Political Science

On April 28^th, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Brian McGee presented Dr. John Creed with the 2014-2015 Distinguished Advising Award. The College-wide Distinguished Advising Award honors those faculty members and academic staff who have demonstrated a sustained dedication to students in the area of academic advising.

Dr. Gibbs Knotts, Chair of the Political Science Department, noted that Dr. Creed “provides a level of personal attention that is likely unmatched at institutions of our size.  He spends countless hours working one-on-one with his advisees.”  Dr. Knotts also appreciates Dr. Creed’s willingness to share his knowledge about advising with his colleagues.  According to Dr. Knotts, “He is always available to help with particularly challenging advising questions and works hard to help students and faculty find solutions to problems that inevitably arise.  Dr. Creed even created a five-page ‘Advising Tip Sheet’ that has become an instrumental document for our department.”

Dr. Creed has taught in the Department of Political Science since 1992.  He offers courses predominantly in international relations and comparative politics, including the Politics of the Middle East; the International Relations of the Middle East; International Environmental Politics; International Relations Theory; the U.S. in World Affairs; the American Foreign Policy Process; World Politics and Introduction to Comparative Analysis.

Dr. Creed’s current research focuses on the politics of biodiversity conservation in the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Jordan and its efforts to establish a network of nature reserves that incorporate participation from the surrounding rural communities.

In addition to the Distinguished Advising Award, Dr. Creed has been recognized as the ExCEL Outstanding Faculty of the Year in Humanities and Social Sciences and the Higdon Leadership Center’s Faculty Student Group Advisor of the Year.

Political Science and African American Studies Double-Major Brandon Chapman will attend the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) at Duke University. This intensive five-week program is named in honor of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former American Political Science Association (APSA) President, Ralph J. Bunche. The competitive program introduces doctoral study to undergraduate students from under-represented racial and ethnic groups.

Dr. Hollis France encouraged Brandon to apply during his junior year. “Brandon struck me as a ‘go getter’ and I thought this kid is going to go places,” Professor France noted. She added, “Brandon’s acceptance places him in a very elite group of minority political science students from around the country. He will be in classes with a diverse student body. Students are drawn from small liberal arts schools, master’s level institutions like CofC, and doctoral granting universities.  RBSI also brings in students from historically black colleges and universities and Ivy League institutions. This program works to increase the number of minority students attending Ph.D. programs and ultimately joining the ranks of academia.” Professor France speaks from experience as she also attended RBSI as an undergraduate student and credits the program for giving her the confidence to pursue a Ph.D.

Brandon is looking forward to making the most of this opportunity to develop the writing skills necessary for graduate school and meet top political science students around the country. Brandon said RBSI will encourage him “to do better, study harder, and buckle down.” He also hopes the institute will help him narrow his focus as he is also considering law school and community organizing. Brandon is especially interested in race implications on political institutions.

While he attributed his double major and spring internship with the Office for Institutional Diversity as factors in helping him stand out among other applicants, Brandon mainly emphasized the help he received from Professors John Creed and Hollis France on his personal statement. He noted that they were “very instrumental in securing this great opportunity” because they assisted him with revisions and met with him frequently throughout the application process.

For more information on the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute, please visit http://www.apsanet.org/rbsi.

The fifth annual William V. Moore Student Research Conference took place on Friday, April 10 in the College of Charleston’s Stern Student Center. This year, 42 students  presented research on a variety of political science and public policy topics. Students represented a variety of majors including political science, international studies, public health, biology, religious studies, English, business, and arts management.

Sam Johnson, special assistant to the mayor of Columbia, S.C., delivered the keynote address. After attending several presentations, Mr. Johnson noted that the presenters were the “cream of the crop” and “the future of not only Charleston, but for this country.”

Best presentation and paper prizes were awarded. The award winners included:

Frank Martin – 1^st place for his presentation “Locked, Loaded, & Legislating: Gun Owners in Congress”

Carl Maass – 2^nd place for his presentation “Education Reform and the CCSSI:  A Perennial Debate”

Davis Evans – 1^st place for his paper “Rape and Police Distrust of Victims”

Olivia Cohen – 2^nd place for her paper “Habits, Attitudes, and Awareness: Solid Waste Management in Cape Coast, Ghana”

This annual conference is held in honor of Professor Bill Moore and reflects his passionate commitment to undergraduate education and improving political discourse and educational and economic opportunities for all South Carolinians. This year’s conference co-directors were Professor Phil Jos and Professor Mark Long.  The conference is generously funded through the William V. Moore memorial fund.  If you would like to contribute to the fund please contact Peggy Cieslikowski at 843-953-0781.

Courtney Alexander, 2014 Political Science Major and Deputy Communications Director for Congressman Ralph Abraham (LA-05)

Alumnus Courtney Alexander graduated in 2014 with a double major in Political Science and Communications. We recently caught up with Courtney to ask her about what she’s been doing since walking across the Cistern in May.

What did you do after graduation?

Immediately after graduation, I received a job offer to serve as the Field Director for Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy during the 2014 midterm elections. Working for one of the top three most competitive senate races in the country is really what gave me my first spark. Cassidy beat incumbent Senator Mary Landrieu 56% to 44%.

Once the election was over what did you do?

I was appointed Deputy Communications Director to Congressman Ralph Abraham’s staff.  I wake up really early and read all the news. I pick out all of the important things everyone should know. Then we work on what messages need to get out to the constituents that day. I also handle all of Congressman Abraham’s Veterans Affairs legislation as well.

What role did internships play in your college experience?

I had an internship every semester since my sophomore year, which gave me valuable experience. My internship with Congressman Mark Sanford inspired me to focus on campaign work. In addition, I interned for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the College of Charleston Athletic Communications Department, and broadcasting station WJLA-TV. My internships were very very valuable, and I couldn’t be where I am today without them.

What do you see as the value of a political science degree?

What I learned in class was reinforced by my internships.  Having a Political Science background gives you such knowledge of what’s going on; it gives you an understanding and an edge. There is such a great structure in Charleston, which is something you necessarily can’t get anywhere else. Your teachers really do care and they really are important people. Dr. Mike Lee taught a class on political communication that also helped me decide my career path.  Having a dual degree in Political Science and Communications is great because I communicate with people every day. Communication helps me consolidate and present messages that stick with people.

Do you have any advice for current political science majors?

Use the CofC community! College of Charleston has a huge alumni network with great alumni that are always willing to help everyone else out. Utilize the alumni and your professors too. Do not be afraid to email someone and ask for help. Put yourself out there and work harder than anyone else and your work will not go unnoticed. I also think it is important for Political Science students to be open to everyone’s opinion. While the political environment today is a little divided, it is important to understand where everyone’s viewpoints lie. Understanding where other people’s viewpoints lie makes me a better communicator which is very valuable skill to have for my job today.

David Hinton joined the College of Charleston as an adjunct instructor in August 2001 and is currently a visiting instructor. Since 2001, Professor Hinton has taught underclassmen and upperclassmen in over 100 classes such as American Government, Introduction to Political Thought, Contemporary Political Issues, World Politics, Honors Western Civilization, Politics and Theater in the 20th Century, and most recently Religion in American Politics. He earned his master’s degree in Political Science from Vanderbilt University. Political Science Department Chair Gibbs Knotts notes, “Professor Hinton continues to have such a positive impact on our students. He has a very engaging teaching style, pushes students to think critically, and inspires them to learn about current political events.”

What inspired you to become a college teacher?

Before I came to Charleston, I worked as a counselor for an adolescent psychiatric counselor at Vanderbilt. When I moved to Charleston, I thought that I wanted to pursue high school teaching but was encouraged by a principal to teach at the college level.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at College of Charleston?

It gives me a chance to work on my comedy routine. Seriously, I enjoy being around our students; they keep me connected to what is going on in the world. I enjoy my colleagues in the Political Science Department and the faculty I’ve worked with in the Honors College.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I would describe my teaching style as Gestalt. I like giving my students pieces of the puzzle and presenting different perspectives so that they can make connections and discover the big picture on their own.

What advice would you give political science majors?

Develop a newspaper habit to stay current. I recommend reading The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and Mother Jones.

What is your favorite book and why?

Franz Kafka’s The Trial. Kafka’s presentation of the sense of helplessness in the face of an anonymous system is delightful. Also, the Proverbs of Solomon, an early opponent of the oppression of the poor.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy surfing at Folly Beach, carpentry, and making wooden surf craft. I have spent my summers learning new skills in boat shops and cabinet shops. I used my carpentry skills to redo my kitchen.

This February, College of Charleston sent its mock trial team to the regional competition in Durham, North Carolina. Along with 19 other teams from their region, CofC battled in the courtroom four times, going against mock trial titans such as Duke and Furman. Some of these schools have up to five teams with programs that are so well established that they get upwards of 40 freshmen applicants each year. College of Charleston, on the other hand, was more of a star in a Cinderella story, as there was not even a team to speak of last year.

Nicholas Shalosky (’10), Diversity Fellow at the Charleston School of Law, coached the CofC mock trial team in 2014-2015. The team consisted of seven students—four seniors (Stuart Miller, Frank Martin, Will Price, Nick Sanders), two sophomores (Megan Tiralosi and Emma Del Ray), and one freshman (Carolina Latimer).  This group strategically juggled eighteen different roles for the competition. They played both lawyers and witnesses for plaintiff and defense sides of two separate civil cases.

The team learned quite a bit from the experience. Stuart Miller said that, “the CofC mock trial team learned in an early match, there are such things as stupid questions.” Nick Sanders noted, “Given that we were likely the only team who had never competed together before the tournament, the fact that we did so well and held our own against established programs really speaks to the amount of talent and team chemistry we had. Overall, it was great to see a semester of hard work pay off and to just have fun competing for the weekend.” When asked to comment on her experience, Caroline Latimer replied, “I’m sorry but I plead the fifth.” But, it is important to note that she wasn’t silent on the stand, scoring 18/20 and taking home the “All Region Witness” award home for her portrayal as an expert child psychologist.

In preparation for the competition, students became versed in the mock “Midlands” statutes, case laws, and codes. They worked under and sometimes against actual attorneys and law students.

Professor Shalosky noted that he “was very proud of how the team performed. Although we did not receive a bid to move on to the next round of competition, the students did very well for a new team. They went up against two of the top rated teams in the country and split ballots with one of them.”

The team is now recruiting students for the 2015-2016 academic year and will be coached by Charleston Attorney, Paul Dominick, of Nexsen Pruet.  To learn more about the program please contact the department’s administrative coordinator, Kristin Wichmann (wichmannkm@cofc.edu).

Written by Senior Political Science Major Frank Martin

After weeks of preparation and countless attempts at understanding parliamentary procedure, the College of Charleston Model African Union team piled into a convoy of minivans and embarked on the journey to Washington, D.C. for the annual Model AU simulation. We arrived at the hotel not quite sure what to expect, who we were going to meet, or how this experience was going to affect us.

The plan for Thursday was for both the delegations, Sierra Leone and Sudan, to visit their respective embassies. We were quickly introduced to the African political world, which included an impromptu visit for Sierra Leone and an unexpected one for Sudan. We all made it to our countries’ embassies where we got brief overviews from the kind and welcoming representatives and citizens of Sierra Leone and Sudan.

After a riveting speech by her Excellency, Amina Salum Ali, Ambasssador of the African Union to the United States, we were almost immediately thrown into the Model AU groove. Along with getting to know the other delegations we also had to form alliances and gather support for our resolutions. We left the briefing feeling excited, mildly terrified, and determined to represent our countries well during the simulation.

The Model itself was full of energy, tension, and emotions as each committee delved into their respective debates. Within the committees, College of Charleston did an exceptional job passing all of its resolutions and earned many awards. Chris Jackson and Amber Hayward both received the honor of Best Delegate in their committees and the team as a whole showed immense leadership and perseverance.

The two of us served on the Executive Council, and were charged with crisis management which we found a complex issue to solve. With the combined threat of Ebola and the terrorist group, Boko Haram, the Council had to think on their feet because “people were dying!” We tasked the other committees with providing us with information and after a weekend of intense debate we finally agreed upon a communiqué outlining our resolution to the crisis.

This experience extended beyond class time and preparation and we as a group grew closer and made lasting connections. Throughout the simulation we met so many smart, funny, and incredible people from around the world.

In the words of our fearless leader, Dr. Christopher Day, “you all did amazingly.” We could not have been happier with the experience and learned so much about what it means to lead, represent, and understand our specific countries as well as the continent of Africa as a whole.

Written by Political Science Majors Teddi Aaron and Bianca Hankinson

On February 23, the Political Science and Philosophy Departments collaborated to present “Polarization and the U.S. Constitution.” This panel was the first part of a three part series on the U.S. Constitution and featured political science professors, Jordan Ragusa and Claire Wofford, and philosophy professors, Larry Krasnoff and Richard Nunan.  Gibbs Knotts, political science professor and department chair, said the panel “was a good chance to see how scholars from different disciplines wrestle with questions regarding the rise of political polarization and how a document written over 200 years ago continues to be relevant today.”

Professor Ragusa began the discussion by explaining that even though measuring polarization is difficult, today’s Congress is the most polarized in U.S. history. Ragusa attributed this political polarization to the presidential system created by the Constitution. He noted that winner-take-all elections and the two party system have led to extreme polarization and gridlock.  He also said that the intensity of party views and the fact that party leaders have more power in decision making are key factors in the gridlock. As Ragusa noted, “It’s a miracle that anything gets done in Congress.”

According to Professor Nunan, gerrymandering and winner-take-all districts have also increased political polarization. Although nonpartisan committees have been delegated to re-examine  election districts, Nunan is not optimistic that this will achieve desired results. He suggests an alternative election system, known as single transferable vote (STV). For example, our current system in South Carolina has yielded 6 conservative Republicans and 1 liberal Democrat in Congress but that is not truly representative of the 56/44 Republican-Democrat split in our state.

As an expert on the judicial system, Professor Wofford examined whether the U.S. Supreme Court was truly as polarized as the media has led the public to believe. From an ideological perspective, Wofford cited cases such as Bush vs. Gore and Citizens United that resulted in 5-4 decisions but indicated that those cases were not the norm. She added that most cases are not ideological ones; they are law-based and more easily settled. Wofford noted that as the federal government becomes more polarized, it may force the Supreme Court to start making final decisions, which would give the judicial branch more power. She questioned the consequences of unelected justices determining the country’s fate.

Professor Krasnoff agreed with Ragusa that polarization occurs because parties are ideologically sorted and each party is currently more disciplined than they have been historically. He gave the example of the Hastert Rule, the policy that no bill will come to the House unless it is supported by the majority of Republicans. Although some scholars do not see polarization as necessarily being a bad thing, Krasnoff views it as a problem because he said that the Constitution is not functioning as our forefathers had hoped. He added that the intense gridlock experienced within the federal government pushes governance to the state level but states are not equipped to handle these decisions.

When a political science major asked what Americans can do to decrease political polarization, Ragusa responded by saying that it would take a constitutional overhaul. As Ragusa noted, “Baring major constitutional changes, polarization can’t simply be “undone” because it’s largely the product of a long-term realignment in the parties’ policy positions.  Indeed, the parties are ideologically homogenous with clear regional divisions.  I was at a conference where four leading congressional scholars were discussing exactly this issue and only one came up with an answer.  David Rohde at Duke University said: “water.”  He explained that it would take some major national issue or crisis—like a water shortage in the West—that could completely upset the existing ideological and regional balance.”

Interim Provost Brian McGee will present “Religious Belief, Fighting Words, and the First Amendment: U.S. Constitutional Principles and the Charlie Hebdo Massacre” as the second part of the Constitution series. His talk will take place on March 26^th at 3:00 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Auditorium.

Senior political science major Abigail Tennenbaum has a passion for food and a desire for positive change. Through her fall internship at the College of Charleston’s Office of Sustainability, Abigail integrated both of these aspects. Her major project during her internship was determining the feasibility of procuring local produce from GrowFood Carolina, South Carolina’s first local food hub, for the College of Charleston’s Dining Services.

Abigail noted that buying local food “contributes to the local economy (because) profits stay in the state rather than being dispersed among national and multinational companies, lowers the carbon footprint due to shorter transportation distances, and takes advantage of the year-round growing season we have here.”

She was well-prepared for her internship because she had interned the previous summer with GrowFood Carolina, and therefore had already established a solid relationship with the nonprofit. Abigail noted that her tasks included “examining and analyzing what Dining Services currently purchases in order to begin identifying potential areas of enhancing local purchasing.” She also researched what other school programs, like the University of Virginia, were doing to procure local food and what alternative models were available. In addition, Abigail worked to figure out how GrowFood Carolina could become an official vendor at the College of Charleston.

Abigail learned about the Office of Sustainability early in her college career. As a member of the Green CofC*, the undergraduate sustainability organization on campus, she met a number of political science majors who were involved with the office and began taking on individual projects of her own. Over two semesters, she spearheaded the implementation of the composting program that is currently in the College’s dining halls. This program has resulted in approximately 500,000 pounds of food waste being diverted from the landfill.  Not only did her experience create positive change for the College, it also helped her explore a potential career interest.

Abigail has enjoyed the flexibility, autonomy, and sense of community she experienced in the Office of Sustainability and has the advantage of learning with 24 other interns. The Office also has provided a number of professional development and networking opportunities such as regular office meetings as well as career and grant writing workshops. Abigail has even had the opportunity to present on her compost initiative at the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference.

She found her political science background helpful in her internship for several reasons. She said that learning the “big systems approach” has helped her better understand the system that she is currently working in and helping to change. Just as there are key actions and steps necessary for political change, there are short term and long term goals necessary for the type of change she is looking to achieve with food procurement. Abigail also noted that because she has been required to give a number of presentations in her political science classes, she is more comfortable presenting and learned how to tailor her message to a variety of audiences.

When asked what advice she would give future interns, Abigail recommended that they reflect on their experiences. She encouraged journaling, keeping a detailed planner, making notes of lessons learned and planning for the future. She admitted that internships can be time consuming but they are necessary and can be quite rewarding.

*Please note that Green CofC has merged with the Alliance for Planet Earth and is now called CofC Alliance for Planet Earth. Meetings take place every other Wednesday at 6 pm in Maybank 103. The next meeting will be held on February 25^th.

The annual Political Science Convocation of Majors took place on February 5^th in Sottile Theater. The department was fortunate to have Susan Herman, president of the American Civil Liberties Union and Centennial Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, speak about “Civil Liberties and the ‘War on Terror.’”

Herman’s talk focused on the time-period after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001,  when, according to Herman, the government “supersized laws and loosened the Constitution.” She provided a number of accounts over the past 14 years where the lives of American citizens, immigrants, and foreign students studying in the United States were disrupted because of FBI investigations.

For example, Herman shared the story of Sami al-Husayen, a Muslim graduate student studying at the University of Idaho, who organized a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of 9/11 and created a website to educate Americans on Islam. Al-Husayen wanted people to know more about his faith, understand that it is a peaceful religion, and that not all Muslims are terrorists.  When the FBI learned of al-Husayen’s efforts, they began investigating his finances and discovered that he had made charitable donations to support his faith. Even though there was no evidence that he was supporting terrorist efforts, al-Husayen was charged with “material support of terrorism.” When the FBI still could not prove their case against al-Husayen, they charged him with supporting terrorism because of information he posted on his website. Al-Husayen was later acquitted, but during this time he had spent 17 months in jail, never finished his doctorate, and his family had been deported.

Herman also talked about how the FBI questioned al-Husayen’s Arab and Muslim classmates. Abdullah al-Kidd, an American citizen who converted to Islam, saw this as an opportunity to educate the FBI on his religion and agreed to cooperate.  While he was in an airport, the FBI arrested al-Kidd as a “material witness” to al-Husayen’s trial. Al-Kidd had nothing to do with terrorism but was placed in solitary confinement, endured brutal conditions, and suffered severe psychological consequences. The ACLU represented al-Kidd and he was acquitted because the government did not have proof of probable cause.

To illustrate the point that the FBI’s investigations also affected non-Muslims, Herman shared the story of 19 year old American college student Nick George. While he was travelling to Philadelphia during a college break, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) detained him because he had Arabic flashcards in his backpack. As a Middle East Studies major, George was learning Arabic and thought that it would be advantageous to work on his language skills while travelling from California to Pennsylvania. George’s lawsuit was not settled until January 23^rd of this year.

Department Chair Gibbs Knotts noted that “convocation is an opportunity for students and faculty to learn from a distinguished leader on a topic of national importance.” He thanked the department’s Intellectual Life Committee for organizing the event (particularly the chair of this committee, Dr. Chis Day) and emphasized that convocation is meant “to challenge our beliefs and inspire us to be critically engaged.”

Political Science Club president and sophomore Katherine Calabro, described Herman as “brilliant and inspiring.” She added, “I hope that she made as big of an impact on other students as she did on me.”

You can learn more about this topic in Susan Herman’s book Taking Liberties: the War on Terror and the Erosion of American Democracy and by visiting the ACLU website.