Co-Leaders
Burke Hendrix, Associate Professor, University of Oregon
Leigh Jenco, Associate Professor, LSE

Description
This workshop will focus on research in the field of comparative political theory. By broadening the traditional canon of political thought to include global and non-western intellectual traditions, comparative political theory opens up new avenues for research while also raising important methodological questions. Dissertations on a range of topics in comparative political thought are welcome. Before the workshop each student participant will share one draft of a dissertation chapter, and all participants will read each other's work in advance and prepare feedback. Faculty leaders and students will discuss the drafts and provide detailed comments. Each graduate participant will be expected to offer formal comments on one of the papers, scheduled in advance. The workshop will also provide students with a network of peers in the field and allow for a discussion about the state of political theory more broadly. 

This workshop will focus on research revolving around the intersection of race, ethnicity and gender in American political behavior. Studies of the intersection of identity in American politics are growing significantly. As a part of this growth, scholars are developing increasingly diverse methodological approaches to explore the intersection of gender and ethnorace in America. Yet different methods yield different information about the intersection of identities and come with different strengths and weaknesses. As researchers that have used a variety of approaches to study race and gender in American politics (including content analysis, experiments, interviews and survey data), we hope to help young scholars build their research and guide them towards thinking about all the different ways these subjects may be explored. Dissertation chapters that explore mass and/or elite behavior in American politics from an intersectional perspective are welcome.

The panels will revolve around methodological approaches to the topic, with one panel including primarily quantitative work and the other including qualitative approaches. Common themes to our discussion will include theory development, measurement, and methodological approaches to studying intersectionality in American politics. We will also discuss some of the challenges associated with publishing intersectional research and highlight strategies for overcoming those barriers. The workshop will provide students with constructive feedback from both the leaders and the participants. Through the course of this process, we will provide individual students with guidance as well as create a space for a broader discussion about the state of the literature and avenues for new research. Students will leave the workshop with directed revisions to strengthen both their theoretical and methodological approaches to dissertations and future studies.

This workshop will develop a network of emerging scholars in science, technology and environmental politics through the discussion of ongoing dissertation projects. Each student participant will provide one draft of a chapter/paper and one research plan for another chapter/paper. Organized around panels addressing behavior and institutions, the faculty and students will discuss the drafts and suggest potential ways to improve their theoretical grounding, research design, and writing style. In addition, the workshop will take time to address such issues as building an effective network of research collaborators, finding the right professional mentors, and efficiently managing time for a successful career post-graduation.

Each graduate student participating in this workshop will be given a $250 stipend from the Science, Technology and Environmental Politics Section.