Happy Holidays!

I spent Christmas in Oceanside this year. How could I resist the sunny weather? Of course, Christmas in California would not be complete without a trip to the beach.

(Mallory and me)

I am nearly finished with the second week of my winter break, and time is flying by fast! To finish out the quarter, I frantically finished a very skeletal draft of the lit review portion of my qualifying paper. Besides this, I finished up TA duties by grading exams and calculating final grades. The end of the quarter was jam packed with social events and cookie/candy making. We had a department party to end the quarter, I went to a Christmas party, and I hosted a couple dinner parties. After a day of recovery, I headed down to Oceanside for Christmas.

The End is in Sight

We are halfway through finals week, and the end of the quarter is nearly in sight. My students take their final Thursday morning, bright and early at 8 am. Proctoring exams is my least favorite thing to do, because it is 2 straight hours of absolute boredom. It means 2 hours of dead silence, making sure that nobody is cheating during the exam.

Today I turned in my class paper for my Political Participation class. I wrote a research design that examines the political behavior of Asian Americans and the contexts under which they are motivated to participate. In a research design, I have to state my research question, discuss the literature and theory that has addressed my research question, state my hypothesis, and then outline my plan for how I intend to answer my research question. I don't actually plan to follow through with this research design considering that the political participation of Asian Americans isn't really one of my research interests.

This week I am also working on a draft of my literature review for my 1st qualifier. I have also started data analysis as well.

In other news, I have decided not to go back to Minnesota for Christmas. I will be spending the holiday in Oceanside. I plan to finish up some RA work and I plan to work on my qualifying paper over the break.

It Never Rains in Southern California?

This morning, I woke up to the strangest occurrence: It was raining. Like, really raining. It wasn't sprinkling or lightly misting; it was truly raining. I wanted to crawl back into bed, but I had to head to campus to meet with professors and attend a job talk. Here is the view from my window:

You can't see that it is indeed raining, so just take my word for it. See how dark and dreary it is? There were few students on campus today, and many were without an umbrella and unprepared for the weather.

Progress is slow but steady on my qualifying paper. KB and I did some quick stats stuff yesterday with my data, and it looks like the results will be interesting. I am currently busy reading, reading, reading lots of theory about citizenship and the welfare state for my paper. KB has proposed that we co-author this paper so that we can get it published (after I have it signed off as my qualifying paper.) This is obviously a great opportunity and I am very excited because I doubt that I could get this published on my own.

I met with DM today, the prof who will be the 2nd reader for my qualifying paper. I dropped in his office to give him the latest update and discuss a couple points from our previous conversation. We talked about research methods, and he gave me a few of his articles to read so that I could get a better feel for what he does. DM has also offered me abortion events data for me to use. I'm not sure what I would want to do with it, but it is always good when a prof offers you data. Data collection for this current qualifying paper has been a long and tedious project, so I could use a data collection break for my next paper.

I also met with CU to talk about my class paper for my political participation class. We have to write a research design, which means that I have to come up with a research question, propose my hypotheses, and then discuss how I will go about answering the question. There are a few more components, but that's what it is, in a nutshell. It is due in 2 weeks, so I don't have to completely commit myself to a project. It only needs to be something that I can live with for a short time.

I also went to a job talk today. We are hiring a professor that focuses on International Political Economy. Today was the 2nd or 3rd candidate for the position. Basically, a job talk is when a candidate gives a presentation about a chapter from their dissertation. It usually lasts about an hour, with a question and answer session. Afterwards, some grad students meet with the candidate so that he/she can ask the students questions about the program or UCI in general. I don't know too much about job searches or the job market because I am nowhere near going on the market.

Happy Pumpkin Pie Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! I spent the day in Irvine, since the Oceanside crew had Thanksgiving plans with their other sides of the family. My friends got together and we had a great dinner. Sho, a visiting fellow from Japan, celebrated his first Thanksgiving with us. He seemed to have a great time taking in this very American tradition. It was a dinner of firsts for him- first tastes of turkey and first tastes of pumpkin pie. Of course, we have photos to commemorate the event:

I have been spending the day after Thanksgiving hard at work on data sets and lit reviews. Progress is slow but sure, and my impatient self can't wait to be done. We have 3 weeks left of the quarter, and it is hard to believe that I'll soon be in the blustery cold of Minnesota.

In other news, it was simultaneously a happy day in California and a sad day in Minnesota: Torii Hunter is trading his Twins uniform for an Angels uniform. It has been strange to see such a familiar face covered in the LA Times these past couple days. It will be even stranger to see him in Center field, wearing red, next spring.

The 7th Week Stretch

We are headed into Week 7, and the quarter is flying by! I think that I am finally done with my data set. I've been saying this for the past month, so I'm not holding my breath. I just finished coding my variables, so I think I have all the information that I need to start analyzing.

I finished the baby blanket:

I'm also working on a scarf.

A Perpetual Fall

It is that time of the year again, the time when my internal weather compass expects falling temperatures, chilly, brisk winds, and the promise of snow. If I were in Minnesota, I would be bracing myself for the first snow and pulling my red winter peacoat out of the closet. I would be getting my mittens, hats, and scarves in order so they would be easily accessible when I needed them. (Actually, I probably would have done this last month.) Instead, I am in California where the daytime temperatures have been consistently in the 70s and where my peacoat will see the light of day only when I go home to Minnesota for Christmas. The weather is so reliably beautiful that I don't bother with a fall jacket or even a sweatshirt, save for at night when the sun goes down.

Now, before you quit reading and disown me from the family, hear me out. Because I have grown up in Minnesota, I have become accustomed to the bitter cold and snow. I didn't move to California to escape the harsh Minnesota winters. In fact, I miss them. You probably would too if below zero windchills and snow were all that you had ever known. A year ago, I had quite a bit of a weather shock when winter never arrived. I kept waiting for the leaves to change and for the crisp, cool air to usher in winter. Instead, I experienced what I call a "perpetual fall." The temperatures do not dip below the 60s, and Californians consider anything in the 50s to be cold. Of course, this is laughable to Minnesotans. Already, Californians have pulled out their "winter" coats and scarves. I chuckle when I see the neat display of scarves, hats, and mittens at Target.

I can feel that I have started to climatize. I periodically forgo my uniform of flip flops and skirts for real shoes and jeans. Last year, flip flops and skirts were my uniform well through the California winter, despite the strange looks that I received from passerby bundled up in scarves and coats. This year, I am coming back to Minnesota for Christmas. Already, I shudder as I wonder if I will be able to handle a "real winter"- I am trading highs in the 60s for highs in 20s. Brrr....it's hard to believe that a year ago I was playing in the ocean on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Sunday Night Dinner Club

The other night, my friend Bron and I were discussing how we enjoyed cooking but hated all the leftovers, an inevitable result of cooking for one. On top of that, dining alone can get old and boring, so we decided to start a dinner club that would meet on a weekly basis. Each member would rotate cooking duties. We racked our brains to think of other potential members, and Megan was an immediate first choice. Tonight Bron, Megan, and I got together for our first Sunday Night Dinner Club meeting. The inaugural dinner was held at my place, and I made Citrus Pork Tenderloin with egg noodles. It was yummy. Tonight we decided that we should add a member to the group, and so I have extended an invitation to Jon. I am awaiting his reply.

In other news, I will be presenting a paper at the Western Political Science Association conference in San Diego next March. It is the paper that I am working on with Amy and the one that was presented at the American Political Science Association last September. We will also be presenting this paper at the Midwest Political Science Association conference in Chicago next April. In addition to that paper, I will be presenting my own paper at the Midwest as well. It is titled "The Impact of Welfare State Policies on Abortion Rates." It is the paper that I am working on right now under KB's guidance.

All Play and No Work?

Well, it is the 5th week and we are halfway through the quarter. My students turned in the first draft of their second essay, a critique of textualism according to Justice Antonin Scalia. In case you are dying to know, textualism (in a nutshell) is the idea that...wait, you aren't dying to know, are you?

I had my discussion section this morning. I spent nearly the entire time talking about sentence structure and grammar. Students seem to think that longer sentences are better sentences, but this is not so. Many of them commit what I like to call "sentence sprawl" and "comma abuse." As they write, students like to just keep going with their thoughts and go on and on and on, because they get on a roll, and then they don't want to lose their train of thought, and they assume that they are being perfectly clear even though they are not, and then they just sprinkle commas throughout their super long sentence. As you can see, I have given you an example. From their essays, I pulled out some examples of sentence sprawl, comma abuse, and good comma use to make a handout for the students. Together we practiced "fixing" bad sentences.

I decided that today was the day to tell my students about my pet fish, Justice O'Connor. Below is a photo:

I got Justice O'Connor last December. My roommates and I decided to have a White Elephant Gift Exchange, and my gift was a betta fish. Well, I decided that I wanted to have my own fish, so I purchased a red betta fish. To pay homage to the first female Supreme Court Justice, I named my fish Justice O'Connor. At the gift exchange, my friend took home my gift and he named his fish John Roberts (after the current Chief Justice).

Sometimes TAs dread going to their discussion section too early because they don't want to have to make small talk with the students. Some may think that they will lose authority if they seem too much like a friend. Most are simply so incredibly socially awkward that small talk probably freaks them out. I, however, love getting set up for class and making small talk before my discussion sections. (And no, I don't have any authority problems.) Anyway, before section today, I told the students about trick-or-treating in the cold and (sometimes) snow in Minnesota. It was an unfathomable concept to them. Then I proceeded to tell them about Justice O'Connor and how he (it's a male betta fish) almost died last week. Hilarity ensued. I explained how I found Justice O'Connor fluttering about near the surface of the water. I was afraid that he was going to die because the bowl was only 2/3 full of water. I dumped more water into the bowl, along with some food. He was still fluttering about, sideways. I started to yell at Justice O'Connor, telling him not to die. It must have worked because Justice O'Connor is still alive. Anyway, I met some friends for dinner after JOC's near death experience and told them that I feared that a fish funeral was imminent. My students laughed at my story- a lot. They also suggested that I need to have more fish to name after Supreme Court Justices. I think one is enough.

Since it was Halloween today, I baked sugar cookies for my students. I also baked some cookies for Danielle (my roommate) to take to her chemistry lab. Tonight I realized that I had forgotten to bake for my Political Participation class that meets tomorrow afternoon. Since last winter quarter, I have gotten into the fairly consistent habit of picking one of my classes (in which I am a student) and baking for seminar each week. I enjoy baking, but I can't eat all the treats by myself! Tonight I made orange pumpkins and leaves with pink frosting. It looks strange, but pink is all I had left.

I have started a new knitting project. You see, Heidi and Katie have a super comfortable blue couch in their office. When I need a break, I like to go lay down and relax for a few minutes. It is heavenly, but the only thing that is missing is a pillow. So, I decided to knit them a pillow cushion. Also, notice the brand new bamboo knitting needles. I got them in this gigantic set of 17 pairs. They are quiet and super smooth. Best of all, they're not super slippery like the aluminum needles, so I don't have to worry about dropping stitches.

I have finished the scarf!

Still Breathing

Southern California by the numbers:

24: the number of fires
426, 236: the number of acres destroyed
1500: the number of homes burned down
9000: the number of firefighters on the scene

Still doing okay in California. Surprisingly, UCI has not canceled classes and attendance has been low. Many students have family and friends in the Los Angeles and San Diego area, some of whom have evacuated. The air quality is horrible, leading some students to stay inside and miss class so as to not aggravate their asthma-- doctor's orders. At the moment, one of my students does not even know if his family's home is still standing.

In my discussion section today, I told my students that Minnesota does not really have a disaster that is comparable to wildfires. I explained that evacuation does not occur during tornadoes and snowstorms. I told them that UCI not canceling classes reminds me of how the U of M never allowed snow days. Of course, I had to first explain the concept of snow days. Despite the current situation, we had a productive discussion section today. They have a rough draft due on Tuesday, so I helped them lay the groundwork to their essay.

The Eye of the Flames

If you have been following the news recently, you know that there are several fires in Southern California. Irvine is currently surrounded by flames. There are fires in Los Angeles and San Diego, and there is one on the outskirts of Irvine as well. Last night, my friend Heidi called to tell me that she could see the Irvine fire from her apartment. There was a thick cloud of smoke in the air, and sure enough, we could see a fire north of UCI. Apparently, these fires are person-made; they can start from something as small as a discarded cigarette. Put that together with the Santa Ana winds and an unusually dry year, and we end up with uncontrollable fires.

The governor has declared a state of emergency, and some schools have canceled classes. The air quality is pretty bad, and breathing the outside air is like breathing campfire smoke. My cousin Mallory called me to see if I was okay, and she told me that the San Marcos fire is very close to her place of employment. As a result, she will not be working for the next week or so. I talked to my dad today, and I told him that I would rather be in a snowstorm than this wildfire weather.

How Do You 'Do' Research?

Sometimes I cross paths with grad students from other departments and when I say that I am in the Political Science department, they inevitably ask me "How do you do research? It's a fair question and one that I have often wondered (and still wonder).

Research methods fall into two categories: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative methods include interviews and case studies, while quantitative methods can include large scale survey research. I have not taken a research methods class yet, so I am not entirely familiar with these two methods. However, I do know that these research methods are the source of hostility and rivalries in many departments. You see, those who use quantitative methods think that their research method is more valid and superior than those who use qualitative methods and vice versa. Both research methods have their strengths and weaknesses, and they can be utilized to answer different research questions.

So, let me me explain how I "do" research. This past year, I have had experience with large scale survey research. I used the World Values Survey to look at trust in government, and I used the General Social Survey to look at abortion attitudes. This type of research is pretty self explanatory: yearly surveys are conducted both in the US and in various countries. The data sets are compiled and available for research use and statistical analysis using fancy stats programs.

I am currently collecting data for my first qualifying paper. It has been a tedious and frustrating experience, but I have made good progress this past week. Tentatively, I want to look at the factors that may influence abortion rates. However, most of the research centers on the barriers to abortion access, impact of laws, and the influence of demographics as a way to predict state abortion rates. Instead, I want to look at the availability of resources to accommodate motherhood. I want to know if states that invest in the welfare of children have lower abortion rates. To do this, I am collecting data on abortion rates, child care funding, Head Start funding, number of child care providers, and pre kindergarten funding. On top of this, I have also compiled data on the composition of the state legislatures. I also plan to collect data on prenatal care spending and health insurance. Did I mention that I am collecting this data for each state in the US? Sometimes this data is compiled by an organization, and then I only have to enter it in to an excel spreadsheet. For example, the Center for American Women in Politics had nicely compiled data on state legislatures. Other times, data is not so nicely compiled. For example, to find abortion rates, I had to go to each and every state department of health website.

This data collection has been frustrating, and at times I have wondered if I should just scrap the whole project in exchange for one where I can use existing data sets. There were days when I was spending hours in front of my computer and looking for material on the internet, only to come across many dead ends. However, I have been making progress, and KB and I are confident that I will have some interesting results. In the end, I think this will be a gratifying experience. I will keep you posted on my progress.

To Vote or Not to Vote? The Merits and Limits of Rational Choice Theory by Andre Blais

This week we read To Vote or Not to Vote? The Merits and Limits of Rational Choice Theory by Andre Blais for my Political Participation class. Basically, Blais is trying to figure out why we vote.

According to Anthony Downs, citizens engage in a "calculus of voting" model when deciding whether or not to vote. This model says that a citizen will decide to vote if the benefits of voting outweigh the costs. However, if the costs of voting outweigh the benefits, then the citizen will not vote. The expected benefits are those that the citizen would presumably gain if his/her desired candidate wins the election or just the benefits that the citizen gains by simply casting a vote. The costs of voting include the time it takes to register, go to the polls, and obtain information to be an informed voter. According to the rational choice model, citizens must also consider the probability that they will cast the deciding vote in an election. So when deciding to vote, a rational citizen considers the costs, benefits, and the probability that he/she will cast the deciding vote.

This is the paradox of voting: The probability that citizens will cast the deciding vote is extremely small, yet many people still vote. According to rational choice theory, rational actors would not vote. Many scholars have tinkered with the rational choice model and contributed their amendments to the theory. Blais starts with the notion that rational choice inadequately explains why people vote.

Blais explores where, when, and which people vote. Drawing on cross national data, Blais finds that voter turnout is linked to economic development, literacy, population, number of parties, and electoral system. Turnout in national elections is higher than in local elections, and turnout is higher when elections are close. Turnout increases as economic development and literacy increases. Blais also finds turnout to be higher in small, densely populated countries and in countries with proportional representation. He also finds that as the number of political parties in a country increases, voter turnout decreases. Blais moves on to explore voters themselves. He finds that voters do not overestimate their vote, and they do not think that they are casting a decisive vote. Instead, many talk about voting as a sense of duty. Blais finds that this sense of civic duty is stronger among women, as well as older and more religious persons. Finally, Blais finds that the costs of voting are considered to be minimal.

I enjoyed reading this book, but I had two problems with it. This is what we do as political scientists: We read the literature and then look for the flaws. All right, here goes. Blais looks at the number of political parties and their competitiveness to determine their impact on voter turnout. I would have liked it if he had looked at the scope of the parties. According to Blais, we should have a pretty high turnout rate since we have only two political parties. However, this is not the case, especially compared to other countries. Blais finds that turnout is lower when the number of parties increases because voters are overwhelmed with the number of choices, but in the US case the parties are so broad that we seem to lack choices.

My second problem with Blais concerns his methodology- how he went about conducting his research. When he looked at the costs of voting, he surveyed students and voters. This is problematic because we would assume that the costs of voting are going to be low for those who actually vote. Surveying students is also problematic because we know that income and education are linked to voting; hence, costs would also be minimal to this group. It would have been interesting to explore whether or not the costs of voting prevent some from casting a vote.

Week 1 Recap

The first week of a new quarter isn't usually eventful, but this past week was quite busy. For starters, I decided to rearrange my schedule. I was enrolled in a grad stats class, but I decided that my stats skills were too rusty to feel comfortable in the class. Instead, I will be taking an independent study with KB so that I can work on my first qualifier. I plan to take the undergrad stats sequence starting this winter. I am confident that this arrangement will be much better than my original schedule. Since I have to work on a qualifer anyway, I may as well get course credit for doing so.

On Wednesday, I taught my first discussion section for my Supreme Court class. I am one of 2 TAs for this class, and we have almost 50 students. Normally I have 3 sections each week, but since this class is small, I have only one. It is an upper division writing class, so the students will have to write and rewrite 3 essays throughout the quarter. The students will turn in an essay, and then we will give them feedback. They will do a rewrite and then we will give a grade for the final product.

I am looking forward to TAing this class this quarter. My section was very successful, and the students were eager to participate and discuss the course material. Most of the students in my section are aspiring lawyers. Their ambition is evident in how they contribute to the discussion. Since this is an upper division class, most of the students are 3rd and 4th year students. One of them asked me if I actually liked teaching this class, and I immediately took that as an indication that these students have had their fair share of bad and unenthusiastic TAs. I reassured the class that I was genuinely interested in the Supreme Court (come on, I have a red betta fish named Justice O'Connor) and committed to their success in the course. I enjoy teaching, and I know that this will be obvious to them as the quarter progresses.

As grad students, we have two responsibilities: researching and TAing. When we go on the job market, we will either take the teaching route or the researching route. If we take the teaching route, we will most likely end up teaching at a liberal arts college or a state school. If we take the researching route, we will most likely end up at a research university where we will have to "publish or perish." In this case, research and publications will be crucial to our survival. There is such an emphasis placed on furthering our research, and a good number of TAs skirt their responsibilities. I have known of TAs that don't actually teach discussion sections and instead use them as glorified office hours. I have known of TAs who openly admit that they will do only the bare minimum so that they can focus on their own research. I have known of TAs who actively pursue TA assignments without discussion sections. Consequently, I was not surprised when one of my students "tested" me to see how dedicated I would be to the class. It is too soon for me to know whether or not I will follow the teaching route or the researching route, so I am going to keep my options open.

During the latter part of the week, I attended a CSD reception and a department reception. I feel much more comfortable at these receptions now than a year ago since I know the professors and grad students. Conversations don't revolve around research interests and current projects, which get a little dry after a while. Inquiring about someone's research interests is an easy icebreaker, but it is intimidating because first years don't have works in progress. Ironically, now that I have works in progress, research interests are not the topic of conversation. This suits me just fine, as I enjoy talking to people about issues that are beyond our personal research.

The 2nd Year

We began classes last week, and I am officially a 2nd year grad student now. I turned in my keys for the 1st year office in exchange for the keys to 655, an office that will be mine until I finish school. I share my new office with 3 fifth year grad students, some mentors who have become my friends. I will miss being in the 1st year "bullpen," but I am already at home in my new office.

Last night we had our first department event of the year. I am the social coordinator, and I planned a luau themed party. It was a team effort: Heidi and I bought the food; she, Katie, and I set up; Ryan was in charge of the grill. We had so much food that we are had encore barbeque the next night. The turnout was great, and everyone had a lot of fun. Below is a photo of the attendees from my cohort:

(Ryan, Katie, John, Karl, Heidi, me, Greg, and Bryan)

We are no longer the rookies anymore, and it feels a bit strange. There are 14 students in the new cohort, and it is incumbent upon us to help them feel comfortable and navigate the first year.

Last Week of Summer

All right, it's been a bit since I've posted a new entry. A lot has happened this past week, so here goes:

I have moved...again. This is the 4th move in a little over a year (Minneapolis to Rochester; Rochester to 8719; 8719 to 8619; and 8619 to my current apartment). I moved from New Palo Verde to Old Palo Verde, which means that my rent went down nearly $100 a month. I'm not going to air my dirty laundry on this blog, so I will spare you the details of why I moved. The O-side fam came up to help me with the first move, so I had my friends help me with the 2nd. I am already looking for new friends in case I need to move a 3rd time. ..joking. Friends say that I have a 7th month itch since I haven't been able to stay in one apartment for longer than 7 months.

I am finishing up my RA responsibilities with KB. It looks like I should be wrapping things up by next week, which is good since classes begin on Thursday. Under KB's guidance, I will be starting work on a qualifying paper. This paper will explore the current abortion debate as it develops along the lines of privacy, family, and the welfare state. I also met with CU, the first reader of another qualifying paper this week. This paper will look at opinion formation and the processes that impact abortion attitudes. Theoretically, I could write these papers simultaneously. However, this probably will not be feasible since I will also be taking classes, TAing, and working on a coauthored paper. Instead, the development of these qualifiers will most likely be staggered.

Our summer is wrapping up, and we begin classes next Thursday. I am taking Statistics and Political Participation. TA assignments were announced today, and I got my first choice: US Supreme Court with the department chair, MP. I love teaching about the US government, and the Supreme Court is my favorite branch. This will also be a great opportunity to cultivate a relationship with MP.

After spending a year in California, I find that I am finally getting used to the weather. During this time last year, it was still really warm to me; I wore flip flops and skirts year round. I have noticed that it is getting cooler during the day and chillier at night. Of course, it may be due to the thunderstorm that we are expecting tomorrow. You know the song about how it never rains in Southern California? Well, that's the truth. When I was in Minnesota last July, I saw more rain in a day than I had seen in almost a year.

After a year long hiatus, I am knitting and crocheting again. Since I don't want to be a one dimensional grad student, I am trying to cultivate non academic hobbies. Here are my current projects:

I am knitting a colorful scarf and crocheting an off white baby afghan. Tonight, my friend Lorien and I went to the Stitch n' Bitch in Long Beach. This is a group of women of all ages and backgrounds that meet on a weekly basis to knit (or crochet) and socialize. It felt great to get away from Irvine, meet new people, and take a much needed vacation from academia. Being in grad school is like being in a bubble because we are surrounded by other grad students and professors. This can get really monotonous and overwhelming. It is easy to forget that there is this big world full of "normal" people, and sometimes I start to feel like I am defined by what I study. It was really nice to be in the company of non academics because it means that conversations can never be about school, classes, professors, research, etc.

The PoMos

Members of our cohort like to refer to ourselves as the PoMos (short for Post Modernists). It's not necessarily the case that we consider ourselves to be Post Modernists. Rather, the nickname has come about from our required Fall Quarter class called Foundations of Modern Political Science. In the last week of class, Bryan was giving his presentation of that week's readings. It was the last week of the quarter and we were tired and stressed out. We were zoning in and out of Bryan's presentation, not really paying attention to what he was saying. Then he decided to abbreviate Post Modernist, calling them PoMos. Naturally, this got our attention. We exchanged a few raised eyebrows and chuckles. Since then, we have called ourselves the PoMos.

Last weekend we finally got around to making cohort t-shirts. We are such huge nerds, and our shirts are references to political science terms and political scientists. The front of my shirt says 'social whip' and the back has a photo of the current Majority Whip, James Clyburn (D-SC).

I am the Social Coordinator for the department this upcoming year, so I will be responsible for organizing social events for the grad students. My friends say that my title should be "Social Whip" instead because whenever I organize get togethers for my friends, I verbally "whip" them and get them to come hang out. This is kind of like in the House of Representatives, where the Majority and Minority Whips are responsible for getting members to vote with the party and to actually show up for a vote. (Hey, I told you that we were geeks!)

(Katie, me, Heidi)

Katie's shirt pays homage to political scientist Robert Putnam and Heidi's shirt pays homage to the I (heart) NY shirts.

APSA Recap

I had no expectations prior to going to APSA in Chicago. As a student entering her second year, I did not intend to focus on networking and meeting other grad students and professors. I am not at a point where networking would be truly beneficial. I met a few grad students and had a brief conversation with a professor, so I was pleased with the "networking" that I did. Most grad students do not start going to conferences until their second or third year, so I am already ahead of the game. My goal was to simply sit back and learn, acting as a sponge and absorbing everything.

I came back to a heat wave in California. It has finally cooled off and we have some relief! I also experienced my first earthquake last Sunday. Since I did not even realize that it happened, I guess I didn't really experience it. I am back in the office working on my data collection for KB, and I'm reading relevant literature so that I can nail down a research question to expand my abortion and citizenship paper. And finally, I'm getting organized so that I can expand my abortion attitudes paper. It will be a busy few weeks before classes start!

APSA: Day 3

On my last day in Chicago, I decided to sightsee. Like my second day, I had intentions of waking up to attend an 8 am panel but it just didn't happen. So I checked out, checked my luggage, and headed out to explore the city.

I walked down to Millenium Park, this park with sculptures and an amphitheater. It also has "The Bean," this big mirror. It's really cool because it reflects and contorts the tall buildings.

Next stop: the Art Institute of Chicago. This museum reminded me a lot of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It had such an extensive collection, but I stuck mostly to the modern, contemporary, and impressionist rooms.

I had a lot of time before my flight, so I headed to the Navy Pier. Of course, I snapped pictures along the way. The Navy Pier is very touristy. It has several restaurants, a ferris wheel, and it is the site of many boat tours. It also has a nice view of the skyline.
I paused long enough for a snack- a Chicago style hot dog:

At the end of my jam packed day, I stopped at Giordano's for some Chicago style pizza.

APSA: Day 2

I woke up at 7 am, intending to go to an 8 am panel. Instead, I went back to sleep. I went to a panel at 10 am titled Interests, Identities and the Struggle for Equality in 20th Century US Politics. One presenter discussed social movements, another discussed the incorporation of sport in Title IX, one discussed small business, and another discussed the concentration of low voter turnout in the South. The presenter whose work was the most interesting and the most relevant to my own research was a professor who talked about women, citizenship, and equality. I briefly spoke with her after the panel, and she directed me to a paper that she had published last March. I look forward to being in contact with her.

My poster session was in the afternoon. Quite a few people turned out at the poster session, and I talked to a few of them. I explained our research and our findings. Some had questions, but most did not. Here is our poster:

After the session, Armando and I took a walk down to the river:

Later that evening Armando, Joe, and I went to the Sears Tower. The lobby had this art exhibit of globes about global warming.

This is the view on the way to the Sears Tower:

This is the view from the skydeck:

APSA: Day 1

I was in Chicago last week for the American Political Science Association (APSA) Conference. If political science were a sport, APSA would be the Olympic Games (except that APSA comes around every year, not every four). There are several regional APSA conferences such as the Western and the Midwest, but this conference was the national one. I arrived in Chicago in the mid afternoon. After checking in to my hotel room, I headed to the APSA registration desk to check in. The conference site was in two hotels, and attendees were milling about and clogging the corridors. I picked up a tote bag and a 400 page program.

Conference presenters are part of either a panel or a poster session. Each lasts nearly two hours. Prior to each conference, there is a call for papers. Grad students and professors submit an abstract, which is basically like a summary of the paper. Sometimes abstracts are submitted before the paper is even written. Those who submit may be accepted to a panel, a poster session, or nothing at all. Each panel and poster session has a different theme, and participants' work is relevent to this theme. For example, we would not have a panel in which one presenter discussed gender politics and another discussed international security.

Panels consist of a chair, 5 presenters, and 1 or 2 discussants. The chair manages the panel, introduces the presenters and discussants, and keeps time. Presenters are alloted 10 minutes to present their papers. They discuss their research question, why previous research has failed to answer this question, the importance of their research, and their findings. The biggest challenge is to sum everything up in 10 minutes. After each presenter has presented, the discussants discuss the highlights of each paper, offer a critique, and ask questions. Finally, those in the audience are allowed time to offer their comments and questions.

Poster sessions operate differently. There are many more presenters in each poster session. Presenters simply stand with their poster, and session attendees walk around and look at the posters. In poster sessions, there is no formal presentation but the presenter may have to sum up their work, answer questions, and discuss their findings to anyone who may be interested.

I attended my first panel after I checked in. It was called Politics, Gender, and Concepts. This panel was a book panel in which each presenter had written a chapter in a soon to be published book. Each presenter presented discussed her chapter. These professors were well established in the field, and I recognized many of their names because I had studied their work. I tried my best to contain my excitement and awe of being in the same room with so many brilliant minds.

After the panel, I went to a grad student reception and met a few people from other schools. I met a guy who was originally from Florida and had completed his undergraduate degree at Bemidji State. He said that he wanted to get as far away from Florida as possible. I gave him a hard time; after all, we all know the the climate in Minnesota (especially northern Minnesota) is extremely different than that in Florida. Later, I met up with some friends from my school. We walked around, relaxed at a sports bar, and took a walk by the river.

(Zahra, Armando, Vickie, Joe, me)

(Armando, Vickie, Joe, me)

Swimming in Blue Books

I'm a reader for an Intro to Law class this quarter. Being a reader means that I simply grade the mid term and the final. I can only work a maximum of 20 hours, so I don't attend class. Last week, I administered the mid term for my class and went home with 43 blue books. The exam consisted of two essay questions which I have to finish grading by tomorrow afternoon.

The summer session is only 6 weeks long, so the students have had only 3 weeks to learn the material that they were being tested upon. Grading isn't so bad, except that it can get tedious after awhile. Today I finished grading one of the essay questions, and I'll probably start tackling the second one tonight.

The O-side Fam

I have many, many relatives on my mom's side of the family scattered in the Midwest and California. My maternal grandma had 2 sisters (my great aunts) move to California when they were in their 20s. Of course, I don't blame them for relocating to the West Coast, the Pacific Ocean, and 60 degree winters. They never returned to Minnesota, and they had children (my mom's cousins) and established their lives in California. When I applied to UCI, I had no idea that I would be living so close to some of my mom's cousins and their families. (Confused yet? Me too- I just call everyone here my cousin) In fact, I had no clue where Irvine was even located. After meeting the Murphys (Mike, Karen, Mallory, Allison, Kylie) and the Millers (Eileen, Chris, Kellen, Cole) at a family reunion in the summer of 2006, I learned that we would be only a one hour train ride away. Oceanside is only about a half an hour north of San Diego. I spend the holidays with the Oceanside family and we have loads of fun. (Of course, I do feel like I'm cheating on my Minnesota family.)

This weekend I went to Oceanside, California to visit the Murphys. Every time I visit, I bring them bars. Bars is an unknown term in California. When the Murphys were in Minnesota last summer, they were confused by the reunion invitation which invited guests to bring bars. They were clueless, until they were told that bars are sort of like cookies in 9x13 pans. They love to tell this story to all of their friends. This weekend, I brought Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars.

On Friday night, we went to a free jazz concert in the park with some of the Murphys' friends.

On Sunday, I went to an Angels game with Mallory, Kylie, and Kevin. Kevin is a new cousin that I just met this weekend. His family lives in Montana (by way of Idaho and North Dakota), and Kevin works for a construction company. He is currently doing work in Parris, CA, which is about an hour inland from Oceanside. This is the view of the Angels stadium from our seats:

Watching baseball in an outdoor stadium is a fun experience. The Minnesota Twins play in the Metrodome, so I had never watched baseball in an outdoor stadium. A few weeks ago, I came to watch the Twins play the Angels. My friend and I sat right behind the bullpen. I watched Carlos Silva warm up with Joe Mauer. Later I saw Pat Neshek, Dennys Reyes, Joe Nathan, Juan Rincon, and Matt Guerrier.

I always cheer for the Minnesota Twins, but the Angels are my second team. I'm not a very good fan, though. Here we are in the nosebleed seats:

(Kylie, Kris, Kevin, and Mallory)

Kris, Kylie

Books I'm Loving: Gender Vertigo by Barbara J. Risman

I recently finished Gender Vertigo, recommended to me by KB. The underlying research question that Risman seeks to answer is how we explain gender differences and inequalities in society. Gender organizes our society, and it is socially constructed through childhood socializations. Gender is a social construction because the definitions of "being a woman" and "being a man" are not necessarily based upon biological differences. What does it mean to be a woman or a man? Traditionally, women do more housework than their male counterparts. Is performing this labor part of being a woman? When a woman vacuums or prepares dinner, is she "doing gender?"

Through case studies, Risman contends that gender is a structure that perpetuates inequalities in society. We learn this structure in the family, in formal institutions, and through cultural rules and images. This structure constrains our choices and expectations. First, Risman compares single mothers to single fathers to determine that men are just as capable of "mothering" children as women. Nurturing and caring for children are socially constructed as "women's" work with no biological bases. Second, Risman analyzes couples who have constructed egalitarian marriages in which the woman and man share child rearing and household responsibilities equally. These couples are able to do this because women are not economically dependent upon their husbands, families are redefined so that breadwinning and domesticity are the responsibility of both partners, and the definition of masculinity is redefined so that nurturance and emotional sensitivity replace domineering attitudes. Finally, Risman analyzes the children that are raised in these households. Although these children adopt their parents' egalitarian attitudes, they still become gendered due to the cognitive images and knowledge learned from their peers and in formal institutions. Consequently, moving into a post-gendered society is an extremely slow process.

This book is valuable to my personal research interests because it debunks the dichotomous conception that masculinity and femininity are based upon biological differences. Instead, the socialization of females and males occurs in the families and in formal institutions. Most importantly to me, Risman demonstrates that children raised in egalitarian households are well-adjusted and happy, and being raised by working mothers and nurturing fathers is not detrimental to their well-being.

It's not the Heat, it's the Humidity

Lately, it has been hot here in sunny California- humid and temperatures in the mid 80s. Of course, it is nowhere near as uncomfortable as the most humid days that I've experienced in Minnesota or South Carolina. We don't have air conditioning in my apartment, but there is a nice breeze. Nevertheless, I have been spending my days at my air conditioned office or at the pool. I find myself wishing for a winter day; of course, I mean a 60 degree California "winter" day, not a below zero Minnesota day.

I have started RAing for my Sociology professor, KB. Our research interests are compatible (gender, abortion, women in government), so it is a good match and I am eager to build a relationship with her. At the moment I am keeping busy compiling data for her, sorting membership compositions of committees. It is tedious, but a good learning experience. KB was one of my professors last spring when I took her class called Gender, Family, and the Welfare State. I wrote a paper about citizenship and abortion for that class, and I will be expanding it under KB's guidance. I am excited to take this paper further, and I hope that it becomes a qualifier.

A Marathon, not a Sprint: Part 3.

UCI operates on the quarter system. We start the fall quarter at the end of September and end the spring quarter in the middle of June. Each quarter is comprised of 10 weeks of instruction and a finals week. As I said before, being a grad student is my job, and everything I do is in preparation of being a professor. I am working any time I am in class, teaching a discussion section, reading, grading exams, and writing. My schedule is really flexible, and I get to create my own schedule. The only times in which I have to be accounted for is class times and office hours. I can work anywhere that I want: my office, a coffeeshop, the beach, or even the pool. I have been known to grade exams at the beach and read books at the pool.

Grad school classes are referred to as seminars. They are usually 3 hours long and meet once a week. It is a lot different from being an undergrad. I have been in seminars with class sizes ranging from 4 to 10 students. Although professors teach the seminars, it is up to the students to carry the discussions. In grad school, professors do not lecture; instead, they facilitate the discussions. Professors prepare a syllabus, and we are expected to keep up with the weekly readings (books and journal articles) so that we can contribute to the discussions. Each week, one person will prepare a presentation that offers a summary, analysis, and any criticisms of that week's readings. Seminars allow us to familiarize ourselves with the literature, and the weekly presentations get us ready for the time when we will have to prepare class lectures.

In addition to taking 2 classes each quarter, I also TA. As a TA, I lead discussion sections where I prepare a lesson plan with activities geared towards helping the students understand the course material. I also hold office hours each week so that I am accessible for students in case they have questions. Of course, I also grade papers and exams. TAing has been a great way to build relationships with professors and it gives me good teaching experience. Although I have to deal with what we call "grade grubbers"- students who will anything for an A, even if it's undeserved- being a TA has been a valuable and rewarding experience for me.

My first year of grad school went by really fast, and I am looking forward to my second. I am having a great time in California, and I encourage you to keep reading as I share my experiences.

A Marathon, not a Sprint: Part 2.

A common misperception is that grad school is the place to go for floundering, unemployed college grads who do not know what they want to do in life. Some believe that it is the place to go to figure out what you want to do or to prolong adulthood. Although this may be more common in Master's programs, it is never a good idea to enter a Ph.D. program just because you don't know what else to do with your life.

Grad school (for Ph.D. programs) is different from law school or medical school. A very big difference is that our tuition is paid for and we get a paycheck. Being a grad student and TA is considered to be our jobs. Because we will eventually be contributing to the literature in our field, this is considered an investment. When we apply to grad school, we have to outline our research interests in our Statement of Purpose (SOP). These interests are usually categorized into 4 subfields: American Politics, International Relations (IR), Political Theory, and Comparative Politics. My area of research is race and gender politics in the United States. I am interested in issues of representation, public policy, women in government, political participation, and abortion politics. Of course, these interests may change and they do for most grad students. Most of those in my cohort fall into the IR and Comparative category. We have 2 theorists, but I am known as the Americanist. Due to my interests in representation, race, and gender politics, I am a fellow with the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). As a fellow, I have to take 6 designated CSD courses (this is not in addition to the 18 required courses). Last year I took Political Culture and Democracy; as well as Gender, Family, and the Welfare State. Below is a photo with me and a few other CSD fellows:

As a CSD fellow, I attend CSD dinners and speaking engagements throughout the school year. We bring in professors from other universities to come in and talk about their work. Sometimes they are interesting, and sometimes they are not. We have a large group of faculty members who are affiliated with the CSD. CSD dinners are a good opportunity to build relationships with these professors and other grad students. Many of these CSD professors co-author with grad students. The CSD also brings in renowned scholars and speakers. Last year we invited Mary Robinson (former president of Ireland), Faizullah Zaki (member of the Afghanistan Parliament), and President Jimmy Carter to speak. (I will spare you the list of academics). When President Carter came to campus, I and the other CSD fellows met him at a welcome reception.

I do not have a job in addition to being a student. The general school of thought is that everything that we do is geared towards our completion of the program. We are not encouraged to work, since being a grad student is considered our job. During the summer we are expected to further our research. I have a fellowship from the CSD, and I have a research assistantship from the department. This summer has been very relaxing, and I am told that it usually is after the first year. I have been reading a lot of literature relevant to my research interests. I was also a reader (this means I grade projects and exams) for an Intro to American Government class during the first part of the summer, and I am currently a reader for Intro to Law. I am also a Research Assistant (RA) for a professor in the Sociology department. I am collecting data for her and working with her on my own research. Finally, I worked with a fellow grad student on a poster for presentation at the American Political Science Association (APSA) conference. I will be presenting our work in Chicago in 2 weeks. For this presentation, we analyzed gender recruitment and attitudes among Members of Parliament in European Democracies. We will be turning our results into a paper that we can present at future conferences.

A Marathon, not a Sprint: Part 1.

The road to a Ph.D. is long and tough, and I'm pacing myself. I didn't always think that I wanted to be a professor, the chosen profession of most Ph.Ds. The ubiquitous Mayo Clinic made becoming a doctor an enticing possibility for any kid growing up in Rochester, MN. I realized fairly early on in college that I was not cut out for medical school. I pursued a degree in political science at the University of Minnesota, not knowing of my career possibilities. I had always assumed that I would work at the state capitol or for a non-profit organization doing political activism. It was a passing conversation with one of my respected professors that changed my career trajectory. He offered to write me letters of recommendation if I decided to pursue grad school. After many conversations with him and other professors, I decided that I wanted to teach and research. I credit this professor for instilling within me the confidence to embark on the demanding work required to earn a Ph.D.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to have earned a Master's degree in order to enter a Ph.D. program. In fact, it is recommended that you enter a Ph.D. program if you know that that is your ultimate goal. Along the road to a Ph.D., I will have earned a Master's degree as well. The normal time to degree (NTTD) in Political Science at UCI is 6 years. Of course, not everyone who enters the programs comes out. Some decide to take the Master's and run, and some drop out prior to completion. Each year, a new group of incoming students enters the program. Collectively, this group is referred to as a cohort. Here is my cohort:

(back row: Bryan (San Diego); Kim (NC); John (San Diego); Karl (NE); Ryan (TX). front row: Doc (Greg, NE); Heidi (Portland); Katie (Costa Mesa, CA); Robin (San Diego). It appears that I made my own row.)

Some cohorts are really small (6) and some are really big (22). We have a good size. Unlike some of the previous cohorts, mine is really close-knit. We have become friends and we spend a lot of our free time together. We even have a nickname for ourselves: The PoMos, short for Post-Modernists.

All Ph.D. programs have different degree requirements. At UCI, we have to take a total of 18 courses, 3 of which have been decided for us. During our first year, we took Foundations of Political Science in the fall, Micropolitics in the winter, and Macropolitics in the spring. The purpose of these courses is to build our foundation and knowledge of the literature but also to encourage cohort bonding. Completion of the course work will take approximately 3 years. We are expected to take 2 classes each quarter and then work as a Teaching Assistant (TA). Twelve of the 18 courses that we take must be in the Political Science department. If we so choose, we can take up to 6 classes in other departments. This is good for me since I plan to take courses in the Sociology and Women's Studies departments.

We have to write 3 qualifying papers before we can advance to candidacy. These papers are usually expansions of course papers. We need to have 2 professors (we call them 1st and 2nd readers) sign off on these papers. I am currently working on my 1st qualifier. When I have finished it and 12 courses, I will have a Master's degree. After completing all 3 qualifiers, we have to take an oral exam (orals) with a committee of 5 professors, one of whom can be outside of the department. This tests our knowledge of the literature in our field. Upon successful completion of orals, we advance to candidacy and are considered All But Dissertation (ABD). During the last year of working on a dissertation, Ph.D. candidates go on the job market. We will have to interview and give a job talk, which is essentially a presentation of our dissertation. When we have completed our dissertations and defended them in front of a committee, we have earned our Ph.Ds. Sounds easy, right?

Chapter 1

If you are reading this, you should know me. If you don't remember me, that's okay too (unless you're one of my grandmas). I moved to Irvine, California last September to pursue a Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of California, Irvine. I traded 10,000 lakes for the Pacific Ocean, Twins for the Angels, humid summer days for cool ocean breezes, cornfields for mountains, and snow and ice for 60 degree "winters." Irvine is an expansive, sterile, planned community situated along the coast between Los Angeles and San Diego. I finished my first year of grad school last June, and I am set to start my second at the end of September. Read along as I keep you updated on my classes, research, and life on the West Coast.