Political Science Commons^™

American Graffiti: Musings On The Ground Zero Mosque, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author discusses reactions and parallels to a mosque proposed near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in public discourse.

The Presidential Rhetoric Of Hard Times, Donna R. Hoffman, Alison D. Howard

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Is there a presidential rhetoric of hard times? We are interested in presidents’ rhetorical reactions during economic contractions. Do they rhetorically react at all? If they choose to speak, what do they seek to convey to the public about the economy? We analyze the major discretionary speeches presidents give during recessions. Some presidents are reluctant to address major economic remarks to the public; in five of the 11 recessions since World War II, presidents have not offered a major economic speech. They do, however, deliver major discretionary speeches on other topics during recessions. While most presidents tend to deliver more …

Intelligence Gap: Advanced Military Technology And Law Of War Compliance, Christi Siver

Political Science Faculty Publications

Many states justify their use of technology and tactics as consistent with international law. These appeals to legitimacy suggest that legal norms serve some role in limiting the use of force, particularly in promoting discrimination between combatants and civilians. The United States justifies drone attacks as more efficient means than the use of troops to attack suspected terrorists. Many civilian and military leaders argue that these attacks are more moral than alternative tactics because they target the individuals directly responsible for attacks on the United States and its allies. However, these justifications assume that the military has accurate intelligence. However, …

The Oecd And Economic Governance: Invisibility And Impotence?, Richard Woodward

Books/Book Chapters

Chapter 3 sketches the OECD's role in economic governance, in particular the pursuit of its obligation to promote policies which maximize economic growth. While the OECD's work in the economic field evolves, its mechanisms of economic governance have barely altered. Richard Woodward argues that the OECD exerts ‘subtle discipline’ over the trajectory of economic governance through the use of its soft law mechanisms such as surveillance and peer review. These mechanisms can lead to convergence in national policies and, occasionally, outbreaks of international policy coordination. Ultimately, however, the proliferation of international mechanisms of governance and the internal politics of the …

201025 Obiter Dicta: 20/20 Early Autumn 2010 Retrospective, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Politics Of Smoke-Free Policies In Developing Countries: Lessons From Africa, Jeffrey Drope

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

The public health rewards of smoke-free policies are well documented. But in their enthusiasm to achieve such policies, public health advocates and policymakers frequently underestimate the political complexity of passing laws, and then implementing and enforcing them. Using 12 African countries as the focus of discussion, this research examines the basic political process for and the barriers to achieving smoke-free policies. Moreover, in addition to the obstacles, it examines why some countries have been experiencing comparatively more success in the smoke-free policy area. The findings of the research suggest strongly that the presence of a vigorous tobacco control civil society …

Semper Reformanda In All Of Life, James W. Skillen

Pro Rege

Dr. Skillen presented this paper at the Calvinism in the 21st Century Conference at Dordt College, April 10, 2010.

Review Of "Political Evil In A Global Age: Hannah Arendt And International Theory" By P. Hayden And "Between War And Politics: International Relations And The Thought Of Hannah Arendt" By P. Owens, Ben Berger

Political Science Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Links Between Party And Appointment: Canadian Federal Judicial Appointments From 1989 To 2003, Lori Hausegger, Troy Riddell, Matthew Hennigar, Emmanuelle Richez

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies of federal judicial appointments made before 1988 discovered significant partisan ties between judicial appointees and the governments appointing them. In 1988, in response to criticism of these “patronage appointments,” the Mulroney government introduced screening committees to the process. This article explores the impact of these committees. Using information gained from surveys of legal elites, we trace the minor and major political connections of federal judicial appointees from 1989 to 2003 in order to determine whether patronage has continued despite the reform to the process. We discover that political connections continued to play an important role in who was selected …

201024 Obiter Dicta: Late Summer 2010, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Mountain Monitor-2nd Quarter 2010, Jonathan Rothwell, Kenan Fikri

Mountain Monitor Quarterly

The Intermountain West exemplifies the peculiarities of the Great Recession and its subsequently fragile and protracted recovery. Where pre-recession growth in employment and housing prices was fastest, employment losses and housing price declines have been the most severe—in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Boise most starkly. The profundity of the recession and sluggishness of the recovery have ensured that no metro in the region escaped unscathed, however, and in the second quarter even the best performers fell on some indicators. Perhaps most significantly for the region, housing prices are unlikely to keep falling much further. An analysis by Howard Wial and …

Envisioning Nevada’S Future: Goals & Strategies For Advancing Our Quality Of Life, Nevada Vision Stakeholder Group, Moody’S Analytics

Brookings Mountain West Publications

Nevada’s severe downturn has brought to light many of the long-term challenges facing the state. Not only is its economy subject to painful swings, but Nevada’s primary drivers— consumer services (primarily gaming, hospitality and housing) and resource extraction—will provide less support than they have in past business cycles. Less economic vitality will make it harder to offer Nevadans the quality of life they expect.

The importance of the economy to quality of life is equally clear—quality of life is a hollow promise without a healthy and supportive economy. Similarly, a proper fiscal structure—both in terms of spending and revenues—is critical …

A Case Study In The Application Of An Agent-Based Approach In The Formulation Of Policies For Uk Transport Emission Reduction, Araz Taeihagh, René Bañares-Alcántara

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The increased complexity in our socio-economical systems requires the development of new tools to support a better understanding of the intricacies involved in addressing problems associated with such systems. We believe that by introducing a systematic approach for exploring alternative policies we can improve the decomposition of these problems, decrease the required time for analysis and formulate more effective polices. A case in policy formulation and analysis in the transport sector for achieving CO2 emission targets in the UK is presented; this solution is based on a previously proposed framework (Taeihagh et al., 2009a). The results obtained from the analysis …

Cooperating Rivals: The Riparian Politics Of The Jordan River Basin, By J. Soslan, Neda A. Zawahri

Political Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Silence Is Still Golden: Women And The Metropolis In Early Chinese Cinema, Yap Soo Ei, Ji Xing, Nicolai Volland, Yang Lijun, Paul Pickowicz

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Feng Xiaogang’s blockbuster Aftershock is making headlines these days, setting new records at the box office in China. We cannot say yet if the excitement is justified—Aftershock has only just hit the theaters here in Singapore. It is clear, however, that the current cinema craze in China is not at all a new phenomenon. In fact, new releases on the silver screen created similar sensations in Shanghai as early as eighty years ago. And many of these old films continue even today to fascinate. Films by pioneering Chinese directors of the 1920s and 1930s still dazzle, with their opulent sets, …

The Role Of Social Movements In The Macro Political System, Nathan J. Kelly, Gregory A. Petrow, Sarah A. Soule

Political Science Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

One of the central concepts in the study of social movements is that of the “Protest Cycle” (e.g., Tarrow 1998). The imagery of the Cycle is that of heightened protests, across issue areas and groups. Scholars have connected its rise to openings in the Political Opportunity Structure, which signals to early risers that the time may be ripe for collective action (e.g., Tarrow 1998). We find it striking that this core idea in the social movements literature has not been connected more explicitly to the literature on public opinion. This is especially striking because social movement scholars have begun to …

An Interview With Deanna Fei, Author Of A Thread Of Sky

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Deanna Fei is author of A Thread of Sky (Penguin Press, 2010), a novel about three generations of women in a Chinese American family. Here, she talks with recent UC Irvine graduate Mengfei Chen.

Mengfei Chen: What were some of your inspirations in writing the book? How did it begin? What experiences informed your writing?

Deanna Fei: A Thread of Sky is the story of a family of Chinese American women who reunite for a tour of their ancestral home. It was inspired by a trip through China’s “must-sees” that I embarked on ten years ago with my mother, my …

Dirty Laundry: A Philosophical Primer For Politicians On Scandal, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article discusses the management of post-sex scandals by politicians from a variety of theoretical and/or philosophical perspectives.

“We Are Not Machines:” Teen Spirit On China’S Shopfloor, Mary E. Gallagher

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

This spring, a series of well-coordinated and successful strikes in foreign-invested enterprises in China made headlines all around the world. Young migrant workers openly and forcefully articulated demands for higher wages, better representation, and more consideration of their “spiritual” and mental well-being. These demands have led to increased speculation that China’s current economic boom is winding down, as its growth strategy founded in part on cheap migrant labor from rural areas faces domestic and international difficulties.

This is not the first time that Chinese workers have openly protested for higher wages, better treatment, and more job security. What makes this …

A Case Study: The Assessment And Evaluation Of The Inaugural Multicultural Leadership Program Of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, Christine Holmes

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

From August 2009 through August 2010, I served as the program coordinator for the inaugural Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. In collaboration with the Board of Directors and program founder, I developed an internal structure for the new non-profit program. My involvement was determined by the board’s decision to partner with the University of Illinois, McLean County Extension office for administrative support. Through a collaboration between the Sue Bandy, the Community and Economic Development Director, and Phani Aytam, founder of the MCLP program, my role as the program coordinator for the program was created. Several key deliverables were …