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Bickers, Ken

Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Professor Bickers studies subnational politics and campaigns and elections. He is co-authoring a book that focuses on electoral and mobility options that citizens have for registering discontents over policy performance at the local level, including economic development, public safety, and education, and what this means for the electoral fortunes of local politicians. As part of this project, he is studying the role of race and inequality in shaping local politics. He is also focusing on the determinants of local support for traditional redistributive programs and newer sustainability policies.

keywords

  • politics, campaigns and elections, electoral turnover and exiting behavior, local politics, distributive and environmental politics

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • PSCI 2106 - Introduction to Public Policy Analysis
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2023
    Studies policymaking processes in American government, factors shaping public decision, and issues and questions relevant to political inquiry.
  • PSCI 3011 - The American Presidency and the Executive Branch
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019
    Examines the constitutional, institutional and historical development of the presidency and the federal bureaucracy. Explores the changing role of the executive branch in the U.S. political system over time and competing views of executive power.
  • PSCI 3021 - U.S. Campaigns and Elections
    Primary Instructor - Summer 2018 / Fall 2018 / Summer 2019 / Spring 2020 / Summer 2020 / Fall 2020 / Summer 2021 / Spring 2022 / Summer 2022 / Fall 2022
    Introduces students to the subjects, techniques, and findings of Political Science research on campaigns and elections. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of voting, campaign effects, partisan coalitions, electoral rules, campaign finance, and the policy impact of elections. Recommended prerequisite: PSCI 1101.
  • PSCI 4715 - Honors Political Science Seminar
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
    Involves writing and discussion of selected topics in political science. Critically reviews the major methodological and conceptual features of the discipline. Students begin their honors papers in the seminar. Department enforced prerequisite: minimum 3.3 GPA. Generally offered in fall term only.
  • PSCI 4725 - Political Science Honors Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2024
    Involves writing an honors thesis. Formerly PSCI 4008.
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