2008 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

Friday, April 4-8:00 am
Paper
Paper
Paper
Disc.
Perceptions of Relative Income and the Decision to Contribute
I show that perceptions of income relative to other members in
one's group, independent of absolute income, explain individuals’
willingness to make political contributions.
Adam Seth Levine, University of Michigan
adamseth@umich.edu
Petitions and Democratic Politics: An Overlooked Political Tool
The paper examines the “petition drive” as a prominent yet
relatively unknown feature of contemporary democratic politics.
It seeks to determine why some petitions attract the attention of
political leaders, while others are some simply ignored.
Andrea M. L. Perrella, Wilfrid Laurier University
aperrella@wlu.ca
Engagement 2.0 How the New Digital Media Can Invigorate
Civic Engagement
A look at the contributions of new media and internet technologies
to the study of civic engagement.
Lindsay M. Pettingill, Georgetown University
lmp67@georgetown.edu
John Arne Grummel, Bucknell University
jag049@bucknell.edu
Jeffrey Milyo, University of Missouri
milyoj@missouri.edu
27-5 FRAMING THE CAMPAIGN: CONTEMPORARY
INFLUENCES ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Room PDR 18 on the 5th Floor, Fri at 8:00 am
Chair Elizabeth A. Skewes, University of Colorado, Boulder
elizabeth.skewes@colorado.edu
Paper A Numbers Game: The Impact of Money and Poll Ratings on
Campaign Coverage
This content analysis of stories in five national newspapers from
2000 through 2004 looks at how a candidate's fundraising and
poll ratings impacted the volume, prominence and tone of news
coverage he received in the 2004 U.S. presidential race.
Elizabeth A. Skewes, University of Colorado, Boulder
elizabeth.skewes@colorado.edu
Paper Racial Frames and Potential Effects on Minority Candidates in
the 2008 Presidential Election
We explore the degree to which media and candidate
communications may contribute to perceptions of minority
candidates in the mass public. Results suggest whether this may
have an effect on public perception of the candidates.
Stephen Maynard Caliendo, North Central College
smcaliendo@ncotrl.edu
Charlton D. McIlwain, New York University
cdm1@nyu.edu
Paper Issue Ownership on Presidential Candidate Web Sites
Presidential candidates are embracing the Internet as another
tool for communicating with citizens. Petrocik's theory of issue
ownership is tested through an examination of Web sites of
presidential candidates during early primary campaigning in 2007.
Mark D. Ludwig, Claremont Graduate University
mark.ludwig@cgu.edu
Paper Back to the Future: The Semiotics of the Sound Bite
A semiotic/rhetorical analysis of key moments from election
campaigns including Dukakis’ tank ride, Reagan’s “There you go
again” debate rejoinder, Mondale's "Where's the beef" query and
Bush's glance at his wristwatch during a Presidential debate.
Margaret M. Young, Albion College
myoung@albion.edu
Disc. Stephen C. Brooks, University of Akron
sbrooks@uakron.edu
28-6 WORK, FAMILY, AND WELFARE
Room UEH 410 on the 4th Floor, Fri at 8:00 am
Chair Jacqueline DeLaat, Marietta College
delaatj@marietta.edu
Paper Appropriate Goals and Objectives for U.S. Work-Family
Policies
An examination of what the appropriate goals and objectives of a
comprehensive U.S. work-family policy package may be through
assessment of current work-family conflicts and comparison of
work-family policy outcomes among other OECD countries.
Sara Duke, Virginia Commonwealth University
dukesL@vcu.edu
Paper Public Opinion and Public Identity: The Case of the Welfare
Queen
Is public opinion about welfare recipients linked to the public
identity of the "welfare queen" This research utilzes an
intersectional approach to analyze public opinion survey data
related to welfare recipients.
Carly Hayden Foster, Southern Illinois University, Evanston
carlyhf@gmail.com
Paper Women Politics and the Welfare Reform: TANF
TBA
Eunju Kang, Claremont Graduate University
eunjukang@gmail.com
Paper The Impact of Welfare State Policies on Abortion Rates
This paper explores how the abortion debate has developed along
the lines of privacy, family, and equality. I explore links between
abortion rates and state level welfare policies regarding child care,
prenatal care, and early childhood education.
Kristine Coulter, University of California, Irvine
kcoulter@uci.edu
Paper Work-Family Policies across Europe and Attitudes Toward
Gender Equality
This paper examines the factors, including prevailing work-family
policies, shaping gender-role attitudes relevant to the work-family
nexus among individuals in numerous western and "new" European
states.
Heidi M. Berggren, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
hberggren@umassd.edu
Disc. Marie J. Fritz, University of Maryland
mfritz@gvpt.umd.edu
28-25 ROUNDTABLE: GENDER AND POLITICAL
THEORY
Room Crystal on the 3rd Floor, Fri at 8:00 am
Chair Eileen Hunt Botting, University of Notre Dame
ehunt@nd.edu
Paper Tocqueville and Gender Equality
Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about the "equality of the sexes" in
the United States without looking at the historical, legal, and social
context. His discussion reflected his own biases and the prejudices
that he encountered during his visit.
Salvatore Lombardo, Siena College
lombardo@siena.edu
Paper Rousseau's Family in Bourgeois Life: Solution or Concession
This paper presents Rousseau's argument for family bonds
being that which engenders and is the end of citizenship and
individualism. The focus in modern politics on rights and wealth
distracts us from the true barriers to human happiness.
William J. G. Bewick, Michigan State University
bewickwi@msu.edu
Disc. Mary Barbara Walsh, Elmhurst College
walshm@elmhurst.edu
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