Department of Political Science

The department of Political Science will move to the new Undergraduate Academic Building when it is completed.  For more information, click here.

Congratulations to Dr. Howard Balanoff for being elected a fellow in the National Academy of Public Administration.  Fellows are chosen from the most outstanding public administration practitioners and academics accross the country.  For additional information about the National Academy of Public Administration and the Fellows that are members of the Academy go to Academy website.

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Congratulations to Dr.Gorman for being named a recipient of the Texas State University-San Marcos University Distinguished Professor award. This award honors individuals whose performance in teaching, research, and service has been exemplary and recognized at the state, national, and international levels.

Professor Walter Wright travelled to Panama to participate in a workstop to encourage alternative dispute resolution as related to REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation).  REDD is a proposed climate change mitigation strategy that will finance forest conservation, sustainable forest management and carbon stock enhancement, thus partly avoiding carbon emissions caused by land use and land use changes. Key actors in REDD discussions at a national level, as well as within the context of the Darién, include the government, indigenous peoples, and “colonos”. This latter group is comprised of individuals and groups who have migrated to the Darién to establish activities such as farming, cattle ranching, logging, and other land uses that can result in the clearing or degradation of forests.

VII Workshop on REDD for panamanian Indiginous Leaders

REDD and Alternative Conflict Resolution for ‘Colonos’ of Panama’s Darien Region
 

From the University Star
 

Apr 5 2011 - 12:01am | Karina Vallejo

Texas State’s Model Organization of American States took its best students to the national conference at the nation’s capitol. Twelve students represented Peru at a mock controversial debate.

MOAS is a simulation of Organization of American States where ambassadors of the western hemisphere meet to discuss political and human issues. MOAS is part of a political science class only available in the fall for selected students.

Myles Duelm, geography junior, used class time to study and discuss the country to prepare for regional and national conferences. Duelm said from March 28 to April 1 they listened and networked with ambassadors of OAS. He said they mingled with other MOAS students from North and South America.

“It is very interesting to meet people from other countries especially to get to hear about their countries,” Duelm said. “One thing is to read about countries in books or learn about them on TV, but when you get to listen to real stories it’s just amazing.”

Ben Arnold, MOAS advisor, said to see the character development of his students’ progress from model to model has been rewarding.

“I could tell you stories about everyone in the team, how they have grown in character from the beginning until now,” said Arnold, political science senior lecturer. “Cassandra Johnson is one of my students who showed great improvement in leadership and public speaking, the first model she went to she was very quiet and reserved now she has showed us otherwise.”

Arnold said the political science department and the College of Liberal Arts sponsored the funding for the plane and the hotel. Other funding was raised through bake sales or money out of pocket.

Johnson, Arnold’s instructional assistant and chairman of MOAS, said the selection process to be a part of the Washington MOAS trip consists of students who show leadership potential or won awards at the regional conference in San Antonio last fall. All students enrolled in the class were participants of the regional conference. Students need to complete an application and be selected by department advisors to enroll in the class.