Political participation and E-Petitioning

Under the professional mentoring of Dr. Bruce Wilson, Ross Cotton successfully pursued a rigorous course of research resulting in the peer-reviewed publication of his article, “Political Participation and E-Petitioning: An Analysis of the Policy-Making Impact of the Scottish Parliament’s E-Petition System.” The piece will be printed in the University of Central Florida Undergraduate Research Journal. Worldwide, […]

Alumnus Publishes First Book

UCF Political Science graduate Patrick A. Stewart, 88′ and 91′, has published his first book, “Debatable Humor: Laughing Matters on the 2008 Presidential Primary Campaign,” which you can purchase here.  Debatable Humor represents the first systematic foray into understanding the use of humor by politicians on the campaign trail. Using content analysis of primary debates for […]

The loss of food varieties and cultural diversity

Sociology Doctoral Student Racine Jacques and Political Science Associate Professor Peter Jacques partnered recently to study the loss of food varieties and cultural diversity. Their research will be published in the journal Sustainability. The article “Monocropping Cultures into Ruin: The Loss of Food Varieties and Cultural Diversity” tackles the loss of genetic diversity of thousands of plants and crops […]

Professors win Learning Innovations Awards

Congratulations Drs. Hamann, Pollock, and Wilson.  Professors Kerstin Hamann, Philip H. Pollock, and Bruce Wilson received the Learning Innovations in Information and Technology Award from the Information Technology and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association for 2012. The award, presented annually, was in recognition of their paper, “Spill-over Effects in Online Discussions: Assessing […]

Dignified restraint in face of victory

This is a guest post from Political Science Professor David Houghton. It is one of the most remarkable stories in the CIA’s history, and a long untold story of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The new movie Argo tells a tale that has long been known to Iran hostage-crisis specialists as the “Canadian Caper,” but about which the […]

Human-rights lawyer and author Corban Addison, to speak Nov. 1st

Human-rights lawyer and author Corban Addison will speak about abolishing modern slavery at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, in the Cape Florida Ballroom of the Student Union.  The event, organized by the UCF Global Perspectives Office, is part of the 2012-2013 theme of “The Changing Face of Freedom in Today’s Turbulent Times.” The event […]

Florida is purple when it comes to politics

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Dr. Terri Fine explains what the popular “Only in Florida” means when discussing politics to the TODAY Show. Terri Fine is a professor of Political Science and a senior research fellow at UCF’s Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government. Fine teaches courses […]

Reagan’s record on Iranian hostage crisis

During a March 6, 2012, video address to a conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, Mitt Romney seized the tough foreign policy mantle of President Ronald Reagan. “I believe the right course is what Ronald Reagan called peace through strength,” Romney told the pro-Israel group. “There’s a reason why the Iranians released the hostages on the […]

UCF alumnus selected for Florida Supreme Court rules committee

UCF Political Science Alumnus and KEL Attorneys’ family law practice leader Brandon Tyson will serve on the Florida Supreme Court Family Law Rules Committee effective immediately. Tyson, a senior attorney who has been with the KEL law firm in Orlando for two years, said he sought the appointment because of the importance of these issues to his clients.  Tyson said […]

UCF to host CNN’s post-presidential debate focus group

CNN will be broadcasting live from the University of Central Florida immediately after Monday night’s final presidential debate with reactions from undecided voters. The voters selected by CNN will watch the debate from 9 to 10:30 p.m. and log in their reactions as they watch. Then they will discuss their impressions. CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien […]

The pulse of European politics

While the rest of the U.S. is preparing for another contentious election cycle, Dr. Kerstin Hamann has her finger on the pulse of Western European politics. Hamann, the UCF political science chair, knows that the heart of Western European politics lies in the actions of the collective, or more specifically, the European Union (EU). Though […]

U.S. courts becoming more diverse

UCF Political Science Professor Dr. Drew Lanier, together with Dr. Mark Hurwitz (Western Michigan University), published “Judicial Diversity in Federal Courts: A Historical and Empirical Exploration” in the journal Judicature. The authors examine the background characteristics of US Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals judges. The results show that both levels of courts are becoming […]

The role Florida plays in politics

Terri Susan Fine, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, explains in The Hill’s Congress Blog why Florida continues to be an important state for presidential elections long after the fateful 2000 presidential election put Florida in the national and world crosshairs. Regular contributors to The Hill include Members of Congress and other elected officials, national party […]

Romney team tries hanging a Jimmy Carter label on Obama

By Scott Shane from The New York Times A president struggling simultaneously to cope with anti-American tumult in the Middle East and fix stubborn economic trouble at home: Is President Obama replaying the one-term presidency of Jimmy Carter? Mr. Obama began his presidency by reaching out to Iran and gave a tempered response when the pro-democracy Green Movement […]

Dinner date with a scientist

Imagine enjoying dinner and participating in a lively discussion with cutting-edge scientists about the ways lasers and nanoprobes are used in medical treatment, the impact of runoff water on the marine ecology, asteroids and their connection to the planet’s building blocks or the latest discoveries from a Mayan dig in Belize. It happens the first […]

First Issue of the Journal of Political Science Education by UCF Professors

The first issue of the Journal of Political Science Education under the new editorship of Kerstin Hamann, Philip H. Pollock and Bruce M. Wilson— all political science professors at UCF —has just been published by Taylor and Francis. The current issue, Volume 8, Number 3, 2012, contains: Research articles on teaching and learning • “Educating […]

The question of caste in modern India

Author and scholar Anupama Rao provided insights Thursday into the caste system’s place in modern India to an audience of about 130. This event was organized by the UCF Global Perspectives Office as a part of the 2012-2013 theme, “The Changing Face of Freedom in Today’s Turbulent Times,” as well as the season’s first public […]

For Students: Attend conference on political climate and foreign policy

SCUSA is a prestigious undergraduate conference which hosts student delegates and cadets from around the world to discuss the current political climate, debate national political strategy, and propose foreign policy plans for the future. Previous key note speakers include Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Dr. Leslie Gelb, Admiral James Stavridis, and Dr. Rajiv Shah.  This year’s conference […]

Learn about careers in international relations

Careers in International Relations: An Advising Workshop Wednesday 26 September 4:00-5:00 PM ED 174A Presented by the UCF Political Science Department Learn about: • International relations career paths • Schedule Planning • Study abroad decision-making • Internships and Career Development • Undergraduate Research Opportunities • Graduate School • Scholarships and Fellowships Faculty and staff will be […]

Will Florida Seniors Accept Ryan’s Medicare Vision?

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate may help energize support from conservative voters who like his tough approach to overhauling the federal budget. But there’s a risk that Ryan may turn off an important voting bloc: senior citizens. University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey […]

Symposium on “The U.S. Constitution Confronting the 21st Century”

The Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government, part of UCF’s Department of Political Science, will hold its Fall 2012 Symposium, “The U.S. Constitution Confronting the 21st Century,” on Constitution Day, September 17, in the Pegasus Ballroom. The program begins at 9:15 a.m. on Monday morning with welcoming comments, and then Professor Nadine Strossen, past […]

UCF political scientist on Romney’s VP choice

Some Republicans had urged Romney to put caution aside in choosing a running mate and “go bold,” in the words of conservative commentator Bill Kristol. They focused on Ryan or Rubio — one considered the party’s hottest rising star and the other a top emissary to Hispanics, a fast-growing voter group whose alienation from the […]

New fellowship program seeks UCF students

Students for a New American Politics PAC is pleased to announce the Fall 2012 Organizing Fellowship Program. The SNAP Fellowship is a paid grassroots organizing fellowship for students and youth that’s fast-paced, high-impact, and focused on social justice values. This isn’t your average summer internship – it’s your opportunity to create real, lasting change. As […]

UCF student returns from NSF Research Experience

Congratulations to Roman Torres, who was one of two students from UCF’s Political Science department selected for a highly competitive REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) during summer 2012. Participants were selected from applicants nationwide. The REU on Civil Conflict Management & Peace Science, held at the University of North Texas, was funded by the National […]

TurboVote hits the student union today

A new initiative adopted by the Lou Frey Institute and the Student Government Association called TurboVote hits the UCF Student Union today from 12 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Volunteers will have computers available for students to sign up and become registered voters. TurboVote makes voter registration as easy as renting a DVD from Netflix. Students can […]

Event: Law School Admissions Workshop

Political Science professor releases new book

The Department of Political Science is pleased to announce a new book authored by David Patrick Houghton, titled The Decision Point: Six Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy Decision Making, published by Oxford University Press.  In this book, Dr. Houghton shows students how real American foreign policy makers make real decisions. The book introduces advanced undergraduates […]

President must be ‘natural-born citizen’ – but what is that?

This is a guest post from David Houghton, associate professor of political science at UCF. The long-running “birther” controversy–a rather bizarre conspiracy theory which holds that President Obama was not born in the United States–refuses to go away, kept alive by business celebrity Donald Trump and other assorted critics. And then last week it was […]

Event: Politic365 brings political tour to UCF

A tour aimed at engaging young voters during this election season is coming to UCF today to hold a rally where students can share their opinions on such topics as jobs, education, health care, immigration and voter participation. Politic365 College Convention Bus Tour will visit 11 colleges or universities in Florida and North Carolina and is […]

Local contractors have stake in growing popularity of drones

Amid industry jitters over the potential for huge defense-budget cuts in the months and years ahead, there is at least one area of military technology that may fly above the funding fray: unmanned aerial systems, better known as drones. “With these kinds of systems, the military can send machines into combat and often avoid the […]