UK professor of Political Science Mark Peffley's most recent publication, "Justice in America: The Separate Realities of Blacks and Whites" was awarded the Robert Lane Award from the Political Psychology Section of the American Political Science Association. Available from Cambridge University Press, the book is co-authored by Professor Jon Hurwtiz of the University of Pittsburgh.

Peffley & Hurwitz's research uses innovative survey experiments to uncover how whites and blacks formulate and use their widely differing views of the fairness of the justice system in the US. The book explores the personal characteristics of respondents of both black and white Americans as well as various situational components of particular anti-crime policies (e.g. various arguments against capital punishment). "Justice in America"  encourages understanding of why some individuals (but not others) become polarized in their beliefs; and why some phenomena (but not others) generate a polarized response from citizens.

Professor Peffley's areas of interest include policy attitudes, media effects, racial attitudes and political tolerance.