2008 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

Thursday, April 3-2:45 pm
Paper
Disc.
Patenting Human DNA: Why the Moore Ruling Means Much
Less for Human Rights
Through a detailed analysis of court transcripts, legal memoranda,
litigant and amici briefs, and court opinions, the legal arguments
used to address the biomedical issue as to who can patent human
cell lines will be examined.
Robert C. Bradley, Illinois State University
rbradley@ilstu.edu
Kim Spaits, Illinois State University
klspait@ilstu.edu
Sean Wilson, Pennsylvania State University
whoooo26505@yahoo.com
44-1 THE POLITICS OF LAW AND COURTS IN LATIN
AMERICA
Room Suite 15-150 on the 15th Floor, Thur at 2:45 pm
Chair Diana Kapiszewski, University of California, Berkeley
dianakap@berkeley.edu
Paper The Social Prerequisites of Judicial Activism: Activism and
Empowerment in Guatemala, 1979-2007
This paper traces the evolution of judicial activism in Guatemala
from 1979 to 2007, taking into account the changing roles of civil
society actors and extra-legal power networks.
Rachel E. Bowen, Lawrence University
rachelebowen@gmail.com
Paper Courting the Americas: The Inter-American Court and the New
Judicial Politics
My paper explores the hypothesis that as courts in Latin America
become more engaged in politically salient issues, the Inter-
American System for the Protection of Human Rights stands to gain
influence.
Alexandra Valeria Huneeus, University of Wisconsin
huneeus@wisc.edu
Paper Judicial Behavior in Hybrid Regimes: A Comparative
Approach in Latin America
This is a preliminary assessment of judges’ disparate levels of
support for the government, focused on the High Courts of three
hybrid regimes: Fujimori’s government in Peru; Hugo Chavez's in
Venezuela and the Post-Stroessner period in Paraguay.
Raul A. Sanchez Urribarri, University of South Carolina
sanchezu@mailbox.sc.edu
Disc. Diana Kapiszewski, University of California, Berkeley
dianakap@berkeley.edu
45-4 POLITICAL AMBITION AND INCUMBENCY:
MOVING UP OR STAYING ON
Room UEH 403 on the 4th Floor, Thur at 2:45 pm
Chair Jennifer M. Jensen, Binghamton University, SUNY
jjensen@binghamton.edu
Paper When Is AG Short for Aspiring Governor Institutional
Structure, Policy-Making Dynamics and Ambition in the Office
of State Attorney General
I hypothesize that many state attorneys general run for higher office
because they successfully exploit the policy making environment
of their state. In this case, SAGs should run on strong consumer
protection records when the environment favors it.
Colin Provost, University College, London
c.provost@ucl.ac.uk
Paper State Attorneys General and Political Ambition: The Politics of
Tobacco
State attorneys general have become more politicized over the past
few decades. This study applies ambition theory to state attorneys
general involved in the multi-state tobacco litigation of the 1990s.
Adam W. Nye, Universitys at Buffalo, SUNY
adamnye@buffalo.edu
Paper
Paper
Disc.
California’s 2000 Redistricting and the Democratic Party’s
Dilemma
By passing an incumbent-protection plan for the state's
congressional delegation in 2000, Democrats in the California
State Legislature weakened their state and national party in three
significant ways.
Wesley Hussey, University of California, Los Angeles
whussey@ucla.edu
The Gubernatorial Career as Political Stepping Stone
This paper examines the extent to which governors attain national
political office upon leaving a state’s highest office. The analysis
includes personal and institutional factors that contribute to a
transition from state to national politics.
Jeremy Walling, Southeast Missouri State University
jwalling@semo.edu
Jennifer M. Jensen, Binghamton University, SUNY
jjensen@binghamton.edu
Todd Makse, Ohio State University
makse.1@osu.edu
46-3 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Room PDR 6 on the 3rd Floor, Thur at 2:45 pm
Chair Richard C. Hula, Michigan State University
Rhula@msu.edu
Paper Institutional Collective Action and Local Development
Instrument Choices
Vertical and horizontal cooperation can result in different policy
instrument choices. We apply this idea to local development policy
instrument choices.
Moon-Gi Jeong, Sung Kyun Kwan University
mgjeong@skku.edu
Paper The Proliferation of Economic Development Corporations
across North Dakota
Local governments in North Dakota have tried to stimulate
economic growth by allowing the proliferation of economic
development corporations. Y study examines the causes behind this
proliferation and its effects using boundary change theory.
Nicholas Bauroth, North Dakota State University
nicholas.bauroth@ndsu.edu
Paper The Town Debate: Annexation, Growth, and Michigan Charter
Towns
This study examines the effect of charter towns on economic growth
in the state of Michigan. Using a growth index, this study will
attempt to determine if charter status has had any effect on growth
within or around charter towns in Michigan.
David Jonathan Helpap, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
djhelpap@uwm.edu
Douglas M. Ihrke, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
dihrke@uwm.edu
Paper Mutual Gains from Cooperation in Economic Development
The outcomes of the local economic development approval process
are often suboptimal from the perspective of both developers and
communities. This paper identifies ways to improve these outcomes
through cooperation among development interests.
Michael T. Peddle, Northern Illinois University
mpeddle@niu.eud
Disc. Shayne Colin Kavanagh, Government Finance Officers
Association
skavanagh@gfoa.org
Carrie Blanchard, Florida State University
carrieblanchard@hotmail.com
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