Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In 2008, the Government Accountability Office issued a report concluding that we know very little about the use of eminent domain by state and local governments. This article, based on a survey of county managers in North Carolina and their use of eminent domain, partially fills that gap. The authors employed a narrow versus broad decision framework for characterizing respondent justifications for eminent domain use. Leaders were more likely to use eminent domain for narrow reasons (i.e., sewage, water, and roads), than for the broad reasons (such as economic development). These findings are supported by qualitative comments provided by survey respondents. Our study found that out of the 99 cases of eminent domain reported in the last five years, only seven cases were for economic development projects. Despite the increased expectation for county leaders to be active proponents of economic development, eminent domain is still rarely used for these purposes.

Publication Type: Proceeding
Abstract: Eminent domain is arguably the greatest demonstration of government power municipalities can exert over property owners. In June, the Supreme Court ruled in Kelo v. City of New London that ¡§promoting economic development is a traditional and long accepted function of government¡¨ (2005). Therefore, the court concluded that economic development is a legitimate public purpose satisfying the requirements of the Fifth Amendment¡¦s takings clause. In the wake of the Supreme Court¡¦s ruling, debate at the national and state levels has centered on possible interventions to prevent abuse of eminent domain.

Although the popular press has focused on the plight of the homeowners in the Kelo case and other similar cases, municipal leaders and economic development advocates point to successful outcomes from condemnation of private property for economic development such as Baltimore¡¦s Inner Harbor project. However, legislative leaders have clearly been moved by the arguments of private property owners.

This paper investigated the legislative changes since the Kelo decision and the possible implications of both the decision and the subsequent legislation. While eminent domain was an issue appearing frequently on state legislative agendas pre-Kelo, since the decision, every state has considered eminent domain reform legislation. In most states, some form of eminent domain legislation was successfully passed by the legislature, although the degree of reform varies greatly from state to state. Contrary to the predictions of anti-eminent domain interest group leaders post-Kelo of rampant seizures for economic development, I conclude that the legislative changes and the significant increase in public attention to the eminent domain issue will make it more difficult to seize property for economic development in the future.


On June 23, 2005, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the landmark eminent domain case, Kelo v. City of New London. In a 5-4 decision, the justices held that economic development could be considered a public use under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. Prior to Kelo, the court had never directly addressed takings for the purpose of economic development, although they had made decisions related to urban revitalization and eminent domain. Lower court decisions on the issue were primarily based on earlier Supreme Court cases that addressed the question of public use as well as state constitutions and statutory law.

Despite the predictions of property rights advocates that seizures for economic development would occur unchecked after the Kelo decision, the state and federal legislative reaction to Kelo may make it more difficult to seize property for potential transfer to private entities than before the decision was issued. For this paper, I investigated the status of eminent domain law related to economic development in the United States. How will Kelo shape city governments¡¦ ability to assemble land for new development? In nearly every state legislature, new laws have been introduced to attempt to mitigate the affects of Kelo. This legislation differs greatly from state to state, with some states making very minor changes and others effectively barring takings for economic development or for transfer to private entities.

I begin with a brief description of the status of case law prior to 2005 related to the use for eminent domain for revitalization or economic development and discuss the Kelo case in greater detail. I then describe the findings of my research into the actions by state legislatures and the U.S. Congress in response to Kelo. Concluding the paper is a discussion of potential implications for municipal leaders resulting from the actions by the court and by legislators.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper deals with sex differences in negotiations. Many claims have been made about males outperforming females in negotiations. However, much of this research does not account for the contextual factors involved. In the present study, we replicate prior effects on the ‘sex gap’ in negotiations and demonstrate that by making certain communication aspects more or less salient sex differences can be bridged. Our findings suggest that making visual information a more important aspect of the negotiation process enables females to attain a shared understanding and thereby increased performance. Whereas such a process was observed in males irrespective of the amount of visual information available, understanding among female dyads benefited significantly from the visual information available. The increased understanding was also accompanied by changes in interpersonal affections. Our results suggest that both males and females follow different routes towards their outcomes: whereas males seem to perform slightly better in general, the amount of visual information available informs females about the other person involved, thereby fostering a shared understanding, which in turn leads to better negotiation outcomes. In our discussion, we propose a possible neurobiological basis for these sex differences, arguing that females process (affective) visual information differently than males do and follow different routes in attaining successful negotiations.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Early Childhood Education encompasses the two of the largest and most polarizing domestic policy domains-education and welfare. As such, ECE policy faces constituencies and a history of programs that are fragmented and inconsisent across levels of government. I use NES data to look at public attitudes on these two policy domains in comparison to ECE policy (vis child care attitudes). I also use NES data to look at public attitudes about the role of government in funding child care.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The struggles of transgender protagonists in manga (Japanese print cartoons) are visually and textually cited in conjunction with several mind/body identity theory and psychoanalytic works on the 'bodily ego,' in an effort to contextualize and critique debates on not only what it means to be a 'boy' or 'girl,' but also with regard to how an individual's identity is affected when the mind and body are opposed in their gender identity.