UW Political Science Honors Program

Previous Faculty

Erik Wibbels

Autumn, 2003 - ewibbels@u.washington.edu - http://faculty.washington.edu/ewibbels/

(Ph.D., University of New Mexico), assistant professor, joined the department in 2000. He specializes in comparative political economy with an emphasis on the politics of market reform in Latin America.

This year, Wibbel's is teaching a course on "States and Markets in a Global Economy." This course examines the relationship between states, citizens, and markets in an era of globalization. The relationship between economics and democracy has been debated in studies of political economy for hundreds of years. These debates have taken on added salience in the current international economic context. After an initial introduction to the science in social science, this course provides an introduction to key historical arguments about the relationship between governments and markets. Thereafter, we will examine the economic and political consequences of integrating international markets for states and their citizens. To that end, we will explore the democratic implications of various features of globalization including trade, mobile finance capital, reform of the welfare state, mounting inequality, regional integration and the like. The class will end with a consideration of future political and policy challenges presented by globalizing markets.

George Lovell

Winter, 2004 - glovell@u.washington.eduGeorge Lovell (Ph.D., Michigan), assistant professor, joined the department in 2001. He studies public law, political institutions, American political development, and constitutional theory. Specifically, his research examines interaction among branches of government and the effect of courts and other political institutions on social movements. His book, Legislative Deferrals, looks at the development of the American labor movement and shows how legislators use ambiguity to give judges the opportunity to resolve important policy controversies. The book challenges conventional understandings of both American labor history and the relationship between judicial power and democracy. Lovell is also working on a new project on political institutions and legal consciousness that focuses on the Justice Department's civil rights activities in the 1940's. He has published articles on 19th century state labor legislation, the Supreme Court's progressive era decisions on federal labor legislation, and legislative delegation to the executive branch.

Karen Litfin

Spring, 2004 - litfin@u.washington.edu (Ph.D., UCLA), associate professor, specializes in international relations theory and international environmental politics. She is primarily interested in the impact of science and technology on world politics. Other interests include globalization, gender related issues, and ethics in world politics. Her first book, Ozone Discourses: Science and Politics in International Environmental Cooperation (Columbia University Press, 1994), looked at the discursive framing of science in environmental negotiations. Her most recent book is an edited collection, The Greening of Sovereignty in World Politics (MIT Press, 1998). She teaches courses on International Politics, International Environmental Politics, Technology and Politics, Gender and International Relations Theory.

Class of 2003

Autumn Quarter 2001

Eric Wibbles

Winter Quarter 2001

Lance Bennett

Spring Quarter 2002

Margaret Levi

Class of 2004

Autumn Quarter 2002

Peter May

Winter Quarter 2002

Jim Caporaso