Faculty
Current News
Prof. Daron Shaw Receives President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award
Si Se Puede: Politicians Court Latino Voters
Modern U.S. political rhetoric generally holds that elected leaders should "look like America." But, while national demographics are changing rapidly, the face of the government is slow to follow.
Politics in the Pews
Researchers explore the role of religion in mobilizing African American and Latino voters
Prof. Bartholomew Sparrow Joins 2008-2009 Class of Fellows at the Woodrow Wilson Center
Prof. Daron Shaw Publishes a Book of "Unconventional Wisdom"
The Rhetorical Presidency by Professor Jeffrey Tulis is Subject of Symposium
Jeffrey Tulis published The Rhetorical Presidency twenty years ago, but it continues to make waves.
Recent Books by Government Department Faculty
A number of Government Department faculty published books during 2007.
Recent News
National Science Foundation Awards Grant to Profs. Tasha Philpot and Daron Shaw for Election Study
News Archives
Professor Peter Trubowitz Featured in Los Angeles Times Op Ed
Trubowitz discusses the election, Rumsfeld's resignation, and US foreign policy.
Government Lecturer Featured in University's Take 5
Take 5
Lecturer James Henson takes an historical approach to analyzing the midterm election season in Texas politics.
Government Professors Discuss Continued Meaning of U.S. Constitution
Consitution Day 2006
UT-Austin President, William Powers, Jr. and government professors, Bruce Buchanan, Gretchen Ritter and Sean Theriault share their perspectives on Constitution Day 2006. The Texas scholars converse about the Constitution and its continued meaning in political life in 2006.
Government Advisor Elected President of National Organization
Huber will be first-ever Texan to lead National Academic Advising Association
Jo Anne Huber, academic advisor in the Department of Government, was elected as the 2005-2006 president of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). Huber gave her acceptance speech during the groups annual conference, held in Las Vegas from Oct. 5-8.
UTOPIA Introduces Constitution Day Web Site
Dr. James Henson, Assistant Director of Liberal Arts ITS and Lecturer at the Department of Government, is content editor for the site
UTOPIA, the online knowledge gateway at The University of Texas at Austin, has introduced an informational Web site in celebration of Constitution Day 2005 on Sept. 16.
Dean Lariviere's October Alumni Newsletter
The fall semester is in full swing and there are plenty of developments within the College of Liberal Arts.
We welcomed 26 new faculty members this fall and are delighted with the expanded expertise and perspectives they offer our students. In addition, Liberal Arts Career Services has moved into a new home in the Flawn Academic Center and is serving more students than ever. Renovations are underway in Batts Hall and we're planning a facelift for Garrison Hall in the near future.
UT-Princeton Workshop, Oct. 7-8, 2005
"The Future of American Internationalism"
Just about everyone thinks that the liberal-internationalist compact that took root after World War II has run its course and that we have entered a new phase in foreign policy. While still ostensibly internationalist, the new policy direction lacks the kind of commitment to international institutions and multilateralism that earmarked our foreign policy for most of the last half-century. What is less clear is why the liberal-internationalist compact has come apart and whether it can be resuscitated. This conference, organized by the University of Texas at Austin and Princeton University, will bring together scholars and practitioners to examine this issue in the context of the political, social and cultural processes underway in America.
The New Edition of the Faculty and Staff Newsletter is now Online
The Liberal Arts Insider
Awards and Honors
Catherine Boone won the Mattei Dogan Prize from the Society for Comparative Research for her book Political Topographies of the African State (Cambridge University Press).
America and the World: Rethinking America's Global Role
2005-2006 Speaker Series
A series of lectures that runs through April 2006. All talks will be held from 3: 30-5:00 in the Dean's Conference Room,
Gebauer Building 
, 3rd Floor (GEB 3.312)
Conference: Suicide Terrorism in a Globalized World
May 16-17, 2006
The conference will be held in the A.C.E.S. Avaya Auditorium (2.302) from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on May 16, and 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on May 17.
Government Professor Named Vice Provost at The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Terri E. Givens, an associate professor in the Government Department and director of the Center for European Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, has been appointed to the position of vice provost at the university.
Professor William Livingston Receives APSA's Elazar Award
Distinguished Professor recognized for contributions to the study of federalism and intergovernmental relations
On September 2, 2006, during the 102nd annual APSA meeting held in Philadelphia, Dr. William Livingston was awarded APSA’s Daniel Elazar Award for his contributions to the study of Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations.
We Have Moved!
The Department of Government has relocated to the newly renovated Batts Hall
The Department of Government recently moved its offices to Batts and Mezes Hall. The Main Office is located on the second floor of Batts, room 2.116. The Undergraduate Advising Center is located in Batts 2.102.
Professor Gretchen Ritter Featured on UT Homepage
The Constitution helps define women's civic membership, argues Prof. Ritter
Chile, Germany, the Philippines and Liberia. What do these countries have in common? A woman holds the top political office in each country.
Now, name five female politicians in the United States government other than Hillary Rodham Clinton or Condoleezza Rice. Having trouble?
Americans take pride in living in a country that treats all citizens equally. Schoolchildren discover phrases like "We, the People" and "All men are created equal" as they learn about the founding fathers, democracy and the Constitution. But who exactly are "We, the People"?
Government Professor Awarded President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award
Professor Sean Theriault Recipient of 2006-07 Awards
The President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award was established in the fall of 1980 to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching at UT Austin. Professor Sean Theriault will be honored with this $5,000 award at the President's State of the University address on September 14.
Government Professor Awarded Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship
Professor Henry Dietz Honored as the 2006-2007 Friar Centennial Teaching Fellow
The Friar Society at the University of Texas at Austin announced on Friday, March 31 Dr. Henry Dietz of the Department of Government and the Institute of Latin American Studies as the recipient of the Twentieth Annual Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship.
Three Faculty Members Appointed Dean's Fellows for 2006-07
Professors George Gavrilis, Andy Karch, and Tasha Philpot receive fellowships for next year
Congratulations to Professors George Gavrilis, Andy Karch, and Tasha Philpot for these appointments.
Government Professor Featured on UT's Homepage
Prof. Ami Pedahzur discusses his research on suicide terrorism
The use of suicide terrorismâa tactic employed so effectively in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001âhas grown dramatically during the past five years. From 1999-2004, there were 3.5 times as many suicide terrorist attacks as had occurred from 1983 to 1998. In 2005, the number soared even higher, with significant concentration of attacks occurring in Iraq.âFrom a cost-benefit perspective, suicide terrorism is quite effective,â said Dr. Ami Pedahzur, associate professor of government at The University of Texas at Austin and a terrorism expert. âA suicide bomber with an explosives belt kills on average four times as many people as an attack with a delayed detonation device or a shooting attack.â
Government Professor Elected to the APSA Executive Council
Professor Catherine Boone received the most votes during the 2005 Council Election
Heartiest congratulations to Professor Catherine Boone for her strong election to the APSA Council! Of the nine incoming Council members, four have associations with the UT Department of Government: Professor Catherine Boone; Professor Bryan Jones, who holds a Ph.D. from the department; Professor Jack Levy, who was an Assistant Professor here in the late 1980s; Professor Janet Box-Steffensmeier, who also holds a Ph.D. from the department.
Three Government Professors Receive Faculty Research Assignments for 2006-2007
Professors Catherine Boone, Raul Madrid, and Kurt Weyland have been awarded FRA's for next year.
Congratulations to Professors Catherine Boone, Raul Madrid, and Kurt Weyland for these recognitions of research excellence. The Faculty Research Assignments provide semester-length leaves so that faculty may devote full time to research.
Seventh Annual State Politics and Policy Conference: Feb. 23-24, 2007
"Policymaking in the American States: Causes and Effects"
On February 23 and 24, 2007, the Seventh Annual Conference on State Politics and Policy will take place at the Joe C. Thompson Conference Center. The conference will feature over sixty research papers that examine a wide range of policy, political, and governmental topics important to the American states. The conference is free and open to the public; no advance registration is necessary. This event is sponsored by the Public Policy Institute and the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin and the State Politics and Policy Section of the American Political Science Association.
The Mexican Center of the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies presents "Political Parties and Voters in Mexico's 2006 Elections," Friday, February 3, 2006, Santa Rita Room, 3rd floor of the Texas Union, 9:00-12:00 and 2:00-5:00.
Professor Gordon Bennett
April 1, 1940 - May 11, 2007
Associate Professor Gordon Bennett, a long-time member of the University's Government Department, passed away on May 11, 2007.
Professor Gretchen Ritter's Book Chosen as Subject of Symposium at 2007 APSA Convention
The Constitution as Social Design by Gretchen Ritter, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Women's and Gender Studies, will be the subject of a special symposium at the American Political Science Convention in Chicago in August.
Government Professor Gives Mixed Reviews of Elections in Authoritarian Regimes
Assistant Professor Jason Brownlee observes that even as the world is undergoing a much ballyhooed third wave of democratization, both old and new authoritarian regimes have flourished.
Professor Nicholas Valentino and Colleagues Given Best Paper Award at National Convention
Nicholas Valentino, who joins the Government Department this year as the Hogg Professor of Community Affairs, is the winner of the 2006 American Political Science Association Award for the best paper presented in the Political Psychology Section at the discipline's annual convention. The paper, "Election Night's All Right For Fighting," was co-authored by Valentino and Vincent Hutchings, Krysha Gregorowicz, Eric Groenendyk, and Ted Brader. In August, the authors will be honored by the Political Psychology section at the American Political Science Association's annual meeting in Chicago.
New Book by Government Professor Sheds Light on Policy Diffusion and Social Reform in Latin America
Prof. Kurt Weyland is the author of a new Princeton University Press book, Bounded Rationality and Policy Diffusion: Social Sector Reform in Latin America .
Prof. Catherine Boone Is Appointed to Selection Committee for the Social Science Research Council
Prof. Catherine Boone, a specialist on African politics, has been elected or appointed to a number of high-profile positions in the political science profession.
Government Professor Outlines Foreign Policy Agenda for Next Administration
Associate Professor Peter Trubowitz says that the major foreign policy challenge for presidential candidates in the 2008 election is to figure out how to strike a new balance between the United States' purposes and its political means. Trubowitz notes that Congress is more polarized over current US foreign policy today than at any time in the last one hundred years.
Government Professor receives National Fellows Honor
Professor Zoltan Barany has been named a W. Glenn Campbell and Rita Ricardo- Campbell National Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Barany will spend the period from May 1 to August 15, 2008 in residence. His project is called "Building Democratic Armies."
Government Professor Wins Best Paper Award from the American Political Science Association
Assistant Professor Kenneth Greene won the Best Paper Award for the Comparative Democratization Section of the American Political Science Association at the 2006 meetings for his paper, "A Resource Theory of Single-Party Dominance." Prof. Greene is a specialist on political parties, Mexican politics, Latin American Politics, and research methods.
Honorable Mention Awarded to Government Professor for Best Article
Assistant Professor Daniel Brinks won Honorable Mention from the Comparative Democratization Section of APSA for his article, "Diffusion is No Illusion" (Comparative Political Studies, Vol. 39, No. 4, 463-489, 2006). He teaches in the fields of Comparative Politics and Public Law, with an emphasis on politics and democracy in Latin America.
Prof. Kenneth Greene Publishes Study on Single-Party Dominance
Professor Kenneth Greene's study, Why Dominant Parties Lose: Mexico's Democratization in Comparative Perspective, is released by Cambridge University Press.
Prof. H.W. Perry, Jr. Honored at American Political Science Association Convention
Associate Professor of Government and Law H. W. Perry received the 2007 Wadsworth Publishing Award given for a book or journal article, 10 years or older, that has made a lasting impression on the field of law and courts. The book, Deciding to Decide: Agenda Setting in the United States Supreme Court (Harvard University Press) was published in 1991.
Prof. Lorraine Pangle has just published The Political Philosophy of Benjamin Franklin with The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Professor Elspeth Rostow Passes Away
Elspeth Rostow, Stiles Professor Emerita in American Studies, and a member of the Government Department since 1969, died on Sunday, December 9 at the age of 90.
Prof. R. Harrison Wagner Explores International Relations Theory
R. Harrison Wagner is the author of War and the State: The Theory of International Politics, published by the University of Michigan Press. “Possibly the most important book on international relations theory since Kenneth Waltz’s Theory of International Politics.,” writes James Fearon of Stanford University.
Prof. Jason Casellas has won third place in the competition for the best dissertation completed in 2007 given by The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) and Educational Testing Service (ETS). Prof. Casellas is spending the year at Duke on a Samuel Dubois Cook Fellowship. Congratulations on a job well-done!
Professor Daniel Brinks Publishes Book on Public Law and Latin American Politics
Assistant Professor Daniel Brinks has published The Judicial Response to Police Killings in Latin America: Inequality and the Rule of Law from Cambridge University Press.
Professor Sean Theriault Wins Texas Exes Teaching Award in the College of Liberal Arts
This is the third year in a row that Theriault has captured a major teaching award. He has previously won the Eyes of Texas Teaching Excellence Award in the Spring of 2005, and the President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award in the Spring of 2006.
UT Professor Blogs on Democratic Presidential Nomination Race
Professor Jeffrey Tulis, a specialist on American politics, wrote a recent blog analyzing the role of inspirational leadership versus specific policymaking proposals and accomplishments in the current battle between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton.
Prof. Wendy Hunter Publishes Paper on the Workers' Party in Brazil
Associate Professor Wendy Hunter has published "The Normalization of an Anomaly: The Workers' Party in Brazil" in World Politics 59:3 (April 2007), pp. 440- 475.
Prof. Eric McDaniel Receives Fellowship from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Assistant Professor Eric L. McDaniel has accepted the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s invitation to join their Scholars in Health Policy Research Program.
Prof. Catherine Boone Heads American Political Science Association Africa Workshop
Government Professor Elected to Life Membership in the Council on Foreign Relations
Zoltan Barany, the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Centennial Professor of Government, was recently elected to a Life Membership in the Council on Foreign Relations.