2007-2008 NELSON W. POLSBY GRANT RECIPIENTS

The Center for the Study of Representation at the Institute of Governmental Studies is able to offer the Nelson W. Polsby Grant for Public Affairs Research because of a generous donation from Bill Brandt, a member of the Board of Advisers of the Institute of Governmental Studies.

This grant honors Nelson W. Polsby, who was a great source of inspiration for young scholars. Polsby served as the director of IGS from 1989 to 1999 and was an esteemed faculty member of the UC Berkeley Department of Political Science for 40 years. In 1995, he was awarded an endowed chair, the Heller Professor of Political Science.

The Center for the Study of Representation will award up to ten research grants of up to $500 each to UC Berkeley undergraduate students who have participated or are participating in one of the following: 1) the UC Berkeley Washington Program, 2) the Cal in Sacramento Program, 3) a senior honor thesis class, 4) the McNair Scholars Program, 5) the Miller Scholars Program, or 6) the Haas Scholars Program.

The purpose of the grant is to encourage undergraduate students to conduct major research on an aspect of American politics, including public opinion, electoral behavior, civic participation, government institutions, social movements, and public policy. The grant may be used to cover research expenses such as traveling to Washington, DC to interview lawmakers, buying a dataset, or covering photocopying costs at an archive.


2007-2008 Recipients

Natalie Adona: "The Historical Development of Felon Disenfranchisement Laws"

Tara Kotagal: "FEMA, Failure, and Katrina: A Public Choice Analysis"

Nathaniel Lipanovich: "Congressional Aggression: An Analysis of Congressional Investigations, 1993-2007"

Riva Litman: "An Analysis of Historical Restrictions on Jewish Political Rights in the United States"

Scott Lucas: "The Effects of Conditional Party Government on Agenda Setting"

Robert Nielsen: "Why Do Strong States Employ Private Military Firms?"

Nicholas Perry: "The Rise of the Private Military Industry in the United States"

Samantha Seng: "The Politics of Education Reform"

Xiao Zhang: "An Analysis of Land Use Policy in Oregon and California"