Publication Type: Session Presentation
Abstract: Sobering research exists regarding teacher talk versus student talk time. This interactive session will offer an abundance of creative teaching strategies as well as pair and group activities for college instructors of beginning Spanish language classes. These simple steps are guaranteed to increase dramatically your students’ talk time in class.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The phenomenon of racial profiling generates conflicting conclusions as to etiology and even as to its existence. The U.S. Supreme Court has largely declined to examine the subjective intent of police officers in stops and through a series of rulings has legitimated pretextual traffic stops of minority persons. The Court has talked the talk of equality under the law but refused to walk the walk. A question arises: have the supreme courts of other nations engaged in similar refusals to meaningfully discuss, let alone limit, police abuse of discretion where race and ethnicity are concerned? This study, limited to the checkpoint law of the Canadian, U.S., and French courts, indicates that the French and U.S. courts largely defer to the real or imagined needs of the police. In contrast, the Canadian court has shown a realistic understanding of police racial profiling and a willingness to define such police conduct as a violation of fundamental Charter Rights.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper examines the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) in the federal budgeting process. The early evidence on PART prompts the search for a theory of budgeting that accepts that performance information will influence decisions, but will not be used in the same way from decision to decision, as the espoused theory of performance budgeting suggests. Dialogue theory emphasizes the ambiguity of performance information and related resource allocation choices. An exploratory test of dialogue theory is undertaken through an experiment involving graduate students assessing PART evaluations. The results illustrate a variety of ways in which different individuals can examine the same program and, using logical warrants, come to different conclusions about performance and future funding requirements.

Publication Type: Proceeding
Abstract: The individuals we have close interpersonal relationships with (our “peers”) impact how we behave. This paper examines how discussing politics and current events with different types of peers affects how individuals participate in civic activities. Three types of peer group characteristics are examined: civic expertise, social intimacy, and homogeneity. Data collected through a natural experiment show that all three of these characteristics enhance the effectiveness of peer influence. This is likely the case because peer groups with above average expertise, social intimacy, and homogeneity engage in more discussion of politics and current events. Moreover, peers with above average levels of these characteristics are also more likely to share information on how to become civically active with one another, generate higher levels of interest in politics and current events among the members of the peer group, and engage in more frequent instances of asking each other to participate in civic activities.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: A number of puzzles exist regarding the role of domestic politics in the behavior of democracies in international crises. In particular, it remains unclear why democracies are often the targets of international aggression and why democracies may signal well under some conditions and poorly under others. This study will examine the role that the unity of the government and the views of the government and opposition towards the use of force play in deterring potential challengers. The theory presented argues that divided governments are particularly likely to suffer from challenges as they are unable to credibly signal their intentions. The theory will be tested on a new dataset that examines the theory in the context of international territorial disputes. The results show that there is no significant difference between hawkish and dovish governments in the likelihood of being targeted in international conflict while internally divided governments are significantly more likely to be challenged. To elucidate the causal mechanisms at work in the theory, a brief case study on the Falklands War is presented.