2007 Conference Program - Midwest Political Science Association

Paper Globalization, Tolerance and the Chances for Democracy: The
Meeting Between American Society and Islamic Theological
Thought in the United States
Nir Yehudai, Independent Researcher
Overview: This paper is an attempt to investigate the interaction
between American society and Islamic theological thought in the
United States, including its important institutions and
representatives.
Disc. Ted G. Jelen, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
56-303 POSTER SESSION: UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH III
Room Exhibit Hall, 4 th Floor, Sat at 2:35 pm
Presenter Allentown vs. Kolkata: Inverse Futures?
(Board 1)
Mary Kate Schneider, University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown
Overview: This paper discusses a mid-size city in decline
(Allentown, PA) in comparison to a metropolis on the precipice of
an economic boom (Kolkata, India). Particular attention is paid to
the seemingly inverse correlation between the two cities.
Presenter The Rebellious Chechen and the Temperate Tatar: Moscow's
Diplomatic Reactions to the Leaders of Chechnya and
Tatarstan, 1990-1994
(Board 2)
Anthony M. Berglund, Macalester College
Overview: Since 1990, Russia has had difficulty managing its
constituent units in a consistent manner. As the Russian
Federation was forming, several of its ethnically defined
republics- mimicking the demands of the republics of the USSR-
pressed Moscow for greater rights, autonomy, and sovereignty.
Presenter The Potentially Governable City: Fragmentation in Transit
Politics
(Board 3)
Max R. Siegel, Macalester College
Overview: In this paper I apply the theory of fragmentation to the
politics of building rail in Minnesota, by arguing success is
dependent upon changing the political structure from fragmented
to centralized, as well as earning the support of the governor.
Presenter Social Trust and Civic Engagement in the United States and
New Zealand
(Board 4)
Kevin F. Adler, Occidental College
Overview: Through firsthand investigation, this project sought to
measure and compare the concepts of social trust, political trust,
civic engagement, and political participation in the small towns of
Ferndale, California, and Coromandel, New Zealand.
Presenter Obstacles to Women’s Empowerment in the Arab World
(Board 5)
Shannon Mills, Macalester College
Overview: Authoritarianism and conservative social norms are the
two primary obstacles to gender reform in the Arab world, as
demonstrated in case studies of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and
Morocco.
Presenter Using Watergate Babies and the 94 Revolution to Predict the
2006 Elections
(Board 6)
Bradley W. Janssen, University of Texas, Austin
Overview: What can the Congressional careers of the Watergate
Babies and the Republican Revolution Freshmen tell us about the
2006 Freshmen Democrat's future? This paper attempts to develop
a model to predict the electoral future of the 06 Democratic
Freshmen.
Presenter Re-envisioning Immigrant Self-Sufficiency: Public-Private
Collaborations in Somali Resettlement
(Board 7)
Ihotu J. Ali, Macalester College
Overview: A study on changing social service providers for
Somali refugees in Minneapolis, MN. Following cuts in refugee
eligibility for government resettlement programs, this paper
documents the resulting rise of private support networks by
Somali leadership.
Page | 248
Presenter Citizenship and Property Rights: A Comparative Study of
China and Uganda
(Board 8)
Jennifer A. Slagter, Wheaton College
Overview: This paper discusses law and its implementation as it
relates to property rights and citizenship. It employs a comparative
study of decentralized democratic Uganda and centralized
communist China.
Presenter Incumbency Advantage of Southern Members of the U.S.
House
(Board 9)
Arjun S. Wilkins, University of California, Los Angeles
Overview: I studied incumbency advantage in the U.S. House and
found that incumbents from the South have a 25% higher
incumbency advantage than their non-southern counterparts from
1964-98, after the South was opened to two-party competition.
Presenter Citizen Participation in Urban Governance: St. Paul's District
Councils
(Board 10)
Caleb E. Jonas, Macalester College
Overview: This work undertakes a case study of the history,
development, and effectiveness of formalized citizen participation
in the municipal government of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Presenter Political Ideology and Job Satisfaction
(Board 11)
Edgar I. Garcia, University of Texas, Brownsville
Rafael Wilder, University of Texas, Brownsville
Overview: Our research focuses on the relationship between
political ideology and job satisfaction. Using regression tests our
research showed no strong relationship present.
Presenter Immigrant or Latino? Collective Identity in the Immigrant
Rights Movement
(Board 12)
Trudy S. Rebert, Macalester College
Overview: During the Spring of 2006, protests across the country
drew millions in favor of immigrant rights. Immigrant rights are
portrayed as a Latino issue nationally, but how did it become
“Latino”? How was collective identity forged in this movement?
Presenter Old Habits, New Reasons: The Resurgence of Community
Spirit in America
(Board 13)
Patrick W. Higgons, Flagler College
Overview: This paper examines the resurgence of community
spirit and involvement among young middle class Americans and
explores possible explanations for the revitalization of civic
America.
Presenter Iran: Going Nuclear?
(Board 14)
Jamie L. Stephens, Furman University
Overview: This study applies Lillian Randolph's “A Suggested
Model of International Negotiation” in an effort to evaluate the
progress and predict the outcome of the current nuclear
development negotiations between Iran and the EU3.
Presenter Political Identity and Democratic Transitions: Germany,
Japan, Iraq
(Board 15)
Andrew C. Thompson, Belmont University
Overview: The comparative primacy of political identity in
Germany, Japan, and Iraq has had a definite effect the transition to
democratic government.
Presenter The Influence of Black Feminist Academics on Black Female
Activists
(Board 16)
Alexandra J. Moffett-Bateau, University of Michigan
Overview: This thesis seeks to determine to what degree black
feminist academics and grassroots black female organizations
have an influence on each others theories, ideas and terminology.