WMU Department of Political Science

Congratulations on all your success, Faten, and best wishes for your PhD program!

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Brian Schaffner, a political scientist who started his teaching career at WMU (2002-2004), has an op-ed piece in today's New York TImes. Using data from the Cooperative Election Study, Schaffner and Stephen Ansolabehere argue that we aren't as different or polarized as we think we are.

Opinion | No One Wants to Hear It, but Maybe We’re Not That Polarized Americans have been told for at least two decades that they share less and less, while the data show the actual overlap holding roughly steady.

Happy 250th Birthday, USA! We asked Professor John Clark to share some ideas for celebrating this historic event.

“Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. It’s a celebration for everyone who values the ideals of freedom and equality, whether in this country or around the world.

I like celebrations that reflect or build community. It reminds me that people from different backgrounds or with different perspectives can (and do) love their country. Attend a fireworks display or a baseball game (or both). Invite your neighbors or friends for a picnic or cookout. With the excessive heat, check on friends and neighbors who don’t have air conditioning or who lost power due to storms.

Is the weather driving you inside? Watch a show about the founding era—think “1776” or “Hamilton” or the documentary “The American Revolution,” all great reminders that the founders were complex and flawed and important. Read a book about US history like David McCollough’s “1776” or John Meacham’s “The Soul of America” or Richard Ellis’ “Founding Brothers.” Prefer fiction? Try Christopher Buckley’s “The Judge Hunter.” Poetry? Jennifer Clark’s “Johnny Appleseed: The Slice and Times of John Chapman” (you’re welcome, dear!). Read our founding documents like the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution (I’m looking at you, Supreme Court!).

The Fourth of July is a time to reflect on our shared history and ideals. It doesn’t belong to one person or group, it belongs to everyone. Don’t let one person or group hijack your celebration; you wouldn’t let another guest hijack your birthday party, would you?

Be safe, and Happy Birthday, America!”

Photo Credit: Image by Dalibor M from Pixabay

Congratulations to our colleague Emily Hauptmann, Professor Emerita of Political Science, on her retirement from WMU! Emily earned her PhD at the University of California at Berkeley. She joined the WMU faculty in 1996 after starting her career at the University of Nevada, Reno. Emily's most recent book, "Foundations and American Political Science," was published in 2022. She was a co-founder of the Association of Political Theory and received our Political Science Good Citizen Award in 2018. Best wishes, Emily, and thank you for all your contributions to our department and our students!

Dr. Tate '27 was the first African American woman to graduate from WMU (then Western State Teachers College). In 1941, she become the first African American woman to earn a PhD in Government at Harvard University.

This Juneteenth, we honor an individual who embodies black freedom and excellence: Dr. Merze Tate.

Dr. Tate was a dynamic trailblazer who bravely defied systemic injustices, challenged cultural expectations, and found ways to overcome barriers as she forged her own path toward success. She is a guide pointing the way forward for all members of our Western Michigan University community and demonstrates the type of spirit we as a community should aspire to emulate. The legendary accomplishments of Dr. Tate show our students the limitless opportunities available to them.

WMU political scientist John Clark was interviewed about the Mackinac Policy Conference underway on Mackinac Island. "I think thoughtful discussions of ideas are important for a democracy," Clark said. "If that's what we get out of the Mackinac conference, so much the better."

As Mackinac Policy Conference gets underway, expert explains its importance Surrounded by the crisp blue waters of the straits, the chamber seeing purple, aiming to buck divisiveness.

For decades, WMU students have been interning in Lansing through the WMU Capital Internship Program co-sponsored by the Lee Honors College and the Department of Political Science. We're excited to share that for the next academic year, the program will expand to the fall semester!

Through this program, students apply their interests and/or academic study of government and politics to the real world, while gaining professional experience, networking contacts and career insights. Internship placements vary widely including political parties, lobbyists, policy advocacy organizations and the state legislature. This fall, there will be the added opportunity of interning on political campaigns, as well as the traditional placements in Lansing, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Interns for the fall are being interviewed now, so if you are interested, please contact Fred Schaible, Assistant Vice President for Government Relations, as soon as possible at [email protected]

The Capital Intern Program is open to all WMU students, not just political science majors. Learn more: https://wmich.edu/politics/academics/undergraduate/internships/information

Congratulations to MIDA student Samuel Marseille for his successful pitch for OneShotAI! Way to go, Sam!

This WMU student just won $100,000 for an AI that could revolutionize how doctors talk to patients Samuel Marseille's Oneshot AI is health care's first fully automatic, HIPAA-compliant real-time interpretation system, and it just earned him the top prize at Kalamazoo's biggest student pitch competition.