2008 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

Friday, April 4-10:00 am
Paper
Paper
Disc.
Socially Constructing Democracy: A Political-Economy
Analysis of Nigeria’s Niger Delta Conflict
The paper will examine the Nigerian Niger Delta conflict against
the interweaving contours of “democratization”, thereby illustrating
ways in which democratization in the region is structurally linked to
national and global economies.
Rita Kiki Nkiru Edozie, Michigan State University
rkedozie@msu.edu
Explaining One-Party Democracy in Uganda
Many African leaders have attempted to lead their countries
from authoritarian to democratic forms of governance, however,
prospects of democratic consolidation seem to diminish with every
other election cycle. This paper examines events in Uganda.
Ssebunya Edward Kasule, Northeastern Illinois University
S-Kasule@neiu.edu
Raphael Obi Ogom, DePaul University, Chicago
rogom@depaul.edu
5-8 ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
Room Salon 4 on the 3rd Floor, Fri at 10:00 am
Chair Rob Salmond, University of Michigan
rsalmond@umich.edu
Paper Majoritarianism and Transparency
Majoritarian electoral systems are likely to offer more transparency
than are less majoritarian systems. We model and test the link
between votes-seats elasticity and incentives to offer transparency
enhancing institutional innovations.
B. Peter Rosendorff, New York University
peter.rosendorff@nyu.edu
James Raymond Vreeland, Yale University
james.vreeland@yale.edu
Paper Electoral Systems and Political Dimensionality
This paper analyzes the interplay between a nation's electoral
system and the dimensionality of its politics using cross-national
data covering several nations and a new measure of dimensionality.
Shane P. Singh, Michigan State University
singhsh3@msu.edu
Paper The Politics of Electoral Reform: The State of Research
The paper will analyze and summarize the advantages and
limitations of several approaches to the study of the politics of
electoral reform and will propose possible paths for future research.
Gideon Rahat, Hebrew University of Jerusalem/University of
California, Irvine
msgrah@mscc.huji.ac.il
Paper Designing or Reforming Electoral Systems: Who Adopts
Proportional Representative (or Majority Plurality) System,
and Why
This paper is about the adoption of electoral systems. While there
are several studies looking at the choice of electoral rules, few
attempts systematic treatment of this topic ( Boix 1999; Cussack et
al 2007). This study intends to add to this list.
George K. Keteku, Binghamton University, SUNY
gketeku1@binghamton.edu
Disc. Rob Salmond, University of Michigan
rsalmond@umich.edu
Francisco Javier Aparicio, CIDE, Mexico City
javier.aparicio@cide.edu
6-4 COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON VOTE
CHOICE (Co-sponsored with Comparative Politics:
Industrialized Countries, see 2-13)
Room PDR 7 on the 3rd Floor, Fri at 10:00 am
Chair Daniel Stevens, University of Exeter
Paper
Paper
Paper
Disc.
D.P.Stevens@exeter.ac.uk
Cleavage and Ideological Voting in Age Cohorts
This study compares the effects of religion, social class and
left-right on party choice between EU countries, over 15 years
and between generations. Generational replacement leads to a
decreasing effect of long-term determinants of the vote.
Wouter van der Brug, University of Amsterdam
W.vanderbrug@uva.nl
Satisfying the Core or Campaigning to Score
In this paper we propose a theory of individual-level orientations
toward political parties in which voters are divided into those who
are core supporters of particular parties and those whose votes are
more easily moved.
Harvey D. Palmer, University at Buffalo
hpalmer@buffalo.edu
Guy D. Whitten, Texas A&M University
whitten@polisci.tamu.edu
Exploring the Contextual Determinants of Anti-Immigrant
Vote: The Case of LPF
The paper aims to contribute to the ongoing debate over the
determinants of anti-immigrant parties' success by examining the
impact of socio-economic and other characteristics of the place of
residence on the vote for the case of the Dutch LPF.
Joost Van Spanje, European University Institute
Joost.vanSpanje@eui.eu
Elias Dinas, European University Institute
Ilias.Ntinas@eui.eu
Erik R. Tillman, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
etillman2@unl.edu
Adam Luedtke, University of Utah
ladam.luedtke@poli-sci.utah.edu
7-4 NATIONAL IDENTITY, EUROPEAN IDENTITY, AND
THE DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT
Room Suite 12-250 on the 12th Floor, Fri at 10:00 am
Chair Zeki Sarigil, Mugla University
zesarigil@gmail.com
Paper Constructing a European Demos: Identity and the EU
Democratic Deficit
Criticisms of EU democracy take two forms: flaws of institutions
and of identities. This paper seeks to explain the role of identity
in developing an EU democracy and to assess the avenues for
European identity development.
Zackary D. Shipley, University of Arizona
zshipley@u.arizona.edu
Paper An Uncivic Culture: Intolerance and Policymaking in the
European Union
Examining levels of political tolerance among citizens of the EU, it
is argued that the 'democratic deficit' so frequently observed in EU
politics is, in part, a product of the need to build a unified European
community on a foundation of intolerance
Rachel K. Cremona, Flagler College
rcremona@flagler.edu
Paper Culture, Identity, and Integration: Balancing Cultural
Preservation and Regional Integration
Attempts to define European culture, examine the challenges to a
single European identity or culture, and assess the hazards of both
cultural integration and cultural preservation provide a framework
for examining integration, culture, and identity.
Anjela Jenkins, University of Texas, Austin
ajenkin@mail.utexas.edu
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