Political Science Commons^™

Evaluating Partisan Registrations Amid The Electronic Registration Information Center Controversy, Jared Mcdonald, Alauna Safarpour, Michael Hanmer, Lisa Bryant

Political Science Faculty Publications

Election integrity is paramount to democratic health. The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) is a multistate collaboration that facilitates essential election administration functions, whereby members share administrative data to ensure clean voter registration lists and to encourage individuals who are eligible but unregistered (EBUs) to register to vote. Despite ERIC’s primary focus on maintaining the accuracy of voter rolls, in 2022, some conservatives accused it of being a tool for partisan electioneering, prompting nine Republican-led states to leave ERIC. To assess the validity of a central criticism made against ERIC, the authors leverage field experiments conducted by member states during …

Experiential Spillover In Public Views Of Police And Courts, Emma Henderson, Matthew Mettler, Jeffery J. Mondak, Mark Peffley

Political Science Faculty Publications

Personal experiences with public officials influence how those officials are perceived. We question whether these experiential effects extend to other officials. If people draw on what they know to make inferences about unfamiliar evaluative targets, then interactions with one actor may shape evaluations of other independent actors. Focusing on police and courts, analyses of data from two surveys reveal that personal interactions with public officials produce spillover effects on appraisals of officials in different sectors. The findings indicate that experiential spillover constitutes an underappreciated force in public opinion, one that operates outside the control of the actors being evaluated.

Gendered Punishment? How The Corruption Of Female Politicians Affects Public Opinion Of Female Political Leadership, Byung-Deuk Woo, Mi-Son Kim, Tracy Osborn

Political Science Faculty Publications

Does the corruption of a woman politician decrease public support for other women political leaders? To answer this question, this article examines how the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, the first female president of South Korea, affects people’s perceptions of women’s political leadership in South Korea. We argue that in South Korea, the high-level political corruption scandal of the first woman president led to lower evaluations of women’s political leadership because of the intense and gendered media coverage of Park’s failure. Using the two waves of the World Values Survey conducted in South Korea before and after Park Geun-hye’s impeachment in …

Representation In Science And Trust In Scientists In The Usa, James Druckman, Katherine Ognyanova, Alauna Safarpour, Jonathan Schulman, Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Ata Aydin Uslu, Jon Green, Matthew Baum, Alexi Quintana Mathe, Hong Qu, Roy Perlis, David Lazer

Political Science Faculty Publications

Scientists provide important information to the public. Whether that information influences decision-making depends on trust. In the USA, gaps in trust in scientists have been stable for 50 years: women, Black people, rural residents, religious people, less educated people and people with lower economic status express less trust than their counterparts (who are more represented among scientists). Here the authors probe the factors that influence trust. They find that members of the less trusting groups exhibit greater trust in scientists who share their characteristics (for example, women trust women scientists more than men scientists). They view such scientists as having …

The Irrelevance Of “Peak Fame” On Celebrity Candidate Success, Richard T. Longoria, Dana Reyes

Political Science Faculty Publications

Objective

Does it matter “when” a celebrity runs for office? The political scientists who study celebrity candidates need to consider an important insight from communications and media scholars. Fame is a time-dependent variable. Someone who was famous 40 years ago may no longer be widely known today.

Methods

A list of celebrity political candidates who ran for office in the United States between 1865 and 2022 was created to measure campaign success.

Results

In terms of winning an election, it does not matter whether a celebrity candidate runs at the peak of their fame or waits until decades later. What …

Battle Of Sects? Iran And Saudi Arabia’S Role Conflict, Babak Rezaeedaryakenari, Özgür Özdamar, Yasemin Akbaba

Political Science Faculty Publications

How do secular and religious national role conceptions (NRCs) influence interstate rivalry? To explore this, we examine the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, two theocratic states. Drawing on scholarship that integrates power politics and religion, we examine how instrumental motivations shape religion-based policymaking. Using semantic network and regression analyses on data from eight official Twitter/X accounts of Iranian and Saudi foreign policy officials (2015–2021), we find that both states’ officials strategically use secular and religious NRCs in response to foreign policy roles adopted by their rival. Our findings underscore the coexistence of these NRCs and their selective application in …

The 2026 Midterms: The Republican Party’S Embrace Of Trump Will Continue To Be The Most Important Influence On Its Electoral Fortunes, Michael Espinoza

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Russia And The War In Ukraine: Three Critical Myths, Nicholas Kiersey

Political Science Faculty Publications

Though often framed as a conflict between an autocratic regime and a liberal democracy, the Russo-Ukrainian War also represents a direct challenge to the post-1989 global order and its cosmopolitan norms. Paradoxically, many Critical International Relations (IR) theorists—once skeptical of Western militarism—now align with liberal interventionist responses to the war. Drawing on Cunliffe’s concept of the “utopianism of unipolarity,” this article argues that Critical IR has embraced a reductive “good war” narrative that casts Ukraine as a virtuous subaltern state resisting Russian imperialism, while dismissing left critiques as denials of Ukrainian “agency.” In doing so, Critical IR reproduces cultural myths …

Systemist Graphics: Perspectives On Visualizing International Studies, Sarah Gansen, Yasemin Akbaba

Political Science Faculty Publications

This perspective article comments on the four articles within the Social Sciences Special Issue on ‘Systemism and International Studies’ within the broader scholarly and pedagogical context of the discipline. The special issue contributors successfully demonstrate applications of systemism across distinct fields, bringing expert perspectives to graphic design. We identified numerous contributions in theory building and refinement, active learning pedagogy, collaboration within and across disciplines, and partnership among policymakers and scholars. Limitations and obstacles, such as the lack of visual layering and the learning curve for systemist notation, are also noted. This commentary unfolds in four sections: an introduction providing an …

Investigating Terrorist Use Of Improvised Explosive Devices In The United States: Evidence From Us Federal Court Cases, 2009 – 2024, Angie Benda, Austin C. Doctor

Political Science Faculty Publications

Terrorist use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) remains a persistent and evolving threat within the United States. Until now, few data collection and analysis efforts have focused on the systematic capture of terrorist bombing plots and attacks. Filling this evidence gap, this research note presents and analyses an original dataset of US federal charges associated with terrorism-related IED incidents in the United States observed from 2009 through 2024. The data features 110 related cases, the analysis of which indicates a sample peak in the use of IEDs in terrorist incidents occurred in 2024. Incidents are not siloed to a specific …

The Effects Of The Expanded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance On Non-Standard Workers' Financial And Mental Wellbeing, Juhyun Bae

Political Science Faculty Publications

During COVID-19, for the first time in U.S. history, Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits were extended to non-standard workers who are not typically eligible for that. Given the exclusion from the social security system, this offers an important opportunity to investigate such benefits on their economic and emotional security. To estimate it, I analyze staggered difference-in-differences and triple difference models using the Household Pulse Survey. I found that the early termination of the expanded pandemic UI program led to increases in financial and mental difficulties among residents, especially non-standard workers with more difficulty in paying expenses and depression. These findings suggest …

Sex, Campaign Contributions, And State Courts Of Last Resort, Andrew H. Smith, Conny Sidi Kazungu

Political Science Faculty Publications

Women have struggled to be elected at the federal, state, or local levels—with the notable exception of State Courts of Last Resort (SCLR), where women have experienced (comparative) electoral success. While scholars have sought to explain this relative success, one factor often overlooked is the role of campaign contributions and whether women are outraising their male counterparts. Using an original database of campaign contributions from 1989 to 2020, we seek to shed more light on female candidate fundraising in SCLR elections, both in terms of amounts raised and who is contributing to these campaigns. After controlling for other factors, we …

Co-Ethnic Candidates And Border Security Appeals: Does Shared Ethnicity Increase Border Security Approval?, Carlos D. Gutierrez-Mannix

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Outlaw President?, Jim Read

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Economic Inequality And Political Participation In East Asian Democracies: The Role Of Perceived Income Inequality And Intergenerational Mobility, Mi-Son Kim, Dongkyu Kim, Sang-Jic Lee

Political Science Faculty Publications

This study examines how perceptions of economic inequality affect political participation focusing on East Asian democracies. It develops nuanced predictions on how perceptions of income inequality and social mobility and their interplay affect individuals’ engagement in various types of political activities in six East Asian democracies. Using the fourth wave of the Asian Barometer Survey, we examine novel arguments built upon the existing inequality-participation nexus. Our analysis suggests that inequality is a multifaceted concept, and the mechanisms of the inequality-participation nexus could vary depending on the regional, socioeconomic, and political context.

Québec's Cultural Policy In The United States: From Diplomacy To Industries, Alexandre Couture Gagnon

Political Science Faculty Publications

The Québec state apparatus, which developed most fully starting in the 1960s, initially focused the objectives of Québec's cultural policy in the United States on the promotion of nationalism and the building of a national identity. Following the 1990s recessions, the Québec government adjusted its policies to partly focus its cultural policy on the marketing of cultural industries. Cultural industries have increasingly been promoted as helping build the national identity while providing jobs and contributing to Québec's GDP. Today, the Québec government's main objective in the United States is promoting and securing business opportunities. It explicitly pursues its cultural policy …

Québec On The World Stage: Examining A Provincial Approach To Cultural Diplomacy, Sarah E. K. Smith, Alexandre Couture Gagnon

Political Science Faculty Publications

Cultural diplomacy is typically viewed as a state activity; however, substate actors shape the practice in significant ways. This article employs a neo-institutional policy analysis to explore how the provincial government of Québec advanced its cultural diplomacy, while engaging with the Canadian federal government, as well as international actors. Acknowledging overlapping claims on the cultural sector in Canada, we provide a chronological assessment of key cultural policy statements from Québec dating from the mid-twentieth century to present, placing these in context with federal developments. This assessment allows us to explore moments of friction when Québec’s efforts at global engagement challenged …

Towards A New Paradigm Of Ownership: Employee Share Ownership As A Tool For Governance And Csr, Zyed Achour, Mark J. Kaswan, Wajdi Ben Rejeb

Political Science Faculty Publications

Employee Share Ownership (ESO) is emerging as a model redefining corporate ownership and labor relations, within the broader context of “shared capitalism.” Despite growing research, gaps remain in understanding its relationship with corporate governance and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This chapter explores how ESO aligns employee interests with organizational goals, enhances governance, and fosters sustainable business models. It examines the theoretical foundations of ESO, its impact on governance, and its role in promoting CSR, addressing both benefits and challenges. The chapter also considers how ESO redefines capitalism and property rights, pushing towards more inclusive economic models. Finally, it discusses the …

Career Motives Of Presidential Appointees And Agency Communication Across American States, Huchen Liu

Political Science Faculty Publications

Do the career motives of presidential appointees affect program administration? To answer this question, I examine the phased development of policy communication of the U.S. Farm Service Agency (FSA) across states from 2002 to 2018 based on an original collection of historical official websites. This is a rare policy context for examining why peer appointees administer the same programs differently. Linking the state-by-state development of FSA newsletters to the career trajectories of state executive directors (SEDs), the presidential appointees who lead state FSAs, I show that SEDs interested in elective office post-appointment are associated with faster institutionalization of newsletters. Examining …

Information Literacy And Social Media Assignment, G. Claire Haeg

Political Science Faculty Publications

This assignment was created for POLS 111: Introduction to US Politics.

Learning Goals

1. Identify political misinformation in social media or online.

2. Improve research skills needed to fact check political information.

3. Practice analytical skills to become critical consumers of political information.

a. Learn to distinguish between authoritative and unreliable information sources.

b. Understand the mechanisms and narratives by which social media and online sources might spread political misinformation and conspiracy theories.

c. Understand how your own values and identity might shape the way you perceive political information.

Global Newspaper Assignment, Christi Siver

Political Science Faculty Publications

This assignment was created for POLS 121: Introduction to International Relations.

Learning Goals:

1. Become more familiar with an international topic.

2. Develop experience with the library databases.

3. Improve research skills to identify relevant non-U.S. perspectives

4. Practice analytical skills to become critical consumers of political information.

a. Learn to distinguish between authoritative and unreliable information sources.

b. Understand the importance of considering perspectives beyond U.S. media sources.

c. Understand when and how to cite properly.

d. Synthesize ideas from multiple sources.

e. Understand how reading multiple perspectives presents a more nuanced view of international relations.

5. Reflect …

Deciphering The Local Origins Of Neoliberalism In Central And Eastern Europe: The Example Of Lithuania, Jokubas Salyga

Political Science Faculty Publications

This article studies the local lineage of neoliberalism in Lithuania, examining its intellectual pedigree, early proponents and the structural shifts that facilitated its rise. The latter are attributed to the openings created by perestroika and the development of the communication network linking economists within the Reform Movement of Lithuania, émigré intellectuals and Hillsdale College in Michigan. Information exchanges produced within this network generated embryonic neoliberal ideas before 1991. The network also contributed to the establishment of an influential think tank, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI), whose policy influence is illustrated by surveying monetary and pension privatisation reforms.

Rural–Urban Migration, The Commodification Of Labour And Welfare Restructuring In China And Vietnam, Minh T. N. Nguyen, Jake Lin

Political Science Faculty Publications

Since both countries shifted from state to market socialism, China and Vietnam have been pursuing a development model that depends on the labour of millions of rural-urban migrants working in global factories. This chapter conceptualizes the rural-urban migration and the provision of welfare for the migrant labour force as integral to a cycle of commodification that encompasses the overlapping processes of commodification, de-commodification, and re-commodification of labour. After decades of collectivized labour under state socialism, the cycle begins with the commodification of labour through market reforms that led to mass rural-urban migration and the rise of the global factory alongside …

Do Charli Xcx’S And Kid Rock’S Endorsements Make A Difference? 19% Of Young People Admit They Might, Richard T. Longoria

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Our Bodies, Our Choices: Reproductive Justice And Social Embodiment, Charles Olney

Political Science Faculty Publications

Feminist scholars of reproductive justice argue for a broader model of politics organised around embodied experience. But to fully express the intersectional politics of reproductive justice, more attention must be given to the social function of embodiment—the ways that bodily markers create associative communities among strangers. This shared form of embodiment establishes connections that exceed the intimate relationship of a specific pregnancy. In particular, foetal embodiment manifests via communities with vested interest in the social meaning of life. These communities are affected, albeit indirectly, by reproductive choices and are therefore valid subjects of concern for reproductive justice. I develop the …

The Twitter Blackout: Do Congressional Rules Influence The Cyberworld?, Carlos Gutierrez-Mannix, Thomas R. Gray

Political Science Faculty Publications

Intro

Communication is understood to be a pillar of democracy. Therefore, governments around the world enact laws which make it easier for politicians to communicate with their constituents. However, some governments also restrict this ability during campaign seasons as a way of unclogging the media. In the United States, congressional election blackout dates are periods in which politicians are not allowed to engage in mass unsolicited mailing of political advertising. Because the prohibition only applies to unsolicited media, we theorize that we should see the transition from one type of communication to another.

Methods

To test this effect, we created …

Culture, Catalan And Cultural Diversity In Catalonia: The Growing Challenge For Cultural “National” Affirmation Of Catalonia, Alexandre Couture Gagnon, Joaquim Rius Ulldemolins, Mariano Martín Zamorano

Political Science Faculty Publications

Catalonia has formally acknowledged cultural diversity in its cultural and linguistic policies since the 1990s. The parliament has enacted laws protecting the Aranese language in the Val d’Aran, and the Generalitat has integrated immigrants thanks to interdepartmental programmes. Around 2010, Catalonia and Spain entered a political crisis, which was intensified by the central government’s recentralization, notably in cultural and linguistic policies. Spain ratified the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2006, but did not facilitate a wider Catalan action, oriented to promote the use of Catalan language in public and economic spheres. …

When Demography Is (Not) Destiny: Exploring Identity And Issue Cross-Pressures Among Latino Voters In The 2020 Presidential Election, Álvaro José Corral, David S. Leal

Political Science Faculty Publications

Objective

Scholars have struggled to understand Donald Trump's surprising levels of Latino support in two consecutive presidential elections. We test three hypotheses to better understand the strength and weakness of Trump, Biden, and both political parties.

Methods

We conduct bivariate and multivariate analyses of pre- and post-election surveys to identify sources of support (beyond national origin differences) that explain how Trump improved his level of support among Latino voters to reach the low- to mid- 30 percent range.

Results

Intra-Latino differences in ideology, identity (gender and religion), and immigration attitudes help explain Trump's relatively strong showing among Latinos in 2020. …

Shaking The Tin Cup: Celebrity Candidate Fundraising In American Elections, Richard T. Longoria

Political Science Faculty Publications

Background

The literature on celebrity politics often asserts that celebrity politicians are good at fundraising. They are wealthy people in wealthy social networks, and this should give them a fundraising advantage compared to their noncelebrity opponents. Yet, this hypothesis has never been tested.

Method

Fundraising data from 1964 to 2022 was collected from multiple sources.

Results

This study finds that celebrity candidates are typically not able to out-fundraise their opponents. Yet they perform remarkably well despite this disadvantage.

Conclusions

Celebrities tend to win elections when they raise more money than their opponents, run in open-seat contests or local elections. They …

Echoes Of War In Lithuania, Jokubas Salyga

Political Science Faculty Publications

The chapter explores the impact of the war on the everyday lives of Lithuanians. It begins by addressing the economic challenges instigated by Vladimir Putin’s military adventurism, and the latter’s burden on workers and the poor. This is followed by documenting the unwavering determination of the Lithuanian government and its people to create a hospitable environment for Ukrainian refugees. Subsequently, the chapter delves into the trials and tribulations faced by Ukrainian arrivals in Lithuania, drawing comparisons with the experiences of Belarusian and Russian nationals who have also sought refuge in the country. The latter are currently viewed as a potential …