Professor Mike Yawn

Professor Mike Yawn
Office: AB1, 315J & AB4, 210
Office Phone: (936) 294-1456
Email: mike.yawn@shsu.edu

Courses & Teaching Activities

Students who are considering requests for letters of recommendation, will need to follow these directions.

Research

Research interests: Electoral behavior, representation, congress, and media and politics.

Current Research:

1. "The Effect of Presidential Debates on Audience Members": This book-length study is the largest study ever conducted on presidential debates, covering four such events from 1996-2007. Thus far, the research has produced three conference presentations and two articles.
2. "The Effect of Political Culture on Legislative Behavior in the US Senate:" A look at how political culture influences the style and voting behavior of United States Senators.
3. "The Effect of Political Culture on Legislative Behavior in the US House:" A look at how political culture influences the style and voting behavior of United States congressmen.
4. "Knowledge and Perceptions of County Chairs: A look at mid-level activists": This study involves a two-wave panel survey of party chairs in Texas, New Mexico, and Vermont.
5. "Political Experience and Progressive Ambition:" This study examines the 38 individuals since 1980 who have served as both Senators and Governers, examining how their governing styles were affected by institutional differences. Project is being reviewed by the Dirksen Institute for grant funding.
6. "The Topical and Timeless in The Manchurian Candidate." An examination of the film's use of a classical framework to address McCarthy-era politics."

Past Research:
Articles

• "The Causes and Consequences of Running Scared." American Political Research, Summer 2007.
• Partisanship and Support for Ballot Propositions: A Longitudinal Study of Arizona .” Summer, 2000 Social Science Quarterly . With David Berman.
• “Debate-Induced Opinion Change: What Matters?” American Politics Quarterly , January 2000. With Bob Beatty.
• “The Emergence of the Personal Vote.” The Journal of Politics , February 1999. With Richard Herrera.
• “How a Presidential Primary Debate Changed Attitudes of Audience Members.” Political Behavior , (June 1998). With Kevin Ellsworth, Bob Beatty, and Kim Kahn.
• “John Ford's Vision of the Closing West: From Optimism to Cynicism.” (1996) Film & History , 26: 6-19. With Bob Beatty.

Conference Papers

• "County Chairs: A look at mid-level activists." Scheduled for presentation at the Southwestern Political Science Association, Albuquerque, NM. March 14-17, 2007.
• “Presidential Primary Debates: a Party-Building Exercise?” Presented at the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, TX . January 6th -9th, 2005.
• “Gender Effects on Political Representation.” Presented at the Southwestern Political Science Association, New Orleans, TX, March 30th -April 2nd , 2002. With Richard Herrera. Currently being prepared for an academic journal.
• “Political Culture and Representation in the United States Senate.” Presented at the Southwestern Political Science Association, Galveston, TX, March 15-17, 2000. With Richard Herrera. Currently being prepared for submission to an academic journal.
• “Political Culture and Public Policy.” Presented at the Southwestern Political Science Association, San Antonio, TX, March 31-April 3, 1999. With Richard Herrera and David Berman. Currently being prepared for submission to an academic journal.
• “Debate-Induced Opinion Change: What Matters?” Presented at the Southwestern Political Science Association, San Antonio, TX, March 31-April 3, 1999. With Bob Beatty. Published in American Politics Quarterly .
• “Electoral Margins and Congressional Behavior.” Presented at the Southwestern Political Science Association, Corpus Christi, TX, March 18-21, 1998. With Richard Herrera. Currently under review at American Political Science Review .
• “The Emergence of the Personal Vote.” Presented at the Western Political Science Association, Tucson, AZ, March 18-20, 1997. Published in The Journal of Politics , February 1999.
• “Primary Debate Colors.” Presented at the Western Political Science Association, Tucson, AZ, March 18-20, 1997. Published in Political Behavior , June 1998.
• “The Frontier Thesis: John Ford's Take.” Presented at the Society for Interdisciplinary Study of Social Imagery, Colorado Springs, CO, March 21-23, 1996. Published in Film and History , December 1996.

Book Reviews:

• “The Bill: How the Adventures of Clinton's National Service Bill Reveal What is Corrupt, Comic, Cynical—and Noble—about Washington .” (Steven Waldman) Texas Journal of Political Science , 1996 (1): 80-82.
• “Dead Right.” (David Frum) Texas Journal of Political Science , 1996 (2): 76-77.

Service Activities:

• YMCA, Board of Directors, 2007.
• Stan Musial World Series, Board of Directors, 2007
• Volunteer, Huntsville Main Street. 2005-2007
• Volunteer, HEARTS Museum, 2006-2007
• Volunteer, Rita B. Huff Humane Society, 2007
• Volunteer, The Houston Forum , 2006-2007
• Volunteer, World Affairs Council, 2007
• Volunteer, British American Business Council, 2006-2007
• Honors Thesis Chair, 2006-2007
• Internship Director: SHSU Political Science Department, 2006-2007
• Advisor, Political Science Junior Fellows
• Advisor, Journeys With Sam
• Advisor, Delta Sigma
• FLASH Mentors Program 2005-2006