st Century Social Movement (pp. 115-138). San Francisco: Birkdale Publishers. 
  • Taylor, T., & McCandless, S.A. (2016). Juvenile violence: Interventions, policies, and future directions [Chapter 14]. In C.A. Cuevas and C.M. Rennison (eds.), Wiley- Blackwell handbook on the psychology of violence (pp. 247-276). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell. 

Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Teaching Cases
  • Elias, R., McCandless, S.A., & Chordiya, R. (2019). Administrative decision-making amid competing public sector values: Confederate statue removal in Baltimore, Maryland. Journal of Public Affairs Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2019.1601328 

Scholarly Book Reviews
  • McCandless, S. (2021). Ethics for bureaucrats: Navigating constitutional crossroads [Book review]. Public Integrity. https://doi.org/10.1080/10999922.2021.1886754    
  • McCandless, S. (2020). Morgen Johansen (Ed.), Social equity in the Asia-Pacific Region: Conceptualizations and realities [Book review]. Public Administration Review, 80(6), 1145-1147.

Mass Market Publications
PA Times Articles and Columns
Other Discipline-Related PublicationsBook Indexing Experience
  • Guy, M.E., & Rubin, M.M. (2015). Public administration evolving: From foundations to the future. New York, NY: Routledge.
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