POLITICAL SCIENCE at CU-BOULDER SPRING 2010 Political Science
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THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT CU-BOULDER SPRING 2010 Political Science students, welcoming roughly 15 new feel free to attend any of our talks or Chair’s Welcome students annually. Recent research lectures, or simply feel free to stop by As I write this welcome, the activities have taken them to South and say ‘hi’. A regular stream of and Central America, Europe, and the visitors presents their ideas and flatirons above Boulder resemble the Middle East. Every year, a number of research on a wide range of interesting photo above with a fresh dusting of our students present papers at topics ranging from work on the snow. The Department of Political professional conferences and actively United States Congress to the Science is expanding in submit original research for European Union. This spring we many ways, and we are publication in our welcome the first woman to win the enthusiastic about discipline’s top journals. Nobel Prize in Economics, the 2009 co- advancing high The faculty continues to recipient Elinor Ostrom. I would be standards in research, conduct innovative and remiss if I didn’t mention she happens teaching, and service to important research. I’m most to be a political scientist. the community. What’s impressed with the Many of these activities, which new in the department? contributions made by those help make the department and the Let me start with new to the department, all University a vibrant and attractive an important initiative: publishing books and journal place for talented scholars and the launching of the CU articles in highly visible venues. We’ve students, are made possible with in DC internship program. In initiated and implemented several support from our donors. Given the addition to working locally in new and innovative graduate and current constraints felt by the state in Colorado for a wide range of state undergraduate courses. Featured funding higher education, and local organizations, our within the newsletter are two classes students now have the additional created by Hank Brown that cover option of interning in our nation’s important policy issues, experiment capital. The university’s presence in with new pedagogical approaches to D.C. will open many new learning about our nation’s politics, opportunities to incredible learning and include local community experiences as well as helping participation. students envision and actively train During the last year we’ve added for life after CU. several new faculty to our department: Our graduate program Amy Liu (Comparative Politics, continues to attract some of the best Emory University); Anand Sokhey students both nationally and (American Politics, Ohio State); Sarah internationally to study, conduct maintaining this high level of activity Sokhey (Comparative Politics, Ohio research, and teach at CU. Our will increasingly depend on support State); and Stéphane Lavertu (Policy, program numbers over 60 graduate from our friends. Information on Wisconsin). We were also able to funding opportunities is provided recruit a senior scholar in International inside our newsletter and on our Relations from the University of departmental web page. Each Pittsburgh, David Bearce. contribution helps guarantee that the With the growth and influx of Department of Political Science talented faculty and graduate continues to attract the best talent and students, coupled with a highly provides solutions to the many inquisitive, engaged, and talented political challenges we face today. group of undergraduates, the department maintains an active calendar. We invite you to become a Ketchum Building, 1938 more active participant in the department and, to that end, have - David S. Brown, Interim Chair expanded our website with up-to-date information on upcoming events and Kenneth Bickers, Chair, is on Sabbatical Spring 2010. news about the department. Please PAGE 2 SPRING 2010 2010 Thomas Jefferson Hartnett, associate professor and constitution and guides for college chair of the communication and high school students who wish to Award department in the UC Denver College start their own local ACLU Eamon Aloyo, a doctoral candidate of Liberal Arts. Winners received a chapter. After graduating from CU $2,000 cash honorarium, an engraved Zak hopes to Teach for America and in the Department of Political Science, plaque and will be recognized by the then attend law school. has received the 2010 Thomas CU Board of Regents at an April Zak spent summer 2009 teaching Jefferson award. The award is among board meeting. Funding for the English in rural southern Indian the highest conferred at CU, and awards stems from an endowment villages including Pozhiyoor recognizes a professor, staff member provided by the McConnell (pronounced “poor-you”), where his and/or student who helps advance Foundation and from a bequest by students included tribal children, the ideals of CU alumnus Harrison Blair. Members orphans and untouchables. He also Thomas of the selection committee included mentored local teachers in methods to Jefferson, CU alumni, students, faculty and staff engage and involve students in active acclaimed members from across the CU system. learning. After his return Zak started for his broad interests in the arts, Student Spotlight: Meet sciences, Senior Zak Franklin education and public Zak Franklin, a senior majoring in affairs. Thomas Jefferson nominees Political Science, graduated from must demonstrate a broad interest in Douglas County High School in literature, arts and sciences and Castle Rock. A student in the public affairs, a strong concern for the department Honors Seminar, Zak is advancement of higher education, a completing research on how the deeply seated sense of individual education level of senate candidates civic responsibility, and a profound affects their electoral success. He has a fund-raising initiative to benefit the commitment to the welfare and rights discovered that, of the more than 300 children in the villages where he of the individual. Their efforts must candidates who ran for office during worked. This initiative has raised combine excellence in the the last ten years, those who enough funds to open four computer performance of regular academic or completed a graduate degree centers and a foster home for eight work responsibilities with averaged about 10% more of the children from the forest area who will outstanding service to the broader popular vote when facing lesser- be able to go to school and receive community. educated candidates. Zak also medical attention. Two faculty members also participated in the department Zak hopes to sponsor seven received the award - Michael Internship Program, interning at the additional children. If you would like Eisenberg, professor of computer Colorado ACLU, where he helped to learn more, please email Zak at science at CU-Boulder, and Stephen track legislation and drafted a sample [email protected].) Creating Opportunities and Supporting Innovative Programs We are proud to support the innovative efforts of our faculty, including the classes and Legacy Fund projects profiled on the next page, the new Political Science Summer Internship Program in Washington, DC, and ongoing community outreach activities such as Constitutional Studies for Colorado profiled on page 7. To learn more about our faculty, students, and programs, visit our website at https://polsci.colorado.edu. Please feel free to contact any members of the faculty or to call Interim Chair David Brown at 303-492-7871. If you would like to talk about how you might support the department, please contact our representative at the CU-Foundation, Kimberly Bowman. She can be reached at New Summer Internship Program 303-541-1446, or by email at [email protected]. in Washington, DC Thank you in advance for your support. THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT CU-CU-BOULDER PAGE 3 Political Science Legacy New Developments in Our Undergraduate Curriculum Fund Update experiment in national self-governance in Icons of the American the heart of the government itself from Each year, faculty submit proposals for someone who has been an influential research projects that include Republic participant in that experiment.” opportunities for undergraduate and Each fall for the past two years Political The class trip in fall 2010 will include graduate students to participate. Donors Science a visit to the White House. Class trips are review these proposals and select three for Professor and made possible by financial contributions funding. We are pleased to announce that President from external donors. the proposals described below were Emeritus Special thanks to Douglas Madison for the photos of funded for 2009-10. Hank Brown the interior US Capitol dome on page 2 and the photos took students at left. Local Social Spending in Bolivia in his Icons of Many Latin American countries, including the American Bolivia, have recently elected Left-leaning Republic class to Great Issues Lecture Series presidents who promise to deliver services Washington, DC to study art in the US to the poor. Carew Boulding is In Spring 2009 a new campus-community Capitol Building. The class, which lecture program on the theme “The investigating whether there is a connection introduces students to the nation’s between having a Leftist in power and Politics of Health Care Reform” was founding period through the events, organized by Hank Brown, who reached social spending at the local level. She is concepts and individuals