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Book Manuscript: Democratic Vices/Democratic Souls
Drawing on Greek Tragedy, Social Psychology,
and Political Theory
Analyzes a list of “deadly vices” that contemporary
political societies can neither ignore as a matter of
personal “sin” nor publicly disregard as a matter of mere
bad choice.
 Advances normative political theory that outlines how
citizens and organizations can best respond to our most
troubling political vices without undermining core
commitments to personal freedom and cultural pluralism.
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Key Concepts: Hubris, Moral Blindness,
Recalcitrance, Political Accountability, Justice
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Political Theory and Psychology: Is there a politics
to suicide? What are the political responsibilities of
the living toward certain classes of suicide?
Political Theory and Social Practice: Is an ideal of
impartial political judgment feasible or desirable
within deliberative organizations?
Politics, History, and Leadership Studies: What are
the virtues and dangers of creative leadership within
democratic societies?
Political Theory, Economics, and Higher
Education: How can Universities and Colleges
survive neo-liberalism with their academic souls
intact?
Mark E. Button, Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
Associate Chair and Director of Graduate Studies
OSH 154A
801-585-7987
mark.button@poli-sci.utah.edu
Current Research and Interests

Research Areas in International Relations
 International Political Economy
 Environmental Politics
 Comparative Research Methods

Current Projects
 Environmental politics and climate
change in emerging economies
 Understanding the International currency
system and the rise of Asian currencies
Findings and Future Research
 Do
differing types of capitalism in the
emerging economies influence important
environmental outcomes?
 Varying
types of capitalism are shown to
influence measurable policy outcomes
 Extending
the project to other issue areas:
 Water, sustainable energy and other
financial markets
Contact Information
 Tabitha
Benney, Assistant Professor
 Political Science, University of Utah
 Location: OSH 327
 Email: tabitha.benney@poli-sci.utah.edu
 Phone: 801-585-7475
Prior Research
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Crisis Management
Case studies
Ethics and Accountability in Crises
Public Trust in Governing Institutions
Comparative Risk Regulation
New Research
• American Taboos – How do we make policy
around what we feel we can’t talk about?
• Protracted social problems – how do we
regulate social risk when a person or a
behavior is taboo?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Homelessness
Economic class
Suicide
Incest
Contact Information
Lina Svedin
Political Science Department
The Master of Public Administration Program
lina.svedin@poli-sci.utah.edu
or
stop by OSH 328
Research: Past & Present
1) Social & Demographic Consequences of Migration in
Contexts of Development
o
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Remittances & investment in boys’ & girls’ schooling in Nepal
School persistence among children of migrants in Thailand
Migration & life course transitions in Thailand (P01 in progress)
Enclave & network influences on migrant settlement, mobility
2) Immigrant Incorporation in New Destinations
o
o
o
Utah Population Database
Integration of undocumented immigrants
Health disparities & access to care by immigrants, undocumented
3) Impacts of migration & conflict on health & aging
o
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Migration & fertility decline impacts on intergenerational support
War exposure impacts on health & social mobility in Vietnamese elderly
Findings of Note & Future Directions
• Diverse social ties in urban destinations (bridging ties)
influence permanency & quality of migrants’ settlements
– How do enclaves form, how do they influence migration dynamics
• Migration & remittances have diverse impacts upon household
economic investment (schooling by gender)
– How do migration/remittance influence land use/agriculture, food
security?
• Involvement in combat during the American War heightens
health problems in Vietnamese older adults
– Which specific forms of war exposure have lasting impacts upon
health & well-being? scarring or resilience? use of biomarkers
• Undocumented immigrants have health outcomes superior to
native-born Utahns; driver privilege card enhances PNC
– How does neighborhood context & proximity to accessible care
influence birth outcomes?
Kim Korinek
Department of Sociology
The Asia Center
kim.korinek@soc.utah.edu
I work on projects related
to women’s and
children’s health in the
developing world. I
particularly focus on the
use of climate, landscape
and agricultural data
(often derived from
satellites) as measures of
local resources. My
research tends to be very
quantitative in nature
(but I have been doing
some focus group
interviews as well).
I am interested in collaborators who study
gender and development, innovative behavior
(as measured by the culture) and topics
related to individual responses to colonialism,
empowerment and cultural transitions
(for example the transition from polygyny to
monogamy).
Kathryn Grace
Department of Geography
grace@geog.utah.edu
Globalization, Urbanization &
Development
Dennis Wei, Professor, Geography
1. Regional Development and Inequality•
Regional Inequality (NSF of China 2004, 2014)
• Regional Development/Integration: Remaking
development models and industrial districts (NGS 2004,
2008; Ford Foundation 2008, NSFC 2012)
0.45
0.14
CV
0.11
0.35
0.08
0.3
Gini
Theil
0.05
0.25
0.2
0.02
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
Year
Theil Index
CV and Gini Coefficient
0.4
2. Globalization, FDI & Cities/Regions
• Transnational Corporations: location,
network and innovation (NSF 2001, 2006)
• World/Global Cities: Shanghai and Beijing
(Chinese Ministry of Education 2011; NSF
2014?)
• Regional Response to globalization
(Ford Foundation 2008)
•
3. Urbanization, Land and Sustainability
• Urban Land Expansion and Sprawl (UU Seed Grant
2011, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy 2011, 2013)
• Urban Transition and Growth (Chinese Ministry of
Education 2012)
• Urbanization, Development, Inequality and Sustainability
(NSFC 2012)
Youth Socioemotional Development
and the Contexts within which
Development Occurs
Populations:
• Typically-developing
youth
• Youth on the autism
spectrum in technology
program
• Youth with refugee
status
Methods:
• Community-based
participatory research
approach
• Quantitative and
qualitative methods
Psychosocial Outcomes in Youth on the
Autism Spectrum
• Positive Youth
Development approach
using strength- and
interest-based afterschool technology
program to support
youth engagement
• Reframing the disability
in 3 domains:
– Personal
– Social
– Vocational
Marissa Diener
Marissa.diener@fcs.utah.edu
1-8750
Ken R. Smith
Department of Family & Consumer Studies
Population Science, Huntsman Cancer Institute
Center on Aging
Past
Present
Big Data
Family
Demography/Biodemography
Fertility and Longevity
Utah Population Database
Mortality Effects of Widowhood
Life Course Epidemiology of
Alzheimer’s Disease
Exceptional Human Longevity
Genetic Testing for Cancer
Susceptibility
Survival and Early Life Circumstances
Spatial/Neighborhood Effects on
Obesity
Population Genetics of Cancer
Retirement and Family Health Hsitory
Census Research Data
Center
Utah Genome Project
Findings and the Next New New
Thing
•
Early Life Conditions Survival and Health (ELCS)
• Dissertations
• Heidi Hanson (ELCs and Longevity)
• Michael Hollingshaus (ELCs and Adult
Suicide)
• Collaborations
• Intermountain Healthcare (Low Birth
Weight)
• Utah State University (Alzheimer’s)
• University of Minnesota (Historic Census)
• UCSF (Early Adversity and Breast Cancer)
• Duke (Predicting Longevity from family
data)
• University of Edinburgh (Evolutionary
ecology)
• University of Sheffield (sexual conflict,
reproduction and lifespan)
• Imperial College London (Mode of birth)
• Full Life Histories with Utah Population Database on
1.5 Million people
Ken R. Smith
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Department of Family and Consumer Studies
Population Science, Huntsman Cancer institute
Ken.smith@fcs.utah.edu
FCS 801-581-7847
HCI 801-585-5135
Utah Population Database:
• http://www.huntsmancancer.org/research/shared-resources/utah-populationdatabase/overview
• Or Google ‘UPDB Utah’
Will the North Temple “Complete Streets” intervention 
more physical activity & obesity prevention? Barbara Brown (FCS), Carol
Werner (Psych), Ken Smith (FCS/HCI) , Harvey Miller (was Geog, now Ohio State) (funding by NCI:
CA157509)
• Comparing those
near & far from
Complete Street
• Pre- and Post street
completion
• Pre= 940 adults
surveyed & wore
accelerometers &
GPS units
• Post= ongoing
Map by GeoStats
25
Collaboration possibilities?
• Funding is limited, but collaboration might be
possible for those who want to
– Explore other GIS possibilities
• Walkability measures taken for each block
• Surveys from 940 participants
– Add new data layers to analyze
• Crime?
• Air quality characterization of popular walking routes?
• Economic vitality indicators (housing value or vacancy, etc.)
– Contact Barbara Brown after October 5th
• 581-7111 barbara.brown@fcs.utah.edu
Contact Barbara Brown after October 5th
• 581-7111 barbara.brown@fcs.utah.edu
Chronic Illnesses Shared Across the Life-Span
(Diabetes, Cancer)
Collaborative CopingBetter mood, High Quality Relationships, Adherence,
Self-efficacy, Cognitive Benefits
Berg et al., (2005, 2008,
2011)
Berg et al., (2005, 2008, 2011, 2013); Berg &
Upchurch (2007)
Daily Diaries: Fit Between Relationships and Self-Regulation
b=-5.00*
M Persuasiont
BGt+1
BGt
Berg et al. (2013)
Health Psychology
Cindy Berg
Department of Psychology
cynthia.berg@psych.utah.edu
Funding: NIDDK
(R01DK063044
R01DK092939; R01AG18903)
Thanks to the
families with
diabetes and
couples dealing
with prostate
cancer
Polly Wiessner
Department of Anthropology
wiessner@soft-link.com
801 582 4050
The role of social networks in creating prosperity and poverty.
Ju/’hoansi hunter-gatherers (Bushmen) of the Kalahari, southern Africa (40 year study)
Question: How did hunter-gatherers with no form of storage secure themselves during
times of social and environmental hardship?
Results: By creating far flung networks of
mutual obligations within a 200 km radius.
Question :What role do such networks play today with a switch to a more settled life style
and mixed economy?
Results: Today networks pull most Ju/’hoansi into
the poverty trap resulting in poor nutrition,
bad decisions and deteriorating health.
Future research: How do some Ju/’hoansi alter networks to break the poverty trap.?
The role of customary and modern formal justice systems in war and peace
among the Enga of highland Papua New Guinea (22 year study).
After firearms replaced spears in traditional tribal warfare
among the Enga some 550 wars ensued in a population
of 400,000.
Question: How can violence be brought under control
given rapid changes in the economy, norms, values
and practices today ?
Results: Traditional systems of restorative justice were modified successfully to
meet the problems of changing times and technology and reduce warfare dramatically.
Future research: Will systems of customary
law suffice to keep the peace in the face of
the rapid growth of mineral and energy extraction
in PNG? How will the traditional courts
“update” custom to solve the conflicts of
modern times?
Enga Take Anda:
House of Traditional Knowledge
How can knowledge of tradition be kept alive to
provide a thread between past and present?