Michael A. Smith
Update: Restrictive New Voting Laws in the States
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University In 2022, my colleagues and I published our book Much Sound a Fury or the New Jim Crow? The Twenty First Century’s Restrictive New Voting Laws in the States, with SUNY Press. The project began when we met and formed a…
The Challenge of Teaching in an AI World
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University The first day of #MPSA2024 is in the books, and it’s gotten off to a strong start. All panels I attended today were well-attended and thought provoking. I wrapped up my workday by attending an excellent panel on…
#MPSA2024– This Is My Why
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Our world and our lives today are filled with all sorts of communications technology, making it possible for anyone with an Internet connection to meet up with people from all over the world without physically traveling…
U.S. States are Trying Political Scientist-Approved Voting Reforms. How's It Going?
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Most U.S. elections use plurality voting, in which the single candidate winning the most votes is elected, even if they fall short of a majority. If the election is partisan, chances are that the finalists were chosen in…
What’s the Matter with Thomas Frank?
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Earlier this month, Ohio voters voted to amend their state constitution to protect abortion rights, overturning a state law that banned abortion under most circumstances. Voters have also affirmed abortion rights in…
Fighting to Preserve the College Experience
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Where have all the posters gone? This past academic year, my colleagues and I experienced a major restructuring at Emporia State University. I have strong opinions on these events, but this is not the place for a…
Is This the Post-Trump Era? Nope, Not Yet
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Every year, the MPSA Annual Meetings convene at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago. Just a few blocks away, the Trump International Hotel and Tower looms, the former President’s name clearly visible from down…
Direct Democracy: Still Mad as Hell After 45 Years
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Author’s Note The following passage is an excerpt from the project “Political Science Undercover” by Chapman Rackaway, Kevin Anderson, and me. The first iteration of this project will be presented at the upcoming…
The Trump-Biden Era in U.S.-China Relations
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Are we in the midst of the Trump-Biden era? This question seems absurd at first glance. The antipathy that the current and former President have for one another, and that their supporters have for one another, are…
From Soaking and Poking to Breaching Empathy Walls: Qualitative Research after Fenno
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University It is hard to say goodbye to Richard Fenno (1926-2020). He was truly one of a kind. Fenno called his style of qualitative research “soaking and poking.” More formally, it is known as participant observation. Many…