Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The bulk of available research on the geography of crime considers the ‘spatial-ness’ of crime as being limited to single points in space. In reality, crime events are complicated spatial networks made of nodes that may or may not overlap. The research presented here outlines a five category geometric classification for spatial networks-composed of homicide locations, offender residences, and victim residences- and shows the predictive value of various offender-, victim-, and homicide-characteristics through a series of multinomial logistic regression analyses. Also tested are contextual measures of the neighborhoods surrounding each network node, drawn from macro-geographical research on Routine Activities and Social Disorganization.

Publication Type: Session Presentation
Abstract: Teaching across the curriculum? Emphasizing multiple intelligences? You can do it all in this German geography unit! The unit makes use of mathematics, music, reading, and writing while addressing the Foreign Languages Standards. The unit can be adapted for use with any language.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In this paper we examine the political effects of local age distributions, with an eye to understanding geographic variations in voter turnout. The Depression era birth cohort is now elderly and will soon make a final exit from the electorate through mortality. The Baby Boom generation is quickly closing on retirement. These older generations are highly participatory for both generational and life-cycle reasons, but the enormous post-Boomer age cohorts show signs of being less participatory, and they are certainly at a non-participatory stage in the life-cycle. These generalizations about political activity within age cohorts raise questions about the extent to which local turnout levels are affected by the relative size of these groups in local electorates. We find that aggregate local turnout is highly sensitive to the age distribution, rising with the percentage over age 65, falling sharply with increases in the percentage between age 18 and 30. At locations with a bimodal age distribution and a high concentration of both elderly and youthful citizens, we see modest declines in turnout as we approach 2000. We conclude with some reflections about the importance of mobilizing younger voters who have not yet established a habit of voting.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Political jurisdictions (cities) in metropolitan areas work to reinforce existing patterns of segregation in residential areas, which means that, on average, citizens live in homogeneous places. This homogeneity is multi-dimensional, and can include class, race, partisanship and other measures. Whether or not this homogeneity at the jurisdictional level influences with whom individuals interact is the focus of this paper. The questions I attempt to answer are: Is there a spatial component to homogeneity in a person's political network? Can the existence of homogeneity (defined as agreement) in a person's network be explained by the homogeneity of the place? I utilize the 1996 Indianapolis-St Louis dataset, collected by Huckfeldt and Sprague (2000), and find that, on three measures of homogeneity, only partisan homogeneity - associating with people who support the same party - has a spatial pattern. For the other measures, demographic homogeneity and political agreement, there is no spatial component. This suggests that although individuals may live in homogeneous, segregated cities they do not necessarily isolate themselves with like-minded people of similar demographic backgrounds.
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Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The paper examines the role of free speech doctrine and American political culture in constituting a cultural politics of spatial location. In this mode of politics participants seek positions in the "center" of a public sphere, while placing opponents on the "margins." The paper traces this mode of politics to cultural practices emanating from law and multiple, overlapping strands of political culture--liberalism, republicanism, and protestantism. The implications of this mode of cultural politics for democratic practices are assessed.