Abstract
Western Political Science Association (WPSA)
The 2014 meeting of the WPSA will be held at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel in Seattle, Washington, from April 17 to 19. Victoria Farrar-Myers, University of Texas Arlington, is serving as Program Chair for this meeting. Christine DiStefano, University of Washington, is the Local Arrangements Chair.
Proposals for the 2014 meeting are encouraged. The DEADLINE for submission of paper proposals/program participation forms is September 16, 2013. The theme for the 2014 meeting is “The Power of Information.” Details about the conference, its theme, the Call for Papers, and proposal instructions appear on the WPSA website: http://www.wpsanet.org.
Recipients of 2013 WPSA Awards
The following WPSA awards were presented by the Association at the 2013 Annual Meeting held in Hollywood, California.
The Pi Sigma Alpha Award for the best paper presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the WPSA was awarded to Matthew C. Ingram, State University of New York, Albany, for his paper, “Networked Justice: Judges, The Diffusion of Ideas, and Legal Reform Movements in Mexico.”
The Dissertation Award was given to Nathan Jones for his dissertation, “The State Reaction: A Theory of Illicit Network Resilience,” completed at University of California, Irvine.
The award for the best paper on Asian Pacific Americans and Politics was awarded to Chris Haynes and Carrie Skulley, University California, Riverside, for their paper, “Linked Fate and the Inter-Ethnic Differences among Asian-Americans.”
The Betty Nesvold Award for the best paper on Women and Politics was given to Heath Fogg Davis, Temple University, for his paper, “Gender Inspection in Public Transit: Trans Identity and the Race-Class Politics of Urban Place.”
The award for the best paper on Blacks and Politics was awarded to Hannah L. Walker, University of Washington, for her paper, “The Political Effects of Geographically Sensitive Crime Rates: Preliminary Research from Washington State.”
The award for the best paper on Latina/Latino Politics was given to Juan Urbano, Brian Hanson, and Thomas Ringenberg, University of Kansas, for their paper, “Racial Threat, Immigration, and Trust in Congress in Rural Communities.”
The Charles Redd Award for the best paper on the politics of the American West was given to Bradley Clark Jr., Fort Lewis College, for his paper, “Dam Removal and River Restoration on the Elwha River: Does Size Really Matter?”
The award for the best paper on Environmental Political Theory was awarded to Andrew Biro, Acadia University, for his paper, “The Good Life in the Greenhouse? Autonomy, Democracy, and Citizenship in a Warmer World.” An Honorable Mention in this category was given to Piers H. G. Stephens, University of Georgia, for his paper, “Liberalism, Pragmatism and the Political Animal.”
The award for the best article published in the Political Research Quarterly during the previous calendar year was given to Sarah Fulton, Texas A&M University, for her June 2012 article, “Running Backwards and in High Heels: The Gendered Quality Gap and Incumbent Electoral Success.”
Submissions for 2014 WPSA Awards
Instructions and deadlines for paper submissions and nominations for 2014 WPSA awards may be found on the WPSA website. The deadlines for most awards are set for June 15, 2013.
WPSA Nominations
The WPSA Committee on Nominations requests that nominations be submitted for the following WPSA officer positions:
Vice President: to serve as Program Chair for the 2016 annual meeting (San Diego, California). This individual will serve as Association President 2016–2017 subsequent to service as Program Chair.
Four members of the Executive Council: two from Region A (California), one from Region B (Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah), and one from Region C (Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan). Terms are for three years—March 2015 to March 2018.
Nominations of women and members of ethnic minorities are encouraged. The committee also encourages nominations that will help achieve a balance of large and small schools, areas of specialization, and regions in WPSA governance.
Nominations and self-nominations should be accompanied by a (1) written indication from the individual that he or she is willing to serve; (2) statement in support of the nominee, including details of previous WPSA activities; and (3) copy of the nominee’s vita. To ensure consideration, all nominations should be submitted by June 15, 2013 (and earlier if possible) to WPSA President Gary Segura at
Newsletter Announcements
Contributions to the WPSA newsletter, The Western, should be directed to either Stephen J. Stambough or Valerie R. O’Regan, California State University, Fullerton. They can be reached at