Gibbs Knotts

Gibbs Knotts is currently Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the College of Charleston. He joined the Department of Political Science as Department Chair in 2012 and served in this role from 2012-2019. Knotts teaches undergraduate courses in American politics and graduate courses in the public administration program. He has published works on political participation, southern politics, public administration, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Articles have appeared in a variety of outlets including the Journal of Politics, Public Administration Review, Political Research Quarterly, the American Review of Public Administration, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, PS: Political Science and Politics, Social Science Quarterly, Southern Cultures, Southeastern Geographer, and Social Forces. Knotts also co-edited The New Politics of North Carolina (University of North Carolina Press, 2008), and co-authored The Resilience of Southern Identity: Why the South Still Matters in the Minds of Its People (University of North Carolina Press, 2017). His most recent book, First in the South: Why South Carolina’s Presidential Primary Matters (University of South Carolina Press, 2020), was co-authored with Dr. Jordan Ragusa. Knotts received the College of Charleston’s Distinguished Research Award in 2017.

Prior to arriving at the College of Charleston Knotts worked at Western Carolina University where he served in a variety of administrative roles including MPA Director, Graduate School and Research Associate Dean, Political Science and Public Affairs Department Head, and College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean. While at WCU, he also received the 2004 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2010 Board of Governor’s Teaching Award, and the 2010 University Scholar Award.