2006 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

PaperPaperDisc.Riptides in Ontario: Contrasting Strategies of ExecutiveReform, 1985-2005Brendan F. Burke, Bridgewater State CollegeOverview: This paper studies the political and administrativeleadership of Ontario premiers from 1985 to the present day asthey represent Liberal, New Democratic Party, and ProgressiveConservative Party interests.Policy Capacity in Canadian Intergovernmental RelationsPatricia L. O'Reilly, Ryerson UniversityGregory J. Inwood, Ryerson UniversityCarolyn M. Johns, Ryerson UniversityOverview: Using a comparative analysis based on primaryresearch material, this paper focuses on the factors which inhibitor enhance successful intergovernmental policy capacity inCanada by examining the sectors of trade, environment andhealth.Chris Manfredi, McGill University7-14 OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS: THEQUALITY OF DEMOCRACY IN LATINAMERICARoomChairPaperPaperPaperPaperPaperPaperDisc.TBA, Sat 1:45 pmJose Vargas-Hernandez, Instituto tecnologico de cd. GuzmanDo Plebiscites Foster Democratic Institutions andAccountability?Patricio D. Navia, New York UniversityAngelica Duran, New York UniversityOverview: Effects of recent national referenda and plebiscite inLatin America on democratic accountability. Informationasymmetries confuse issues. Politicians with an organizedsupport base benefit from overall low turnout rates.Political Scandals and the Dynamic of Politics in LatinAmerican CountriesMaria Andrea Castagnola, University of PittsburghOverview: I explain why Latin American countries experiencedan increase of political scandals covered by media, and what theimplications for national politics are. I conduct a cross-countrytime-series analysis of 17 countries of the region during 1980-2001.The Role of the OAS in the Political Crisis of VenezuelaJesus Sanchez, Ohio UniversityOverview: The OAS's intervention in Venezuela reveals thelimited consensus among its members as to how the DemocraticCharter should be applied and the capacity of the US to dictatethe terms under which the OAS intervention took place.Civil Society, Protest, and Democracy: The Case ofArgentinaEduardo Frajman, University of Maryland, College ParkOverview: The paper examines the role of civil society and newsocial movements in the protests that shook Argentina in 2001.Criticizes current theories of civil society and NSM’s forfocusing too much on cultural and not enough on economicconflicts.Interests and Interest Groups and the Consolidation ofLatin American DemocracyClive S. Thomas, University of Alaska SoutheastOverview: Is a viable interest group system essential to theconsolidation of Latin American democracy? In answer, thispaper presents a framework for understanding the development,current role, and future developments of interest groups in theregion.Decentralization in Costa Rica: The Impact of Reform onParticipation and AccountabilityJeffrey Ryan, University of ArkansasOverview: Decentralization advocates generally claim it willenhance political participation and accountability. I argue thatits impact (particularly in the functional and capacity areas) onthese democratic elements may be more curvilinear than direct.Lucio R. Renno, University of ArizonaAnibal Perez-Linan, University of Pittsburgh8-11 TRANSNATIONAL FORCES IN ASIANPOLITICSRoomChairPaperPaperPaperPaperPaperDisc.TBA, Sat 1:45 pmBenjamin Read, University of IowaThe Transnational Politics of the Dalit MovementPeter J. Smith, Athabasca UniversityOverview: This paper examines the Dalit (Untouchable)Movement's recent participation in transnational networksagainst casteism and corporate globalization particularly atWorld Social Forum venues in Asia, South America andEurope.Interpreting a New Ethic of Global Democracy and HumanRights in BurmaCindy Kleinmeyer, Northern Illinois UniversityOverview: Burma's current ruling military junta, the State Peaceand Development Council (SPDC) uses the state-run media asan instrument to remind readers of the regime's top political,economic and social objectives.Technologies of Dissent: Legislating the Internet In thePeople's Republic of ChinaJessica Crewe, Harvard UniversityOverview: China's much-publicized Internet censorship raisesquestions about the function of national identity in transnationalnetworks and about new technologies and their potential tofoster political development and dissent.Globalization, Democratization and Women's NGOActivism in South KoreaBang-Soon L. Yoon, Central Washington UniversityOverview: South Korea's hyper-growth and globalizingeconomy have vastly transformed society and pushed thesociety into a successful transition to democracy. This paperinquires into how globalization and democratization haveaffected women's political rolesCatholicism vs. Communism, Continued: The CatholicChurch in VietnamLan T. Chu, Occidental CollegeOverview: This paper examines the confrontations andnegotiations between the Catholic Church and the communiststate in Vietnam.Benjamin Read, University of Iowa10-9 THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF REFORMIN POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIESRoomChairPaperPaperPaperTBA, Sat 1:45 pmJulia Gray, University of California, Los AngelesAre Oligarchs Productive? Theory and EvidenceYuriy Gorodnichenko, University of Michigan, Ann ArborYegor Grygorenko, Citigroup RussiaOverview: This paper studies the behavior of oligarchs,politically and economically strong conglomerates in transitionand developing countries. We show that oligarchs can improvethe performance of the firms they own relative to other firms.Business Interest Groups in Post-Communist Russia: ThePuzzle of FormationDinissa S. Duvanova, The Ohio State UniversityOverview: Formation of business associations in postcommunistRussia is the central puzzle of the paper. The paperconcentrates on identifying how the process of business interestgroup formation differs across industries and sectors of Russianeconomy.Flatliners: Why Some European Countries Prefer, AndManage to Implement, the Flat TaxJulia Gray, University of California, Los AngelesAlexander Baturo, Trinity College, DublinOverview: What factors shaped the preferences of ruling partiestoward the flat tax, and what made adoption feasible orinfeasible Europe? Conditioned on party preference, weevaluate the influence of international and domestic politicaland economic pressures.220