2008 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

Thursday, April 3-12:45 pm
Paper
Disc.
The Role of Universities in Democratic and Human Rights
Education: The Growth of the International Consortium for
Higher Education, Civic Responsibility and Democracy
Universities as Sites of Citizenship explores the role of higher
education in support of democratic practice, human rights, and how
universities can improve the contributions of higher education to the
promotion of these values
Frank Plantan, University of Pennsylvania
fplantan@sas.upenn.edu
Hannah Holden, Rutgers University
hgholden@eden.rutgers.edu
54-4 RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND POLITICS
Room Suite 10-150 on the 10th Floor, Thur at 12:45 pm
Chair Keith W. Reeves, Swarthmore College
kreeves1@swarthmore.edu
Paper Belonging Without Belonging: The Role of Evangelical Self-
Identification
An investigation of the impact of self-identity on religious and
political classifications of evangelicals, evaluating effects of selfidentity,
when combined with believing, behaving, and belonging
variables, on political attitudes and behaviors.
Andrew Ryan Lewis, American University
al3978a@american.edu
Dana Huyser de Bernardo, University of Massachusetts
djhuyser@soc.umass.edu
Paper Private Motives in the Public Domain: Religious Identity
Groups in America
Public Opinion studies reflect the liberal failure to deal with
religious diversity. New research must move beyond this failure and
integrate knowledge from new sources and diverse fields. We must
bridge the gap between philosophy and empiricism.
Penelope Foster Portuguez, University of Connecticut
penelope.foster@uconn.edu
Paper In Expectation of the Second Advent: Premillennial Identity
and Politics
This paper examines the relationship between premillennial identity
construction among conservative Christians and its function in
preference formation for conservative and pro-Israeli policies.
Paula Nicole Booke, University of Chicago
pbooke@uchicago.edu
Paper A Muslim by any Other Name An Experimental Assessment
of Religious, and Ethnic Identifiers on Support for Political
Candidates
We assess the electoral importance of candidates’ sociodemographic
backgrounds by analyzing experimental data on the
impact of cues about the ethnic, religious, and cultural background
of a hypothetical Arab-American and Muslim candidate.
Kerem Ozan Kalkan, University of Maryland, College Park
kkalkan@gvpt.umd.edu
Geoffrey C. Layman, University of Maryland, College Park
glayman@gvpt.umd.edu
Disc. Keith W. Reeves, Swarthmore College
kreeves1@swarthmore.edu
59-1 ARISTOTLE, POETRY, AND THE LIMITS OF THE
HUMAN
Room Suite 11-250 on the 11th Floor, Thur at 12:45 pm
Chair Emma Cohen de Lara, University of Vermont/University of Notre
Dame
ecohende@uvm.edu
Paper Aristophanic Comedy and Aristotelian Wit in the Nicomachean
Ethics
This paper examines the role of comedy in the Nicomachean Ethics
as a response to the tragedy inherent in Aristotle’s presentation of
the virtues.
Stephen Andrew Block, Baylor University
steve_block@baylor.edu
Paper
Paper
Paper
Disc.
Tragedy and Self-Knowledge in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
This paper examines the relationship between tragedy, selfknowledge,
and friendship in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics,
concluding that Aristotle addresses the tension inherent between our
identities as individuals and our political nature.
Matthew Dinan, Baylor University
matt_dinan@baylor.edu
Agathon and the Great-Souled Man
Aristotle's great-souled man presents certain difficulties that are also
evident in Agathon's speech on Eros. Both passages point us toward
friendship and Socratic dialogue in order to fulfill the individual and
to enrich the political community.
Julianne Marie Romanello, Baylor University
julianne_romanello@baylor.edu
Aristotle's Studied Error: Calypso in the Nicomachean Ethics
In book two of the Ethics, Aristotle appears to mistakenly attribute
some lines to Calypso that are in fact spoken by another character
much later in the Odyssey. This paper suggests that the mistake is
deliberate and offers an interpretation.
James William Guest, University of Dallas
jguest@udallas.edu
Emma Cohen de Lara, University of Vermont/University of Notre
Dame
ecohende@uvm.edu
Kevin M. Cherry, University of Notre Dame
kcherry@nd.edu
60-1 PUBLIC POLICY IN THE STATES
Room UEH 403 on the 4th Floor, Thur at 12:45 pm
Chair Rebekah L. Herrick, Oklahoma State University
herick@okstate.edu
Paper Determinants of Electoral Support for Anti-Gay Marriage
Constitutional Amendments: An Examination of 2006 Votes on
Ballot Measures in the States
This study explores the determinants of support for seven anti-gay
marriage constitutional amendments approved by state voters in
2006. The urban/rural nature of counties, as well as political and
demographic characteristics, are examined.
Raymond Christopher Burnett, California State University, Long
Beach
cburnett@csulb.edu
William M. Salka, Eastern Connecticut State University
salkaw@easternct.edu
Paper Responsiveness in State Legislatures and Passage of GLBT
Legislation
The paper examines whether legislative responsiveness affect
decisions on GLBT policies. It is expected that features that increase
citizen input advance anti-gay policies, and features that shield
legislators from citizens advance pro-gay policies.
Rebekah L. Herrick, Oklahoma State University
herrick@okstate.edu
Paper Massachusetts and Gender Identity: A Failed Public Attitude
Policy Linkage
In the transgender policy domain, there is a strong linkage between
public attitudes as measured by ideology and state policy. Liberal
states adopt trans inclusive laws. Why hasn't Massachusetts passed
an inclusive nondiscrimination law
Jami Kathleen Taylor, Ohio University
jamitaylorva@yahoo.com
Disc. Brian DiSarro, University of Iowa
brian-disarro@uiowa.edu
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