Faculty Mentor: Dr. Doug Imig, Professor

Faculty Mentor's Department: Political Science

Email: dimig@memphis.edu Phone: 901-385-4243

Project Description: Building and Sustaining a Culture of Voice for Children, a collaboration between the University of Memphis and the Urban Child Institute. This research is designed to produce reliable information on children’s policy, identify best practices for advocacy and policy change, and share that research with groups interested in improving the condition of children in Memphis and the Mid-South. Our intention is to build and sustain a political culture that supports optimal childhood development, leading to school success, and improved adult outcomes.

Requirements for Student Applicants: Students should have an interest and - preferably - some background in academic research, a capacity to work independently, quantitative analysis skills, and extremely strong writing skills. For full consideration, please submit a resume/CV and a writing sample.

Method of Compensation: Stipend, or Academic Credit (Independent Study)

http://www.theurbanchildinstitute.org

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Erik Groenendyk

Faculty Mentor's Department: Political Science

Email: grnedyk@memphis.edu

Project Description:  My work investigates the psychological processes underlying political behavior.  This particular study focuses on party identification and social interaction.  Research shows that partisan bias can lead citizens to disregard valuable information in an effort to avoid disagreement with their party.  However, relatively little is known about how these processes operate within a social setting.  More specifically, I am interested in determining the conditions under which partisan biases are socially reinforced versus the conditions under which social interaction helps to mitigate these biases and even fosters deliberation.  Given the interdisciplinary nature of my research, I would welcome involvement from students across the social sciences.  Research assistants will primarily be involved in experimental data collection.  This means working in the lab, helping to get the study setup, data management, and possibly coding data once the collection stage is complete.    

Requirements for student applicants:  Honor student or GPA above 3.5

Method of compensation:  Academic credit or volunteer

 Name of Faculty Mentor : Dr. Leah Windsor

Faculty Mentor's Department : Political Science

Telephone Number : 678.2395

Email address : Leah.Windsor@memphis.edu

Project Description : I research the political implications of natural disasters for different types of societies. Societies can be any combination of willing and/or able to address the social, humanitarian, political, and economic consequences of natural disasters like floods, droughts, earthquakes, and epidemics. My research asks questions about what makes societies well-prepared for natural disasters, and what the political implications are for the aftermath of these events. One current project focuses on state-by-state responses to natural disasters in the United States. A second project focuses on whether societies are likely to experience conflict or cooperation after natural disasters. I am also working on a project with the Institute for Intelligent Systems on political linguistics. I have more detailed information about my projects on my website as well: http://blogs.memphis.edu/lcwells/research/. I would welcome students from many disciplines, including political science, GIS, statistics, or other social sciences to help collect and analyze data, and research and review case studies.

Requirements for Student applicants : Honor Student or GPA above 3.5

Method of Compensation : Academic Credit (Independent Study) or Volunteer

Name of Faculty Mentor : Dr. Matthias Kaelberer

Faculty Mentor's Department : Political Science

Telephone Number : 678-4644

Email address : mkaelbrr@memphis.edu

Project Description : I am currently engaged in research toward a book provisionally entitled “One Money/Many Nations: The Euro, Collective Identity and Political Authority in Europe .” The book addresses the intriguing analytical questions that result from the supra-national nature of Europe's single currency - the Euro: How can the supra-national governance of money function within a framework that still incorporates separate nation-states, diverse societies and integrating markets? Would the European Union have to develop into a full-blown state to achieve successful monetary governance in Europe ? Do previous lessons from the national governance of money apply to the euro, or do we need to reconceptualize completely the governance of money in Europe ? The book reaches beyond the conventional emphasis on institutional structures and markets to emphasize the underlying social foundations for the governance of euro. The book project is located at the intersection of conceptual debates on shifting relationships between markets, politics and societies and its themes evolve around questions of identity, trust and legitimacy. Research assistance involves data collection, web searches for articles, bibliography, research materials selection and review, as well as some editing.

Requirements for Student applicants : Honor Student or GPA above 3.5

Method of Compensation : Academic Credit or Volunteer