Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
POLS 5327-1, Selected Topics in American Government and Politics
Fall 2011, Seminar on State Politics and Policy1
Instructor:
Dr. Dometrius
Office: Holden 13
Phone: 742-3036
Email: Nelson.Dometrius@ttu.edu
Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is twofold: (1) for students to become familiar with the governmental structures,
politics, and policies of the American states, and (2) to be able to use state commonalities and variabilities to test
theoretically interesting propositions about American politics or policies.
Expected Learning Outcomes and Assessments for This Course
Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
1 Critically evaluate the literature in multiple areas of state politics and / or policies
Method of Assessment: Class participation and exam
2 Identify an intellectually worthwhile topic and conduct research on it.
Method of Assessment: Class participation and research paper
Student Needs
Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangement in order to meet course
requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary accommodations. Students
should present appropriate verification from Disabled Student Services, Dean of Students Office. No requirement
exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved University process.
Any student who may miss one or more days due to religious observances should inform the instructor as soon as
possible to discuss with him any accommodations that may be necessary.
The instructor will do his best to help students with any other needs they may have. In all cases, it is necessary
for the student to discuss their concerns with them as soon as possible after the concern develops. There is little
that can be done at the end of the semester to compensate for earlier difficulties.
Course Description
This course is, first, a survey of state politics research. We will cover both institutional and behavioral aspects of
state politics, always from a comparative approach. The state politics literature covers both items unique to the
state level as well as using the states as a wonderful comparative laboratory to study broader theoretical
arguments.
Second, the ultimate goal of every doctoral course is to turn its students into competent researchers who are able
to: evaluate the strengths and weaknesses, both theoretically and methodologically, in current research; see a
variety of interesting research questions remaining in many of the topics examined; and propose sound scientific
strategies for addressing those questions.
Texts / Readings
Almost all the readings are journal articles which can be found via JSTOR or other electronic journal collections
available through the TTU Library web site. Printed versions of issues more recent than those stored
electronically are available in the TTU Library, but also check with a librarian. Library subscriptions to journals
1
Numerous colleagues donated their intellectual efforts as part of the state politics and policy syllabus sharing project
(available at http://www.webpages.ttu.edu/ndometri/). This syllabus relies heavily on the contributions of those scholars
including Tom Carsey, Chris Mooney, Melinda Gann Hall, Richard Fording, Thad Kousser, Kevin Smith, Daniel Lewis, and
more.
1
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
are increasingly also providing electronic access directly to the journal’s web site.
Most journal articles are tightly focused on specific research topics. In addition you must purchase (used is OK) a
copy of the latest edition of Politics in the American States:
Gray, Virginia and Russell L. Hanson. 2008. Politics in the American States: A Comparative Analysis, 9th ed.
Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Though a textbook, this remains one of the best overviews of state politics and will provide you the necessary
breadth missing from the journal articles. It is one of those works you will want to keep in your professional
library as a frequently consulted reference. New copies (and maybe used also) should be available in the
bookstores. You can get a used one from Amazon for about $35-$40, but do get expedited shipping. Book rate
(the cheapest) may not arrive for a month or more.
Also useful might be. Weber, Ronald E. and Paul Brace. 1999. American State and Local Politics: Directions
for the 21st Century. New York: Chatham House. The chapters are more scholarly, but the book is also out of
date. No need to buy it but you may wish to consult it as you begin work on research projects.
You may also wish to consider subscribing to Stateline.org: http://www.stateline.org. It is a free electronic
publication delivered to your email. It is staffed by professional journalists and was founded by Pew Research
center as a non profit resource. Not scholarly/scientific but interesting news stories on up to date happenings in
the states.
Course Meetings
The course will be conducted as a seminar. That class discussions are the responsibility of the students with only
guidance from the instructor. This requires every student to come to class prepared and ready to participate.
Your short-term goal in every graduate course is to get a decent grade. But while grades will get you a BA, they
will not get you an MA or PhD degree. Your real goals are to pass your comprehensive exams, write and
successfully defend a thesis / dissertation, and get a job as a professional political scientist. Do not lose sight of
that. You will get out of the course what you put into it.
Weekly readings are divided into required and supplemental (the latter for digging deeper into a topic if you wish
to do so). Required readings are just that, required. It is not acceptable for graduate students to have not read
AND THOUGHT ABOUT assigned material before the class meeting. For each assigned article (not GrayHanson chapters) you must bring to class a typed review of the each reading. This is a quick review of about 1
page that hit the core elements of:
What is the research question / purpose being addressed? Literature review: what does the author describe as
having been done before on this topic, and why is the past research insufficient? What does the author
propose to do differently and why does she argue this is a contribution to existing knowledge? What are the
conclusions reached by the paper and suggestions offered (if any) for future research? Using your intelligence
and political science knowledge gained to date, comment on any strengths or inadequacies in the reading.
Try to keep these reviews to 1 page (single-spaced). That is not an absolute rule, but the objective is to cover the
core research elements only. Most weeks a student will be selected at the beginning of the class to begin the
discussion. These reviews will be the starting point of that discussion. The reviews and class discussions should
focus on the social science elements / value of each article, not just an uncritical summary or a focus on the
conclusions rather than the methodological / theoretical validity of how those conclusions were reached.
Most weeks I will ask you to turn these reviews in before leaving class. They will be evaluated only as acceptable
or unacceptable based upon whether you made a serious and competent effort to meet the description above.
Getting a few back marked “unacceptable” should be viewed only as guidance for improvement on future efforts,
not a serious problem. Get a lot back that are unacceptable means you are missing the point somewhere are
should meet with me about it.
In addition to the assigned readings, most weeks each student will also be responsible for identifying an additional
journal article relevant to the week’s topics and presenting that article to the class. The weeks where this is
required are noted in the syllabus. Students should choose an article by no later than noon on Friday before our
next class meeting and email their selection to the instructor for approval. Up to half of these added articles can
2
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
be drawn from the supplementary readings in the syllabus, but at least half must be recent publications /
acceptances not in the supplementary readings from one of the following journals: American Political Science
Review, American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Legislative
Studies Quarterly, or State Politics and Policy Quarterly.
The article must have been published in the last three years. Strongly preferred are items published / accepted in
this calendar year. Both PRQ and SPPQ use Online First to make available articles accepted but not yet in print.
APSR and JOP do the same via FirstView. These services often require you to be a member / subscriber. If not
but you see an interesting article title, contact me and I may be able to get you a copy. (Everybody can look at
journal table of contents and usually article abstracts, but not always the full article.) In lieu of a published article
you may also select an unpublished paper presented from January 2010 to date at the American, Midwest or State
Politics conferences.
Your presentation of the article should take between 5-10 minutes and should be presented like a poster session –
about 5-7 PowerPoint slides (preferred) or handouts covering the essential elements of the article. A discussion of
poster sessions will be available on the course web page.
Assignments and grading.
Participation 30%. This includes the material described above, weekly discussion, reviews, and article
presentations.
Seminar Paper (40%): You will write a full research paper for this course. It should be in the form of a
conference paper / journal article submission with a theoretically based research question, identification of the
question’s importance and why it has not been answered to date, logically and theoretically derived and
explained hypotheses, and empirical examination of those hypotheses, and a conclusion including suggestions
for future research. The paper does not have to be quantitative but, if not, it should include a persuasive
argument explaining why an alternative approach is superior. There is no specific page requirement, but my
experience suggests that papers of 15 pages or less (text only, not counting tables, charts or references) are
usually not well developed while papers over 25 pages of text can usually benefit from being shortened. Most
journals will automatically reject papers that exceed 35 pages which includes all tables and graphs.
Remember, replications or extensions of an existing published paper are perfectly acceptable research projects as
long as you can provide a sound theoretical reason for doing so. For example that some key variables were left
out, a better analytic technique is available, things may have changed over time, or better measures or samples
are now available. The theoretical rationale must be clear and sound.
Finally, while the paper can be related to previous work you have done or are working on for a different project,
the paper for this class needs to be a substantially different paper. Consult with the instructor if you have any
problems or unique needs here. The paper will be presented on the last two days of class as both a poster
presentation and a full paper. More details are presented in the course schedule.
Final Exam (30%): The course includes a final exam that will be in the format of a PhD qualifying exam. The
final exam is scheduled by the University to begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 10. At that time I will
email the exam to you and you will need to email your answer(s) back to me eight hours later or by 3:30 p.m. that
day. If any student has a serious conflict on that day (e.g., as part of your TA duties you are proctoring a final
exam that day) you may choose to take the final exam on Sunday instead with the same rules applying. You will
have a (limited) choice of questions and will need to answer one. You are allowed to use notes, books, and any
other similar materials, but are NOT be permitted to discuss the exam with anyone -- students, faculty, friends (or
enemies) until the following Monday (some may be taking the exam on Sunday). Ultimately, you are on your
own honor, and I have no reason to expect any problems, but any suspicions on my part will be investigated.
Some examples of qualifying exam questions are that might be used for the final exam are:
1. What is the extent of our knowledge and what remains unknown (theoretical, empirical, and statistical
knowledge and limits) about (the topic might be):
The impact of term limits on state legislative behavior, policy, and performance?
The processes of policy diffusion from state to state, state to federal, and federal to state?
3
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Is direct democracy really democracy in terms of majority representation and / or minority rights?
2. What have we learned from the states about interest groups (or the executive branch, party roles in the
legislature, or a similar topic) that (a) informs our knowledge about the same topic at the national level
and (b) is unique to the states without a national corollary?
More may be added to this list via the course web site as the semester progresses.
State Politics and Policy Conference Submission.
At our class meeting on September 14, every student will present in class, and turn in, a 1 page paper proposal for
the 2012 State Politics and Policy Conference. The call for proposals is duplicated below and some examples of
paper proposals are available on the course web site. You are not required to actually submit this proposal to the
conference, but if you do, it gets accepted, and you present it at the conference, then you will earn 10 points (on a
100% scale) of extra credit toward your grade in the course. Do not play games with this option. It is very bad
form to submit a lousy proposal or to have a proposal accepted and then not attend the conference (barring some
late emergency). So while I encourage all to actually submit because it will be an excellent conference and an
excellent experience, do so only if you will strive to attend if accepted and do a good job on the paper.
Call for paper proposals for the 12th Annual State Politics and Policy Conference
The 12th Annual State Politics and Policy Conference will be held February 16-18, 2012 in Houston, Texas
at Rice University and the University of Houston.
We welcome proposals involving any area of state politics and policy.
Paper proposals are due SEPTEMBER 15, 2011. Please submit proposals to harlanprogram@rice.edu.
Decisions regarding paper and panel submissions will be made and authors notified by OCTOBER 15, 2011.
Individual proposals. Paper proposals should be no longer than 300 words in length. Each proposal should
outline the research question, the contribution the proposed research makes to the current literature, and the
research design that will be used.
Each proposal must include:
Paper title
Key words describing the paper
Authors’ names and affiliations
Authors’ contact information including an email address for each author
Complete panel proposals. Suggestions or proposals for complete panels on specified subjects are
encouraged. If possible, include the required information for each participant.
Graduate students. We encourage graduate students in the subfield to apply. While some graduate student
papers will be included on regular panels, the majority will be reviewed and critiqued at a poster session.
Conference theme. The conference theme is “Representation in the States: A 50-Year Retrospective on the
Impact of Baker vs. Carr.” Consequently, we are particularly interested in studies of the process and impact
of reapportionment and redistricting for either the current period or in historical perspective.
Information regarding hotels and registration will be available in August.
Keith Hamm
Director
Harlan Program in State Elections, Campaigns and Politics
Rice University
Miscellaneous
Electronic Devices Including Laptop Computers: I do not like electronic devices in class as they can be tempting
distractions. Do not use them unless necessary for presentation of your journal article.
All written material is to utilize the style manual of the American Political Science Review. Papers should use
standard fonts, one inch margins, and standard formatting. Conference paper proposals and weekly review papers
may be single spaced, but your final research paper, and the norm for most professional papers, is either double or
4
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
1.5 spacing.
Course web page. I have a web page located at http://www.webpages.ttu.edu/ndometri/ . Information for most of
my courses, including this one, are available on that page. Look it over to see what is there. Additions will be
made throughout the semester as needed.
CLASSICS (For your information, not required unless listed on the course schedule)
Elazar, Daniel. 1984. American Federalism: A View from the States. 4th ed. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell,
Erikson, Robert S., Gerald C. Wright, and John P. McIver. 1993. Statehouse Democracy. New York:
Cambridge University Press.
Key, V. O. 1984. Southern Politics in the State and Nation. University of Tennessee Press. Originally printed in
1949. Regularly reprinted, this is a relatively recent reprinting
Peterson, Paul E. 1981. City Limits. University Of Chicago Press (emphasis on local / urban government.)
Sabato, Larry. 1983. Good-bye to Good-Time Charlie. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
RECENT WIDELY CITED BOOKS:
Squire, Peverill and Keith E. Hamm. 101 Chambers: Congress, State Legislatures, and the Future of
Legislative Studies. Ohio State University Press, 2005.
Kousser, Thad. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism. Cambridge
University Press, 2005.
DATA RESOURCES: ALWAYS include a citation to the source for any data set you may use.
State Politics & Policy Quarterly Data Center: http://academic.udayton.edu/SPPQ-TPR/index.htm
This site includes data sets used by some of the articles published in SPPQ, particularly those published in
The Practical Researcher (TPR) section of the journal. It also includes links to other data resources.
State Politics and Policy Section of the American Political Science Association:
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/political_science/state_politics/index.htm
This site includes links to the past present and future State Politics and Policy conferences and the papers that
have been presented at those conferences.
http://www.csg.org : Council of State Governments (Publishes the Book of the States). The CSG is also
an umbrella organization for such sub-units as
http://www.nga.org : National Governors Association.
http://www.ncsconline.org : National Center for State Courts.
http://www.ncsl.org : National Conference of State Legislatures. Some of the NCSL data include:
Voter ID Requirements: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16602#ak
Early & Absentee Voting Laws: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16604
Term Limits Overview: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14849
State Primary Rules: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=20112
NCSL’s Ballot Measure Database: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16580
Thad Beyle’s all things gubernatorial website: http://www.unc.edu/~beyle/ Thad has been working in this
vineyard for over half a century and has put together an abundance of data.
National Institute on Money in State Politics: http://www.followthemoney.org/index.phtml
Initiative & Referendum Institute: http://www.iandrinstitute.org/
Gerald C. Wright at Indiana University has posted data on State Legislative Roll Call votes for some recent
5
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
years here: http://www.indiana.edu/~ral/
Tom Carsey at North Carolina has state legislative election returns at the candidate-level posted here:
http://www.unc.edu/~carsey/research/datasets/data.htm which is also now available at ICPSR (their link is:
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/).
Paul Brace at Rice University has a State Supreme Court Data Project at
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~pbrace/statecourt :
Michael MacDonald’s Turnout Data, mostly national but some useful state data as well:
http://elections.gmu.edu/voter_turnout.htm
Carl Klarner has long maintained files of the partisan balances in state legislatures. Klarner’s data are considered
more accurate that the information posted in the Book of the States.
http://www.indstate.edu/polisci/klarnerpolitics.htm
Many articles now include replication data stored by the journal publishing the article. Further many scholars are
also making the data used in their research available via their web sites. Where I am aware of scholars
posting data relevant to their articles I will list the site below.
If you cannot find it posted anywhere it is acceptable to email the author and ask for a copy of their data. Explain
who you are and why you are using it.
Of course there is ICPSR at the University of Michigan, an extensive archive of many data sets
applicable to the states. http://www.icpsr.umich.edu :
And the old reliable for control variables, U.S. Statistical Abstracts: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
National league of cities, http://www.citymayors.com/orgs/natleague.html
Course Schedule & Reading Assignments
When a reading is followed by one or more additional, but slightly indented readings, as in
Alt, James E., and Robert C. Lowry. 2000. “A Dynamic Model of State Budget Outcomes under Divided Partisan
Government.” Journal of Politics 62 (4): 1035–69.
McAtee, Andrea, Susan Webb Yackee, and David Lowery. 2003. “Reexamining the Dynamic Model of Divided
Partisan Government.” Journal of Politics 65 (2): 477–90.
Alt, J., R. Lowry. 2003. “Party Differences in State Budget Outcomes Are There After All: Response to ‘Reexamining
the Dynamic Model of Divided Partisan Government’,” The Journal of Politics 65: 491-497.
That means the added readings are extensions or critiques of the first. They should be read as a unit.
AUGUST 31, STUDYING STATE POLITICS
REQUIRED READINGS:
Brace, Paul and Melinda Gann Hall. 1995. "Studying Courts Comparatively: The View From the American
States." Political Research Quarterly (March) 48: 5-28.
Smith, Daniel A., and Caroline Tolbert. 2007. “The Instrumental and Educative Effects of Ballot Measures:
Research on Direct Democracy in the American States.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(4):417-46.
Mooney, Christopher Z. 2009. “Term Limits as a Boon to Legislative Scholarship: A Review Essay.” State
Politics and Policy Quarterly 9(2):204-228.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Mooney, Christopher Z. 1998. “Why Do They Tax Dogs in West Virginia? Teaching Political Science
6
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Through Comparative State Politics.” PS: Political & Politics.
Nicholson-Crotty, Sean and Kenneth J. Meier. 2002. “Size Doesn’t Matter: In Defense of Single-State
Studies.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly.
Mooney, Christopher Z. 2001. “State Politics and Policy Quarterly and the Study of State Politics: The
Editor’s Introduction.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1:1-4.
Brace, Paul, and Aubrey Jewett. 1995. “The State of State Politics Research.” Political Research Quarterly
48:643-81.
SEPTEMBER 7: POLITICAL CULTURE AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
REQUIRED READINGS
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 1. Virginia Gray: The Socioeconomic and Political Context of States.
Johnson, Charles A. 1976. “Political Culture in the American States: Elazar’s Formulation Examined.”
American Journal of Political Science 20 (3):491-509.
Hero, Rodney E. and Caroline Tolbert. 1996. “A Racial/Ethnic Diversity Interpretation of Politics and Policy
in the States of the U.S.” American Journal of Political Science 40 (3):851-871.
Lieske, Joel. 2010. "The Changing Regional Subcultures of the American States and the Utility of a New
Cultural Measure." Political Research Quarterly 63 (3):538-52.
Frendreis, John, and Raymond Tatalovich. 2010. "A Hundred Miles of Dry." Religion and the Persistence of
Prohibition in the U.S. States." State Politics & Policy Quarterly 10 (3):302-19.
The following two articles are both important (often cited) and lead-ins to next week’s readings
Wright, Gerald C., Jr., Robert S. Erickson, and John P. McIver. 1987. “Public Opinion and Policy Liberalism
in the American States.” American Journal of Political Science 31 (4): 980-1001. Erickson, Wright &
McIver data: http://php.indiana.edu/~wright1/
Berry, William D., Evan J. Ringquist, Richard C. Fording, and Russell L. Hanson. 1998. “Measuring Citizen
and Government Ideology in the American States, 1960-93.” American Journal of Political Science 42
(1): 327-348. Berry et al. data: http://www.uky.edu/~rford/stateideology.html
BRIEF PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH PROJECTS
NO INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATION THIS WEEK.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Lowry, Robert C. 2005. “Explaining the Variation in Organized Civil Society across States and Time.”
Journal of Politics 67:574-94.
Rushton, Michael. 2008. “A Note on the Use and Misuse of the Racial Diversity Index.” Policy Studies
Journal 36(3):445-459.
Pippa Norris, 2004, Electoral Engineering: Voting Rules and Political Behavior (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press), Chapter 5, “Social Cleavages.”
Peter F. Nardulli, 1990, “Political Subcultures in the American States: An Empirical Examination of Elazar’s
Formulation,” American Politics Quarterly 18:287-315.
Ira Sharkansky. 1969. “The Utility of Elazar’s Political Culture.” Polity. 1969
SEPTEMBER 14 – POLITICAL IDEOLOGY continued
FULL PRESENTATION OF PAPER PROPOSALS -- Proposals must be emailed to instructor and other
students by 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 12. Students must be prepared to comment on each other’s
7
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
proposals, including the clarity of the question, the contribution, and the research plan.
REQUIRED READINGS
SPPQ Mini Symposium on measuring ideology, Summer 2007
Berry, William D., Evan J. Ringquist, Richard C. Fording and Russell L. Hanson. 2007. “The Measurement
and Stability of State Citizen Ideology.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly 7 (Summer): 111-132.
Brace, Paul, Kevin Arceneaux, Martin Johnson and Stacy G. Ulbig. 2007. “Reply to ‘The Measurement and
Stability of State Citizen Ideology.’” State Politics & Policy Quarterly 7 (Summer): 133-140.
Erikson, Robert S., Gerald C. Wright and John P. McIver. 2007. “Measuring the Public’s Ideological
Preferences in the Fifty States: Survey Responses Versus Roll Call Data.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly
7 (Summer): 141-151.
Norrander, Barbara. 2007. “Choosing Among Indicators of State Public Opinion.” State Politics & Policy
Quarterly 7 (Summer): 152-159.
Berry, William D., Evan J. Ringquist, Richard C. Fording and Russell L. Hanson. 2007. “A Rejoinder: The
Measurement and Stability of State Citizen Ideology.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly 7 (Summer): 160166.
Berry, William D., Richard Fording, Evan Ringquist , Russell Hanson, and Carl Klarner. 2010. “Measuring
Citizen and Government Ideology in the U.S. States: A Re-Appraisal.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly,
June, 117-135.
Carsey, Thomas and Jeffrey Harden. 2010. “New Measures of Partisanship, Ideology, and Policy Mood.”
State Politics and Policy Quarterly, June, 136-156.
NO INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATION THIS WEEK.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Levendusky, Matthew S., and Jeremy C. Pope. 2010. “Measuring Aggregate-Level Ideological
Heterogeneity.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 35(2):259-282.
Paul Brace, Kellie Sims-Butler, Kevin Arceneaux, and Martin Johnson, 2002, “Public Opinion in the
American States: New Perspectives Using National Data,” American Journal of Political Science, 46:
173-189.
SEPTEMBER 21, PARTIES AND POLICY SOURCES
IF YOU ARE GOING TO SUBMIT A PAPER PROPOSAL TO THE STATE POLITICS CONFERENCE,
YOU ARE ALREADY LATE. SUBMIT ANYWAY, BUT DO SO BY NO LATER THAN THIS
FRIDAY.
REQUIRED READINGS:
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 3. Parties and Elections. Thomas M. Holbrook and Ray Laraja
Dawson, Richard E. and Robinson, James A. 1963. “Interparty Competition, Economic Variables, and
Welfare Policies in the American States.” Journal of Politics 25(May): 265-89.
Brown, Robert D. 1995. "Party Cleavages and Welfare Effort in the American States." American Political
Science Review. 89:23-33.
Barrilleaux, Charles. 1997. "A Test of the Independent Influences of Electoral Competition and Party
Strength in a Model of State Policy-Making." American Journal of Political Science 41:1462-6.
8
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Barrilleaux, Charles, Thomas Holbrook, and Laura Langer. 2002. “Party Balance, Electoral Competition and
Welfare in the American States.” American Journal of Political Science 46 (2):416-427.
Wright, Gerald C., and Brian F. Schaffner. 2002. “The Influence of Party: Evidence from the State
Legislatures.” American Political Science Review 96:367-80.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Alt, James E., and Robert C. Lowry. 2000. “A Dynamic Model of State Budget Outcomes under Divided
Partisan Government.” Journal of Politics 62 (4): 1035–69.
McAtee, Andrea, Susan Webb Yackee, and David Lowery. 2003. “Reexamining the Dynamic Model of
Divided Partisan Government.” Journal of Politics 65 (2): 477–90.
Alt, J., R. Lowry. 2003. “Party Differences in State Budget Outcomes Are There After All: Response to
‘Reexamining the Dynamic Model of Divided Partisan Government’,” The Journal of Politics 65:
491-497.
Gibson, James L., Cornelius P. Cotter, John F. Bibby, and Robert J. Huckshorn. 1983. "Assessing Party
Organizational Strength." American Journal of Political Science. 27:193-222.
Jennings, Edward T. 1979. “Competition, Constituencies, and Welfare Policies in the States.” American
Political Science Review 73(June): 414-29.
Brian R. Fry and Richard F. Winters. 1970. The Politics of Redistribution.” American Political Science
Review, 64 (June): 508-22.
Herrnson, Paul. 2009. “The Roles of Party Organizations, Party-Connected Committees, and Party Allies in
Elections.” The Journal of Politics.
Smith, Mark A. 1997. "The Nature of Party Governance: Connecting Conceptualization and Measurement."
American Journal of Political Science 41 (July): 1042-1956.
Barrilleaux, Charles. 1986. "A Dynamic Model of Partisan Competition in the American States." American
Journal of Political Science 30: 822-840.
Holbrook, Thomas M. and Emily Van Dunk. 1993. “Electoral Competition in the American States.” The
American Political Science Review 87 (4): 955-962.
SEPTEMBER 28, ELECTIONS
REQUIRED READINGS:
Carsey, Thomas M., and Gerald C. Wright. 1998. “State and National Factors in Gubernatorial and Senatorial
Elections.” American Journal of Political Science 42 (3):994-1002.
Schaffner, Brian F., Matthew Streb and Gerald Wright. 2001. “Teams Without Uniforms: The Nonpartisan
Ballot in State and Local Elections.” Political Research Quarterly. 54: 7-31.
Campbell, James E. 1986. “Presidential Coattails and Midterm Losses in State Legislative Elections.”
American Political Science Review 80:45-64.
Hogan, Robert E. 2005. “Gubernatorial Coattail Effects in State Legislative Elections.” Political Research
Quarterly 58(4): 587-97.
Wolfinger, Raymond E., Benjamin Highton, and Megan Mullin. 2005. “How Postregistration Laws Affect
the Turnout of Citizens Registered to Vote.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 5(1):1-23.
Hirano, Shigeo, and James M. Snyder, Jr. 2009. “Using Multi-Member Districts to Decompose the
Incumbency Advantage." American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 53, No. 2, April 2009, Pp. 292–306.
9
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Francia, Peter L., and Paul S. Herrnson. 2004. “The Synergistic Effect of Campaign Effort and Election
Reform on Voter Turnout in State Legislative Elections.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4 (1): 7493.
Knack. 1995. “Does Motor Voter work? Evidence from State-level Data” Journal of Politics 57(Aug.): 796811
Jackson, Robert A. 1997. “The Mobilization of State Electorates in the 1988 and 1990 Elections.” Journal of
Politics. 59: 520-537.
Brown, Jackson, and Wright. 1999. “Registration, Turnout, and State Party Systems” Political Research
Quarterly 52(Sept.): 463-480.
Jackson, Robert A. and Thomas M. Carsey. 1999. “Presidential Voting Across the American States."
American Politics Quarterly 27:379-402.
McDonald, Michael. 2002. “The Turnout Rate among Eligible Voters in the States, 1980-2000.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly.
Highton, Benjamin. 1997. "Easy Registration and Voter Turnout." Journal of Politics 59 (May): 565-575.
Holbrook, Thomas and Brianne Hedbreder. 2010. “Does Measurement Matter? The Case of VAP and VEP in
Models of Voter Turnout in the United States.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly.
King, James D. 1989. "Interparty Competition in the American States: An Examination of Index
Components." Western Political Quarterly 42 (March): 83-92.
Van Dunk, Emily, and Ronald E. Weber. 1997. "Constituency-Level Competition in the U.S. States, 19681988: A Pooled Analysis." Legislative Studies Quarterly 22 (May): 141-159.
OCTOBER 5 DIRECT DEMOCRACY
REQUIRED READINGS:
Gray-Hanson, Chapter 5. The Initiative Process. Shaun Bowler and Todd Donovan
Gerber, Elizabeth R. 1996. "Legislative Response to the Threat of Popular Initiatives." American Journal of
Political Science. 40:99-128.
Gamble, Barbara S. 1997. “Putting Civil Rights to a Popular Vote.” American Journal of Political Science 41
(1): 245-269.
Donovan, Todd, and Shaun Bowler. 1998. “Direct Democracy and Minority Rights: An Extension.”
American Journal of Political Science 42 (3): 1020-1024.
Lascher, Edward L., Jr., Michael G. Hagen, and Steven A. Rochlin. 1996. "Gun Behind the Door? Ballot
Initiatives, State Policies, and Public Opinion." Journal of Politics. 58:760-775.
Matsusaka, John. 2001. “Problems with a Methodology Used to Evaluate the Voter Initiative.” Journal of
Politics 63:1250–56.
Hagen, Michael, Edward Lascher, and John Camobreco. 2001. “Response to Matsusaka: Estimating the
Effect of Ballot Initiatives on Policy Responsiveness.” Journal of Politics 63:1257–1263.
Smith Daniel A., and Dustin Fridkin. 2008. “Delegating Direct Democracy: Interparty Legislative
Competition and the Adoption of the Initiative in the American States,” American Political Science
Review 102: 333-50.
10
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Nicholson, Stephen P. 2003. “The Political Environment and Ballot Proposition Awareness.” American
Journal of Political Science 47 (3): 403-410.
Arthur Lupia, 1994, “Shortcuts Versus Encyclopedias: Information and Voting Behavior in California
Insurance Reform Elections,” American Political Science Review 88:63-76.
Smith, Mark A. 2002. Ballot Initiatives and the Democratic Citizen. Journal of Politics 64(3):892–903.
Matsusaka, John G. 1995. "Fiscal Effects of the Voter Initiative - Evidence from the Last 30 Years." Journal
of Political Economy 103 (3):587-623.
Arceneaux, Kevin. 2002. “Direct Democracy and the Link between Public Opinion and State Abortion
Policy.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 2 (4): 372-387.
Burden, Barry C. 2005. "Institutions and Policy Representation in the States." State Politics & Policy
Quarterly 5 (4):373.
Haider-Markel, Donald P., Alana Querze, and Kara Lindaman. 2007. "Lose, Win, or Draw? A Reexamination
of Direct Democracy and Minority Rights." Political Research Quarterly 60 (2):304-14.
Lewis, Daniel C. 2011. "Bypassing the Representational Filter? Minority Rights Policies under Direct
Democracy Institutions in the U.S. States." State Politics & Policy Quarterly 11 (2): Forthcoming.
Tolbert, Caroline J., Ramona S. McNeal, and Daniel A. Smith. 2003. “Enhancing Civic Engagement: The
Effect of Direct Democracy on Political Participation and Knowledge.” State Politics and Policy
Quarterly 3 (1): 23-41.
Stratmann, Thomas. 2006. “Is Spending More Potent for or Against a Proposition? Evidence from Ballot
Measures.” American Journal of Political Science 50 (3): 788-801.
Tolbert, Caroline J., John Grummel, and Daniel Smith. 2001. "The Effects of Ballot Initiatives on Voter
Turnout in the United States." American Politics Research 29 (6):625-48.
Arthur Lupia and John G. Matsusaka, 2004, “Direct Democracy: New Approaches to Old Questions,” Annual
Review of Political Science 7:463-482.
Gerber, Elizabeth R., Arthur Lupia and Matthew D. McCubbins. 2004. “When Does Government Limit the
Impact of Voter Initiatives? The Politics of Implementation and Enforcement.” Journal of Politics 66
(February): 43-68.
Boehmke, Frederick. 2005. “Sources of Variation in the Frequency of Statewide Initiatives: The Role of
Interest Group Populations.” Political Research Quarterly 58 (December): 565-575.
Bowler, Shaun, and Todd Donovan. 2004. "Measuring the Effects of Direct Democracy on State Policy: Not
all Initiatives are Created Equal." State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4:345-63.
Donovan, Todd, Caroline Tolbert, and Daniel A. Smith. 2008. “Priming Presidential Votes by Direct
Democracy,” Journal of Politics 70: 1217-31.
Morogan, James, Virginia Gray, and David Lowery. 2009. “Public Opinion, Organized Interests, and Policy
Congruence in Initiative and Non-Initiative U.S. States.” State Politics & Policy Quarterly 9 (Fall): 304324.
OCTOBER 12, LEGISLATURES
REQUIRED READINGS:
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 6. Legislative Politics in the States, Keith E. Hamm and Gary F. Moncrief
11
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Aldrich, John and James Battista. 2002. “Conditional Party Government in the States.” American Journal of
Political Science, 46:1 (January): 164-72.
Wright, Gerald C., and Brian F. Schaffner. 2002. “The Influence of Party: Evidence from the State
Legislatures.” American Political Science Review 96:367-80.
Kousser, Thad, Jeffrey B. Lewis, and Seth E. Masket. 2007 “Ideological Adaptation? The Survival Instinct of
Threatened Legislators.” Journal of Politics 69(3):828-843.
Cox, Gary W., Thad Kousser, and Mathew D. McCubbins. 2010. “Party Power or Preferences? QuasiExperimental Evidence from American State Legislatures.” Journal of Politics 72(3):799-811.
Berry, William D., Michael B. Berkman, and Stuart Schneiderman, 2000. “Legislative Professionalism and
Incumbent Reelection: The Development of Institutional Boundaries.” The American Political Science
Review 94 (4): 859-874.
Hogan, Robert E. 2008. “Policy Responsiveness and Incumbent Reelection in State Legislatures.” American
Journal of Political Science 52 (October): 858-873.
NO INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS THIS WEEK
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Nelson W. Polsby, 1968, “The Institutionalization of the U.S. House of Representatives,” American Political
Science Review 62:145.
Squire, Peverill. 2007. “Measuring Legislative Professionalism: The Squire Index Revisited.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly 7 (2): 211-227
Carey, John M., Richard G. Niemi, and Lynda W. Powell. 2000. “Incumbency and the Probability of
Reelection in State Legislative Elections.” Journal of Politics 62 (August): 671-700.
Hogan, Robert E. 2004. “Challenger Emergence, Incumbent Success, and Electoral Accountability in State
Legislative Elections.” Journal of Politics 66 (November): 1283-1303.
Fiorina, Morris P. 1994. "Divided Government in the American States: A Byproduct of Legislative
Professionalism?" American Political Science Review. 88:304-316.
Fiorina, Morris P. 1999. “Further Evidence of the Partisan Consequences of Legislative Professionalism.”
American Journal of Political Science 43(3): 974-77.
Nelson C. Dometrius and Joshua Ozymy. 2006 “Legislative Professionalism, Candidate Incentives, and
District Size.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. 6:1 (Spring): 73-87.
Jenkins, Shannon. 2008. “Party Influence on Roll Call Voting: A View from the U.S. States.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly 8(3):239-262.
Rosenthal, Alan. 1998. The Decline of Representative Democracy: Process, Participation, and Power in State
Legislatures. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Maestas, Cherie. 2003. “The Incentive to Listen: Progressive Ambition, Resources, and Opinion Monitoring
among State Legislators.” The Journal of Politics 65 (2): 439-456.
Martorano, Nancy. 2004. “Cohesion or Reciprocity? Majority Party Strength and Minority Party Procedural
Rights in the Legislative Process.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4 (1): 55-73.
Bratton, Kathleen A., and Kerry L. Haynie. 1999. “Agenda Setting and Legislative Success in State
Legislatures: The Effects of Gender and Race.” The Journal of Politics 61 (3): 658-679.
King, James D. 2000. “Changes in Professionalism in U.S. State Legislatures.” Legislative Studies Quarterly
25 (2): 327-343.
Hamm, Keith E. and Robert E. Hogan. 2008. “Campaign Election Laws and Candidacy Decisions in State
Legislative Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 61 (September): 458-467.
12
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
OCTOBER 19, TERM LIMITS AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
REQUIRED READINGS:
Meinke, Scott R. and Edward B. Hasecke. 2003. “Term Limits, Professionalization, and Partisan Control in
the U.S. State Legislatures.” Journal of Politics 65 (3): 898-908.
Kousser, Thad. 2006. “The Limited Impact of Term Limits: Contingent Effects on the Complexity and
Breadth of Laws.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 6 (4): 410-429.
Carey, John M., Richard G. Niemi, Lynda W. Powell, and Gary F. Moncrief. 2006. "The Effects of Term
Limits on State Legislatures: A New Survey of the 50 States." Legislative Studies Quarterly 31:105-34.
Wright, Gerald C. 2007. “Do Term Limits Affect Legislative Roll Call Voting? Representation, Polarization,
and Participation.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7 (3): 256-280.
Hamm, Keith E., Ronald D. Hedlund, and Nancy Martorano. 2006. “Measuring State Legislative Committee
Power: Change and Chamber Differences in the 20th Century.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 6(1):
88-111.
Clucas, Richard A. 2007. “Legislative Professionalism and the Power of State House Leaders.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly 7(1):1-19.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Sarbaugh-Thompson, Marjorie. 2010. "Measuring "Term Limitedness" in U.S. Multi-State Research." State
Politics and Policy Quarterly 10 (2):199-217.
Hedlund, Ronald D., Kevins Coombs, Nancy Martorano, and Keith E. Hamm. 2009. “Partisan Stacking on
Legislative Committees.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 34(2):175-192.
Kanthak, Kristin. 2009. “U.S. State Legislative Committee Assignments and Encouragement of Party
Loyalty.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 9(3):284-303.
Gamm, Gerald, and Thad Kousser. 2010. “Broad Bills or Particularistic Policy? Historical Patterns in
American State Legislatures.” American Political Science Review 104(1):151-170.
Kousser, Thad. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism. Cambridge University
Press, 2005.
Overby, L. Marvin, and Thomas A. Kazee. 2000. “Outlying Committees in the Statehouse: An Examination
of the Prevalence of Committee Outliers in State Legislatures.” Journal of Politics 62(3):701-728.
Engstrom, Erik J., and Nathan W. Monroe. 2006. “Testing the Bias of Incumbency Advantage: Strategic
Candidates and Term Limits in the California Legislature.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 6:1-20.
Clucas, Richard A. 2001. “Principal-Agent Theory and the Power of State House Speakers.” Legislative
Studies Quarterly 26:319-38.
Richman, Jesse. 2010. “The Logic of Legislative Leadership: Preferences, Challenges, and the Speaker’s
Powers.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 35(2):211-234.
Clucas, Richard A. 2009. “The Contract with America and Conditional Party Government in the State
Legislatures.” Political Research Quarterly 317-328.
Bianco, William T., and Itai Sened. 2005. “Uncovering Evidence of Conditional Party Government:
Reassessing Majority Party Influence in Congress and State Legislatures.” American Political Science
Review 99:361-73.
Sarbaugh-Thompson, Marjorie, Lyke Thompson, Charles D. Elder, Meg Comins, Richard C. Elling, and John
13
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Strate. 2006. "Democracy among Strangers: Term Limits' Effects on Relationships between State
Legislators in Michigan." State Politics and Policy Quarterly 6 (4):384-409.
Steen, Jennifer A. 2006. “The Impact of State Legislative Term Limits on the Supply of Congressional
Candidates.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 6(4):430-447.
Lazarus, Jeffrey. 2006. “Term Limits’ Multiple Effects on State Legislators’ Career Decisions.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly 6(4):357-383.
Powell, Richard J. 2008. “Minority Party Gains under State Legislative Term Limits.” State Politics and
Policy Quarterly 8(1):32-47.
Masket, Seth E., and Jeffrey B. Lewis. 2007. “A Return to Normalcy? Revisiting the Effects of Term Limits
on Competitiveness and Spending in California Assembly Elections” State Politics and Policy Quarterly
7(1):20-38.
Nalder, Kimberly. 2007. “The Effect of State Legislative Term Limits on Voter Turnout.” State Politics and
Policy Quarterly 7(2):187-210.
OCTOBER 26, GOVERNORS / EXECUTIVES
REQUIRED READINGS:
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 7, Governors and the Executive Branch, Thad Beyle and Margaret Ferguson
Barrilleaux, Charles, and Michael Berkman. 2003. “Do Governors Matter? Budgeting and the Politics of State
Policymaking.” Political Research Quarterly 56:409-17.
Atkeson, Lonna Rae, and Randall W. Partin. 1995. “Economic and Referendum Voting: A Comparison of
Gubernatorial and Senatorial Elections.” American Political Science Review 89:99-107.
Carsey, Thomas M., and Gerald C. Wright. 1998. “State and National Factors in Gubernatorial and
Senatorial Elections.” American Journal of Political Science 42 (3): 994-1002.
Atkeson, Lonna Rae, and Randall W. Partin. 1998. “Economic Voting and the Problem of Data Choice:
A Reply.” American Journal of Political Science 42 (July): 1003-1007.
Carsey, Thomas M. and Gerald C. Wright. 1998. “State and National Factors in Gubernatorial and
Senatorial Elections: A Rejoinder.” American Journal of Political Science 42 (July): 1008-1111.
Ferguson, Margaret Robertson. 2003. “Chief Executive Success in the Legislative Arena.” State Politics and
Policy Quarterly 3:158-82.
Klarner, Carl E. and Andrew Karch. 2008. “Why Do Governors Issue Vetoes? The Impact of Individual and
Institutional Influences.” Political Research Quarterly
Kousser, Thad, and Justin H. Phillips. 2009. “Who Blinks First? Legislative Patience and Bargaining with
Governors.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 34(1):55-86.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Nelson C. Dometrius and Deil S. Wright. 2010. “Governors, Legislatures, and State Budgets Across time.”
Political Research Quarterly, 63:4 (December): 783-95.
Bowman, Ann O’M., and Neal D. Woods, and Milton R. Stark II. 2010. “Governors Turn Pro: Separation of
Powers and the Institutionalization of the American Governorship.” Political Research Quarterly
63(2):304-315.
Brown, Adam R. 2010. “Are Governors Responsible for the State Economy? Partisanship, Blame, and
Divided Government.” Journal of Politics 72(3):605-615.
14
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Chubb, John E. 1988. “Institutions, the Economy, and the Dynamics of State Elections.” American Political
Science Review 82:133-54.
Ferguson, Margaret R., and Cynthia J. Bowling. 2008. “Executive Orders and Administrative Control.” Public
Administration Review 68(December):S20-S28.
Goodman, Doug. 2007. “Determinants of Perceived Gubernatorial Budgetary Influence among State
Executive Budget Analysts and Legislative Fiscal Analysts.” Political Research Quarterly 60(1):43-54.
Barrilleaux, Charles. 1999. “Governors, Bureaus, and State Policymaking.” State and Local Government
Review 31:53-9.
Coffey. 2005. Measuring Gubernatorial Ideology: A Content Analysis of State of the State Speeches” State
Politics and Policy Quarterly 5(Spring):88-103.
Dometrius, Nelson C. 1987. "Changing Gubernatorial Power: The Measure vs. Reality." Western Political
Quarterly 40: 319-333.
King, James D. and Jeffrey E. Cohen. 2005. “What Determines a Governor’s Popularity?” State Politics &
Policy Quarterly 5 (Fall): 225-247.
Abney, Glenn, and Thomas P. Lauth. 1997. "The Item Veto and Fiscal Responsibility." Journal of Politics.
59:882-892.
Nelson Dometrius, 1979, “Measuring Gubernatorial Power,” Journal of Politics 41: 589-610.
Lem, Steve B., and Conor M. Dowling. 2006. “Picking Their Spots: Minor Party Candidates in Gubernatorial
Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 59:471-80.
King, James D. 2001. “Incumbent Popularity and Vote Choice in Gubernatorial Elections.” Journal of Politics
63:585-97.
Cohen, Jeffrey E. and James D. King. 2004. “Relative Unemployment and Gubernatorial Popularity.” The
Journal of Politics 66 (4): 1267-1282.
Sigelman, Lee and Nelson C. Dometrius. 1988. “Governors as Chief Administrators: The Linkage Between
Formal Powers and Informal Influence.” American Politics Quarterly. 15: 157-170.
Leyden, Kevin M., and Stephen A. Borrelli. 1995. “The Effect of State Economic Conditions on
Gubernatorial Elections: Does a Unified Government Make a Difference?” Political Research Quarterly
48:275-90.
Bardwell, Kedron. 2002. “Money and Challenger Emergence in Gubernatorial Primaries.” Political Research
Quarterly 55 (September): 653-667.
Nelson C. Dometrius, Cynthia Bowling, Margaret R. Ferguson, and Deil S. Wright. Forthcoming. “StateLevel Measures of Institutional Budgetary Influence From the American State Administrators Project
(ASAP): 1964-1998.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly. (Probable publication year, 2011). Data
Source (not analytic article) available at http://www.webpages.ttu.edu/ndometri/Research.htm
Nelson C. Dometrius, Deil S. Wright, and Brendan Burke. 2008. “Strategies for Measuring Influence over
State Agencies.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly, 8:1 (Spring): 88-100.
Hogan, Robert E. 2005. “Gubernatorial Coattail Effects in State Legislative Elections.” Political Research
Quarterly 58 (December): 587-597.
NOVEMBER 2, JUDICIARY
REQUIRED READINGS:
Gray-Hanson Chap. 8. Courts: Politics and the Judicial Process, Melinda Gann Hall
Hall, Melinda Gann. 2001. "State Supreme Courts in American Democracy: Probing the Myths of Judicial
15
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Reform." American Political Science Review 95 (2): 315-330.
Huber, Gregory A., and Sanford C. Gordon. 2004. “Accountability and Coercion: Is Justice Blind When It
Runs for Office?” American Journal of Political Science 48:247-63.
Hall, Melinda Gann, and Chris W. Bonneau. 2006. “Does Quality Matter? Challengers in State Supreme
Court Elections.” American Journal of Political Science 50 (1): 20-33.
Brace, Paul, and Brent D. Boyea. 2008. “State Public Opinion, the Death Penalty, and the Practice of Electing
Judges.” American Journal of Political Science 52 (2): 360-372.
Caldarone, Richard P., Brandice Canes-Wrone, and Tom S. Clark. 2009. “Partisan Labels and Democratic
Accountability: An Analysis of State Supreme Court Abortion Decisions.” Journal of Politics 71(2):560573.
Gibson, James L. 2009. “’New-Style’ Judicial Campaigns and the Legitimacy of State High Courts.” Journal
of Politics 71(4):1285-1304.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Bonneau, Chris W. 2007. "The Effects of Campaign Spending in State Supreme Court Elections." Political
Research Quarterly 60 (3):489-99. Chris Bonneau’s Replication Data is available at:
http://www.pitt.edu/~cwb7/
Brace, Paul R., and Melinda Gann Hall. 1997. “The Interplay of Preferences, Case Facts, Context, and Rules
in the Politics of Judicial Choice.” Journal of Politics 59:1206-31.
Peters, C. Scott. 2009. “Canons of Ethics and Accountability in State Supreme Court Elections.” State Politics
and Policy Quarterly 9(1):24-55.
Jensen, Jennifer M., and Wendy L. Martinek. 2009. “The Effects of Race and Gender on the Judicial
Ambitions of State Trial Court Judges.” Political Research Quarterly 62(2):379-392.
Williams, Margaret S. 2008. “Ambition, Gender, and the Judiciary.” Political Research Quarterly 61(1):6878.
Hurwitz, Mark S. and Drew Noble Lanier. 2003. “Explaining Judicial Diversity: The Differential Ability of
Women and Minorities to Attain Seats on State Supreme and Appellate Courts.” State Politics and Policy
Quarterly 3:329-52.
Hall, Melinda Gann. 2001. “Voluntary Retirements from State Supreme Courts: Assessing Democratic
Pressures to Relinquish the Bench.” Journal of Politics 63:1112-40.
Bonneau, Chris W., and Heather Marie Rice. 2009. “Impartial Judges? Race, Institutional Context, and U.S.
State Supreme Courts.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 9(4):381-403.
Cann, Damon M. 2007. “Justice for Sale? Campaign Contributions and Judicial Decisionmaking.” State
Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(3):281-97.
Hall, Melinda Gann. 2007. “Voting in State Supreme Court Elections: Competition and Context as
Democratic Incentives.” Journal of Politics 69(4): 1147-1159.
Brace, Paul and Melinda Gann Hall. 2001. “ ‘Haves’ Versus ‘Have Nots’ in State Supreme Courts: Allocating
Docket Space and Winds in Power Asymmetric Cases.” Law & Society Review 35 (June): 393-417.
Hoekstra, Valerie. 2005. “Competing Constraints: State Court Responses to Supreme Court Decisions and
Legislation on Wages and Hours.” Political Research Quarterly 58 (June): 317-328.
Kilwein, John C. and Richard A. Brisbin, Jr. 1997. "Policy Convergence in a Federal Judicial System: The
Application of Intensified Scrutiny Doctrines by State Supreme Courts." American Journal of Political
Science 41 (January): 122-148.
16
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Brace, Paul, Laura Langer, and Melinda Gann Hall. 2000. “Measuring the Preferences of State Supreme Court
Judges.” Journal of Politics 62 (May): 387-413.
Langer, Laura, Jody McMullen, Nicholas P. Ray, and Daniel D. Stratton. 2003. “Recruitment of Chief Justices
on State Supreme Courts: A Choice Between Institutional and Personal Goals.” Journal of Politics 65
(August): 656-675.
Squire, Peverill. 2008. “Measuring the Professionalization of U.S. State Courts of Last Resort.” State Politics
& Policy Quarterly 8 (Spring): 223-238
Hall, Melinda Gann. 1992. “Electoral Politics and Strategic Voting in State Supreme Courts.” Journal of
Politics 54 (May): 427-446.
Klein, David and Lawrence Baum. 2001. “Ballot Information and Voting Decisions in Judicial Elections.”
Political Research Quarterly 54 (December): 709-728.
Streb, Matthew J. and Brian Frederick. 2009. “Conditions for Competition in Low-Information Judicial
Elections. The Case of Intermediate Appellate Court Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 62
(September): 523-537.
NOVEMBER 9 INNOVATION AND DIFFUSION
REQUIRED READINGS:
Walker, Jack L. 1969. “The Diffusion of Innovations among American States.” The American Political
Science Review 63: (3): 880-899.
Berry, Fances Stokes and William D. Berry. 1990. State Lottery Adoptions as Policy Innovations: An Event
History Analysis. American Political Science Review, 84:395-415.
Mintrom, Michael. 1997. Policy Entrepreneurs and the Diffusion of Innovation. American Journal of
Political Science, 41: 738-770.
Shipan, Charles R., and Craig Volden. 2006. “Bottom-up Federalism: the Diffusion of Antismoking Policies
from U.S. Cities to States.” American Journal of Political Science 50 (4): 825-843.
Shipan, Charles R., and Craig Volden. 2008. "The Mechanisms of Policy Diffusion." American Journal of
Political Science 52:840-57.
Nicholson-Crotty, Sean. 2009 “The Politics of Diffusion: Public Policy in the American States.” Journal of
Politics. Vol. 71, No. 1, January, Pp. 192–205.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNAL ARTICLE PRESENTATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Karch, Andrew. 2007. "Emerging Issues and Future Directions in State Policy Diffusion Research." State
Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(1): 54-80.
Volden, Craig. 2006. “States as Policy Laboratories: Emulating Success in the Children's Health Insurance
Program” American Journal of Political Science 50(2): 294-312
Welch, Susan, and Kay Thompson. 1980. “The Impact of Federal Incentives on State Policy Innovation.”
American Journal of Political Science 24 (4): 715-729.
Allen, Mahally D., Carrie Pettus, and Donald P. Haider-Markel. 2004. “Making the National Local:
Specifying the Conditions for National Government Influence on State Policymaking.” State Politics and
Policy Quarterly 4:318–44.
Balla, Steven J. 2001. “Interstate Professional Associations and the Diffusion of Policy Innovations.”
American Politics Research 29:221–45.
Berry, Frances Stokes, and William D. Berry. 1992. “Tax Innovation in the States: Capitalizing on Political
17
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Opportunity.” American Journal of Political Science 36:715–42.
Boehmke, Frederick J., and Richard Witmer. 2004. “Disentangling Diffusion: The Effects of Social Learning
and Economic Competition on State Policy Innovation and Expansion.” Political Research Quarterly
57:39–51.
Buckley, Jack, and Chad Westerland. 2004. “Duration Dependence, Functional Form, and Corrected Standard
Errors: Improving EHA Models of State Policy Diffusion.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4:94–113.
Canon, Bradley C., and Lawrence Baum. 1981. “Patterns of Adoption of Tort Law Innovations: An
Application of Diffusion Theory to Judicial Doctrines.” American Political Science Review 75:975–87.
Glick, Henry R., and Scott P. Hays. 1991. “Innovation and Reinvention in State Policymaking: Theory and
the Evolution of Living Will Laws.” Journal of Politics 53:835–50.
Gray, Virginia. 1973. “Innovation in the States: A Diffusion Study.” American Political Science Review
67:1174–85.
Haider-Markel, Donald P. 2001. “Policy Diffusion as a Geographical Expansion of the Scope of Political
Conflict: Same-Sex Marriage Bans in the 1990s.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1:5–26.
Karch, Andrew. 2006. “National Intervention and the Diffusion of Policy Innovations.” American Politics
Research 34:403–26.
Karch, Andrew. 2007. Democratic Laboratories: Policy Diffusion among the American States. Ann Arbor,
MI: University of Michigan Press.
Mintrom, Michael, and Susan Vergari. 1998. “Policy Networks and Innovation Diffusion: The Case of State
Education Reforms.” Journal of Politics 60:126–48.
Mooney, Christopher Z. 2001. “Modeling Regional Effects on State Policy Diffusion.” Political Research
Quarterly 54:103–24.
NOVEMBER 16, SOMETHING ELSE
Most major topics of interest to political scientists are connected in some way to research at the state level.
Below is a collection of additional (by no means all) state politics / policy topics. Pick any topic and then
pick any 3 reasonable articles on that topic (from the list provided or others you find. Reasonable in that
they should not be advancements by the same author or largely descriptive / measurement pieces. The
Gray-Hanson chapters are listed for background information only. They may not be one of your three
articles, but the chapter reference sections can guide you toward additional literature. You may also use
any of the supplementary readings from earlier topics as long as they have not been used before by you or
another student.
Email the instructor your choices for approval to avoid duplications. Present your three articles in class as a
coherent whole – what each does but also how they agree, disagree, advance research on the topic, and
the like.
Interest Groups
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 4. Interest Groups in the States, Anthony J. Nownes, Clive S. Thomas, and Ronald J.
Hrebenar.
Gray, Virginia, and David Lowery. 1995. “The Population Ecology of Gucci Gulch, or the Natural Regulation
of Interest Group Numbers in the American States.” American Journal of Political Science 39 (1): 1-29.
Boehmke, Frederick J. 2002. “The Effect of Direct Democracy on the Size and Diversity of State Interest
Group Populations” The Journal of Politics 64 (3): 827-844.
Gray, Virginia, David Lowery, Matthew Fellowes, and Andrea McAtee. 2004. "Public Opinion, Public
Policy, and Organized Interests in the American States." Political Research Quarterly 57 (3):411.
18
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Hogan, Robert E. 2005. “State Campaign Finance Laws and Interest Group Electioneering Activities.” The
Journal of Politics 67 (3): 887-906.
Ozymy, Joshua. 2010. "Assessing the Impact of Legislative Lobbying Regulations on Interest Group
Influence in U.S. State Legislatures." State Politics & Policy Quarterly 10 (4):397-420.
Gray, Virginia and David Lowery. 1988. "Interest Group Politics and Economic Growth in the U.S. States."
American Political Science Review 82 (March): 109-131.
Brace, Paul and Youssef Cohen. 1989. “How Much Do Interest Groups Influence State Economic
Growth?” American Political Science Review 83 (December): 1297-1301.
Response from Gray and Lowery, pages 1302-1308.
Nownes, Anthony J. and Patricia Freeman. 1998. "Interest Group Activity in the States." Journal of Politics
60 (February): 86-112.
Bowler, Shaun and Robert Hanneman. 2006. “Just How Pluralist is Direct Democracy? The Structure of
Interest Group Participation in Ballot Proposition Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 59
(December): 557-568.
Morality Politics / Policy
Meier, Kenneth J. 1992. “The Politics of Drug Abuse: Laws, Implementation, and Consequences.” The
Western Political Quarterly 45 (1): 41-69.
Mooney, Christopher Z., and Mei-Hsein Lee. 1995. “Legislating Morality in the American States: The Case
of Pre-Roe Abortion Regulation Reform.” American Journal of Political Science 39:599-627.
Haider-Markel, Donald P., and Kenneth J. Meier. 1996. “The Politics of Gay and Lesbian Rights: Expanding
the Scope of Conflict.” Journal of Politics 58: (2): 332-349.
Haider-Markel, Donald P. 1998. “The Politics of Social Regulatory Policy: State and Federal Hate Crime
Policy and Implementation Effort.” Political Research Quarterly 51 (1): 69-88.
Lax, Jeffrey R., and Justin H. Phillips. 2009. “Gay Rights in the States: Public Opinion and Policy
Responsiveness.” American Political Science Review 103(3):367-386.
Patton, Dana J. 2007. “The Supreme Court and Morality Policy Adoption in the American States: The Impact
of Constitutional Context.” Political Research Quarterly. September.
Crime / Justice Policy
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 9. State Corrections Policy, John Wooldredge
Mooney, Christopher Z., and Mei-Hsein Lee. 2000. “The Influence of Values on Consensus and Contentious
Morality Policy: U.S. Death Penalty Reform, 1956-82.” Journal of Politics 62:223-239.
Smith, Kevin B. 2004. “The Politics of Punishment: Evaluating Political Explanations of Incarceration Rates.”
Journal of Politics. 66: 925-938.
Ritchey, Mark and Sean Nicholson-Crotty. 2011. “Deterrence Theory and the Implementation of Speed Limits
in the American States.” Policy Studies Journal.
Kubik, Jeffrey D., and John R. Moran. 2003. “Lethal Elections: Gubernatorial Politics and the Timing of
Executions.” Journal of Law and Economics Volume XLVI (1): 1-26.
Jeff Yates, Richard Fording. 2005. “Politics and State Punitiveness in Black and White.” The Journal of
Politics 67 (4), 1099–1121.
19
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Behrens, Angela, Christopher Uggen, and Jeff Manza. 2003. “Ballot Manipulation and the ‘Menace of Negro
Domination’: Racial Threat and Felon Disenfranchisement in the United States, 1850–2002.” American
Journal of Sociology 109:559–605.
Christopher Uggen; Jeff Manza , “Democratic Contraction? Political Consequences of Felon
Disenfranchisement in the United States,” American Sociological Review, Vol. 67, No. 6. (Dec., 2002),
pp. 777-803.
Health, Welfare, and Education Policies
Gray-Hanson,
Chap. 11. Transforming State Health and Welfare Programs, Mark Carl Rom
Chap. 12. The Politics of Education, Kenneth K. Wong
Wood, B. D., & Theobald, N. A. 2003. “Political responsiveness and equity in public education finance.”
Journal of Politics, 65(3), 718-738.
Hicklin, Alisa and Kenneth J. Meier. 2008. “Race, Structure, and State Governments: The Politics of Higher
Education Diversity.” Journal of Politics. 70(3): 851-860.
Joe Soss; Sanford F. Schram; Thomas P. Vartanian; Erin O'Brien. 2001. “Setting the Terms of Relief:
Explaining State Policy Choices in the Devolution Revolution.” American Journal of Political Science,
Vol. 45, No. 2. (Apr., 2001), pp. 378-395.
Matthew C. Fellowes, Gretchen Rowe. 2004. “Politics and the New American Welfare States.” American
Journal of Political Science 48 (2), 362–373.
Rodney E. Hero and Robert R. Preuhs. 2007. “Immigration and the Evolving American Welfare State:
Examining Policies in the U.S. States.” American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 51, No. 3, July 2007,
Pp. 498–517.
Grogan, Colleen M. 1994. "Political-Economic Factors Influencing State Medicaid Policy." Political
Research Quarterly 48:403-16
Grogan, C. M. 1996. “Correction Note: Political-Economic Factors Influencing State Medicaid Policy.”
Political Research Quarterly 49:673– 675.
Kousser, Thad. 2002. The Politics of Discretionary Medicaid Spending, 1980–1993. Journal of Health
Politics, Policy and Law 27:639– 671.
Tax / Fiscal Policy
Gray-Hanson,
Chapter 10. Fiscal Policy in the American States, Robert C. Lowry
Chapter 14. Economic Development and Infrastructure Policy, Martin Saiz and Susan E. Clarke
New, Michael. 2010. “U.S. State Tax and Expenditure Limitations: A Comparative Political Analysis.” State
Politics and Policy Quarterly.
Turner, Robert C. 2003. “The Political Economy of Gubernatorial Smokestack Chasing: Bad Policy and Bad
Politics?” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 3:270-93.
Nicholson-Crotty, Sean. 2008. “Fiscal Federalism and Tax Effort in the U.S. States” State Politics and Policy
Quarterly 8 (2): 109-126.
Lowry, Robert C., James E. Alt, and Karen E. Ferree. 1998. "Fiscal Policy Outcomes and Electoral
Accountability in American States." American Political Science Review. 92:759-74.
Jowei, Chen, and Neil Malhotra. 2007. “The Law of K/N: The Effect of Chamber Size on Government
Spending in Bicameral Legislatures.” The American Political Science Review 101 (4): 657.
20
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Legislative Redistricting
McDonald, Michael P. 2004. “A Comparative Analysis of Redistricting Institutions in the United States,
2001-02.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4(4):371-395.
Schaffner, Brian F., Michael W. Wagner, and Jonathan Winburn. 2004. “Incumbents Out, Party In? Term
Limits and Partisan Redistricting in State Legislatures.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4(4):396414.
Tolbert, Caroline J., Daniel A. Smtih, and John C. Green. 2009. “Strategic Voting and Legislative
Redistricting Reform.” Political Research Quarterly 62(1):92-109.
Lublin, David, Thomas L. Brunell, Bernard Grofman, and Lisa Handley. 2009. “Has the Voting Rights Act
Outlived Its Usefulness: In a Word, ‘No’.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 34(4):525-554.
Forgette, Richard, Andrew Garner, and John Winkle. 2009. “Do Redistricting Principles and Practices Affect
U.S. State Legislative Electoral Competition?” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 9(2):151-175.
Ansolabehere, Stephen, and William Leblanc. 2008. “A Spatial Model of the Relationship between Seats and
Votes.” Mathematical and Computer Modeling 48(9-10):1409-1420.
Herron, Michael C., and Alan E. Wiseman. 2008. “Gerrymanders and Theories of Lawmaking: A Study of
Legislative Redistricting in Illinois.” Journal of Politics 70(1):151-167.
Lublin, David, and D. Stephen Voss. 2000. Racial Redistricting and Realignment in Southern State
Legislatures. American Journal of Political Science 44 (4):792-810.
Women and Racial Minorities
Orey, Byron D’Andra, L. Marvin Overby, and Christopher W. Larimer. 2007. “African-American Committee
Chairs in U.S. State Legislatures.” Social Science Quarterly 88(3):619-639.
Bratton, Kathleen A., Kerry L. Haynie, and Beth Reingold. 2006. “Agenda Setting and African American
Women in State Legislatures.” Journal of Women Politics and Policy 28(3-4):71-96.
Poggione, Sarah. 2004. “Exploring Gender Differences in State Legislators’ Policy Preferences.” Political
Research Quarterly 57:305-14.
Cammisa, Anne Marie, and Beth Reingold. 2004. “Women in State Legislatures and State Legislative
Research: Beyond Sameness and Difference.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 4:181-210.
Arceneaux, Kevin. 2001. “The ‘Gender Gap’ in State Legislative Representation: New Data to Tackle an Old
Question.” Political Research Quarterly 54:143-60.
Sanbonmatsu, Kira. 2002. “Political Parties and the Recruitment of Women to State Legislatures.” Journal of
Politics 64:791-809.
Kathlene, Lyn. 1994. "Power and Influence in State Legislative Policymaking: The Interaction of Gender and
Position in Committee Hearing Debates." American Political Science Review. 560-576.
Preuhs, Robert R. 2006. “The Conditional Effects of Minority Descriptive Representation: Black Legislators
and Policy Influence in the American States.” Journal of Politics 68(3): 585-599.
Grofman, Bernard, and Lisa Handley. 1991. "The Impact of the Voting Rights Act on Black Representation in
Southern State Legislatures." Legislative Studies Quarterly 16 (May): 111-128.
McDermott, Monika L. 1998. “Race and Gender Cues in Low-Information Elections.” Political Research
Quarterly 51 (December): 895-918.
L. Marvin Overby; Kenneth M. Cosgrove. 1996. “Unintended Consequences? Racial Redistricting and the
Representation of Minority Interests.” The Journal of Politics, Vol. 58, No. 2. (May, 1996), pp. 540-550.
21
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Gay, Claudine. 2007. “Legislating Without Constraints: The Effect of Minority Districting on Legislators’
Responsiveness to Constituency Preferences.” Journal of Politics Vol. 69, No. 2, May 2007, pp. 442–
456.
Soss, Joe, Richard C. Fording, and Sanford F. Schram. 2008. “The Color of Devolution: Race, Federalism,
and the Politics of Social Control.” American Journal of Political Science 52, 3 (July): 536-553.
Federalism Issues, National-State
Gray-Hanson, Chap. 2. Intergovernmental Relations, Russell L. Hanson.
Malhotra, Neil. 2008. “Partisan Polarization and Blame Attribution in a Federal System: The Case of
Hurricane Katrina.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism
Schneider, Saundra K., William G. Jacoby, and Daniel C. Lewis. "Public Opinion Toward Intergovernmental
Policy Responsibilities." Publius: The Journal of Federalism 41 (1):1-30.
Chubb, John E. 1985. The Political Economy of Federalism. American Political Science Review, 79: 9941014.
Rich, Michael J. 1989. Distributive Politics and the Allocation of Federal Grants. American Political
Science Review, 83: 193-213.
Wood, B. Dan. 1992. Modeling Federal Implementation as a System: The Clean Air Case. American
Journal of Political Science, 36: 40-67.
Bowman, Ann O’M., and Neal D. Woods. 2007. “Strength in Numbers: Why States Join Interstate
Compacts.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7 (4): 347-368.
Lieberman, Robert C., and Greg M. Shaw. 2000. “Looking Outward, Looking Inward: The Politics of State
Welfare Innovation under Devolution.” Political Research Quarterly 53:215–40.
Federalism, State Competition, and the Race to the Bottom
Peterson, Paul E. and Mark C. Rom. 1989. “American Federalism, Welfare Policy and Residential Choices.”
American Political Science Review 83:711-28.
Bailey, Michael A. 2005. “Welfare and the Multifaceted Decision to Move.” American Political Science
Review 99, no. 1: 125-135.
Volden, Craig. 2002. The Politics of Competitive Federalism: A Race to the Bottom in Welfare Benefits?
American Journal of Political Science 46 (2):352.
Berry, William D., Richard C. Fording and Russell Hanson. 2003. "Reassessing the 'Race to the Bottom' in
State Welfare Policy." Journal of Politics 65, no. 2(May): 327-349.
Bailey, Michael A., and Mark C. Rom. 2004. “A Wider Race? Interstate Competition across Health and
Welfare Programs. Journal of Politics 66, no. 2: 326-347.
David M. Konisky. 2007. “Regulatory Competition and Environmental Enforcement: Is There a Race to the
Bottom?” American Journal of Political Science 51(4): 853-872.
METHODS / DATA ISSUES IN STATE POLITICS RESEARCH
Stimson, James A. 1985. Regression Models in Space and Time: A Statistical Essay. American Journal of
Political Science, 29:914-947
Steenbergen, Marco R. and Bradford S. Jones. 2002. “Modeling Multilevel Data Structures.” American
Journal of Political Science, 46(1): 218-37.
22
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
Jones, Bradford S. and Regina P. Branton. 2005. "Beyond Logic and Probit: Cox Duration Models of Single,
Repeating, and Competing Events for State Policy Adoption." State Politics and Policy Quarterly
5(4):420-43.
Primo, David M., Matthew L. Jacobmeier, and Jeffrey Milyo. 2007. “Estimating the Impact of State Policies
and Institutions with Mixed Level Data.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(4):446-59.
Erikson, Robert S. and Lorraine C. Minnite. 2008. “Modeling Problems in the Voter ID-Voter Turnout
Debate.” Presented at the Annual State Politics and Policy Conference, May 2008, Temple University
(available here: http://www.unc.edu/depts/polisci/statepol/conferences/2008/2008papers.htm)
Erikson, Robert S., Pablo M. Pinto, and Kelly T. Rader. 2008. “Randomization Tests and Multi-Level Data in
State Politics.” Presented at the Annual State Politics and Policy Conference, May 2008, Temple
University (available here: http://www.unc.edu/depts/polisci/statepol/conferences/2008/2008papers.htm)
Granberg_Rademacker, J. Scott. 2007. "A Comparison of Three Approaches to Handling Incomplete StateLevel Data." State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(3):325-38.
Arceneaux, Kevin and Gregory A. Huber. 2007. "What to Do (and Not Do) with Multicollinearity in State
Politics Research." State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(1):81-101.
Carsey, Thomas M. and Robert A. Jackson. 2001. “Misreport of Vote Choice in the U.S. Senate and
Gubernatorial Elections.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1(2):196-209.
Berry, William D. and Brady Baybeck. 2005. “Using Geographic Information Systems to Study Interstate
Competition.” American Political Science Review 99(4): 505-519.
Clark, Jennifer Hayes, Tracy Osborn, Jonathan Winburn, and Gerald C. Wright. 2009. “Representation in U.S.
Legislatures: The Acquisition and Analysis of U.S. State Legislative Roll-Call Data.” State Politics &
Policy Quarterly 9 (Fall): 356-370.
NOVEMBER 23, THANKSGIVING BREAK
NOVEMBER 30, FIRST ROUND OF PAPER PRESENTATIONS
On this day every student (a) should email to the instructor and all fellow students a full copy of her / his
paper, and (b) present that paper in class as a poster presentation. PowerPoint slides are preferred but an
actual poster may be used if you wish. Presentation material should be limited to 4-7 standard sized
pages or roughly the equivalent amount of material on PowerPoint slides.
DECEMBER 7, LAST ROUND OF PAPER PRESENTATIONS
Each person will be assigned two of their fellow student’s papers. For each paper assigned you must do the
following:
(a) locate any two sentences / sections / paragraphs that do not appear to you to be directly relevant to the
main purpose of the paper.
(b) locate any three sentences / sections / paragraphs where you do not fully follow what the author’s
point is.
(c) take any two pages of the paper (not necessarily physical pages but a number of whole paragraphs that
total two pages in length) and by condensing, deleting words, eliminating repetitions, rewriting sentences
or whatever you choose, and condense those two pages into 1 ½ pages without any loss of substance.
(d) Using the APSA Manual of Style review each paper’s reference section and correct any errors you
may find.
All of the above is to be done using Word’s track changes feature. Keep the changes you made visible in the
23
Seminar, State Politics and Policy
Dometrius
paper and email the paper with your corrections to all the other students by the morning of the class day.
Be prepared to explain your changes in class. (For this meeting students may use laptops in class to
review the modified papers).
DECEMBER 10 (SATURDAY), FINAL EXAM
Take Home Exam, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
24