Annotated Source List

Anguelovski, Isabelle. "Tactical Developments for Achieving Just and Sustainable

Neighborhoods: the Role of Community Based Coalitions and Bottom-to-Bottom
Networks in Street, Technical and Funder Activism." Government and Policy 33.4
(2105): 703-26. Print.

This article investigates the complexities and details of urban activists, most of who are
centered among a specific neighborhood or cause. It particularly explores the dynamics of
organizations or groups that are attempting to improve the environmental and living quality of
their local communities. This researcher believes that there is lack of data pertaining to the
analysis of these groups and the approaches they take to improving their local homes. To
mitigate this lack of research, the author executes a case study of three disadvantaged
neighborhoods, located in Boston, Barcelona, and Havana, analyzing the external conditions that
drive a community to work towards a stronger and healthier environmental setting. She
discovered that among these towns, there seems to be a similarity among the tactics and
objectives that individuals and groups use when approaching activism and raising awareness in
their local community. Anguelovski categorizes the similarities she identifies in to three forms
of activism: street activism, technical activism, and funder activism. In the article, she reveals the
circumstances of each form of activism, and records when each type is most effective. In general,
activists and communities use aspects of each form of activism, ensuring that their initiative is
expansive and thoroughly supported. Another aspect of these communities that Anguelovski has
identified as successful is what she coins bottom to bottom networks. These networks are
composed of a variety of coalitions of day-to-day individuals who have decided to participate
and make an impact in their local community. By involving everyone in their local communities,
these areas have a more successful environment, and also accomplish a sense of attachment that
did not exist previously. Communities who come together and use these various forms of
activism to improve their homes are successful in not only structurally developing their
neighborhoods, but also in constructing a healthier physiologically sound environment.
Although this research study has more to do with urbanization and community
improvement, I found the approaches and tactics revealed in the text insightful. This is due to the
recent work the Mr. Weinstein and the council has been working towards. Recently, I have had
experience reaching out to local community organizations that hope to achieve the community
wellness and improvement that Anguelovski was exploring. In addition to the work that I have
done, there is a intiative that several community members have taken to adding a project which
will install sidewalks on Montgomery roads that will improve the safety of the citizens of the
community. The tactics that are discussed in this article are similar to the approaches that
community members have taken, on a smaller scale, to get the County Council and County
Executive to recognize their needs and raise awareness of the demand for increased safety in the
neighborhood. Anguelovskis research has allowed me to realize that there is a network involved
when planning to change an aspect of the individual community, and that by using a variety of

tactics from each form of activism, these groups and individuals vying for development are quite
successful.

Callen, Michael, et al. "Improving Electoral Integrity with Information and Communications
Technology." Journal of Experimental Political Science (2015): 1-14. Cambridge
University Press. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.

Several national elections in the past have had monumental changes due to irregularities
found within electoral discrepancies. Billions have been spent internationally to ensure that
integrity of elections and results of the elections are secure and an accurate measurement of the
vote. This study tested the levels of error in a nation wide sample of polls in Uganda using
detectable information and communications technology (ICT). Researchers sent some stations a
letter describing how tallies would be photographed and compared against the final, official
results. Those stations that did receive the letter showed a higher level of consent to the law and
less fraud indicators. This experiment demonstrates the benefits of the increased technology on
electoral voting accuracy.
This study exhibits an important factor for democracies internationally because corrupt
governments are often given extended periods of time in office due to irregularities and
manipulation of voter data. While there is an additional cost for the improved technology, it
improves the security of the vote. This article does not directly relate to my research but it is
interesting to see advances in technology that will aid the progress of democratic nations to a
fairer, more just state.

Caprara, Gian, et al. "Personality and Politics: Values, Traits and Political Choice." Political
Psychology 27.1 (2006): 1-28. Print.
Due to the nature of public offices, there is plenty of curiosity pertaining to the factors
that affect the political choices of voters. The researchers of this study examined this query

within the context of psychology, looking specifically at personality traits and personal values of
voters. To examine these ideas, the researchers looked to the Five Factor model of personality
traits and the Schwartz theory of personal values. Using the 2001 Italian National Election as a
case study, it was concluded that opposite parties held widely different traits and values. In
predicting future votes, the study concludes that analyzing personal values is a more effective
tool in measuring political choice, as it closely aligns with the set factors of personality.
This study, while insightful, will have little influence on my research and work. This is a
long-term study that, for future predictions, requires several elections of data for several
thousands of people to predict the outcome. However, confirming that different parties due hold
different values is essential information when targeting those on the edge of various ideologies.

Crain, William C., and Ellen F. Crain. "The Growth of Political Ideas and Their Expression
among Young Activists." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 3.2 (1974): 105-33. Google
Scholar. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
This article investigates two studies gathered from the youth of this nation to analyze the
growth of the political nature within the United States. The first study gathers 54 white, middle

class boys, equally divided among the ages of 8, 11, and 16. They were told to construct their
ideal society. As these boys were interviews after given sufficient time, it was evident that there
were four levels or forms of these hypothetical governments. The first was a personal, nongovernmental constructed society that was solely focused on protecting the basic needs of the
child such as food and shelter. The next level involved the formation of several governmental
institutions that were unrelated. The third type of government formed is an increased outlook on
the interrelatedness of institutions. Lastly, the final level included the abstract principles evident
in government. This study was then compared to 93 high school students, among whom there
were left wing activists and non-activists. When comparing the two studies, the researchers were
surprised to find that activists were attempting to achieve the same goals as the youngest
children, in achieving their own biological needs and, as a result, creating a very personality
society.
I feel the need to point out that while the results of this study may be accurate, it is not
all-inclusive due to the nature of the participant. It only investigates middle class, white boys,
disregarding the importance and influence of other genders, races and classes. However, what is
proven here is that activists seek to rectify and achieve simply their own personal goals for
themselves or their environment, suggesting that they are inherently selfish. While each activist
does attempt to simply achieve his or her own goals, often time these goals are a step further than
their own biological needs of food and shelter, and lean towards a cleaner or safer environment.
However, this study definitely displays the effectiveness of incentives in hopes of gathering
multiple parties in cooperation, something that can be useful when handling multiple groups with
multiple opinions over the same issue.

Disch, Lisa. "Toward a Mobilization Conception of Democratic Representation." American

Political Science REVIEW 105.1 (2001): 100-14. Cambridge University Press. Web. 20
Oct. 2015.
Disch investigates what she refers to as the dilemma of democratic competence. This
concept is found when researchers draw comparisons between democratic receptiveness and the
results of individual preferences and find a discrepancy. She does not accredit this juncture

between the two ideas to an error in democracy but rather to the normative expectations of the
scholar. To mitigate this discrepancy, it is suggested by Disch to assemble the political
representation to create an understanding of the dialogue that occurs between the people and the
administration as a sign of the governments validity.
This topic that is discussed is similar to Jamess analysis of bedrock norm, which
highlights the paradox found with constituent wants and government actions. The solutions of
mobilization and a newer model of communication are also the similar in theory, but different in
detail. This begs the question of why these solutions have yet to be implemented. It is obvious
that this discrepancy has been identified and researched and solutions have been proposed; yet no
outcomes have arisen. This is a topic that could use further research and could have a major
impact on my research project.

Disch, Lisa J. "Rethinking Responsiveness." Western Political Science Association 2010 Annual
Meeting Paper (2010): 1-46. Social Science Research Network. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.
This paper analyzes the effect of public opinion and political opinion on representative
democracy. It has recently been examined that citizen understanding develops in response to the
political environment, which has revealed that the political environment is increasingly strategic.
It is found that citizens establish their political opinion and preference from information they
gather from the politically active and elite. However, knowing this, these politically active

censor and frame the distributed information, leading to citizens who think they are making
educated choices based off of honest information making skewed decisions based on faulty
information. Disch clearly states, however, that she does not think the susceptibility of the
manipulation of citizens is a political problem. She argues that this issue stems not from
democracy but instead out of political science and the break between empirical and normative
research and values. Disch believes that this juncture between the constituent and his or hers
information is a result of the normative theory, which is not up to date with empirical research.
Her concludes with the suggestion of altering our method of responsiveness to produce a more
accurate conclusion of democratic representation, and allow fewer constituents to be
manipulated.
It is interesting how Disch takes a concept that is thought to be inherently political and
analyzes the causes of the juncture between constituents and representatives. I have previously
read another discussing the same issue in the democratic system, and while James proposes
another model of constituency deliberation, he looks at it solely from a political point of view.
Here, she recognizes that there are other factors than what seems to be on the surface and
proposes a solution that would be less revolutionary. A less revolutionary solution is ideal,
because major change in the American government is often perceived poorly and rarely has a
major positive effect. I think this article can take me farther and could perhaps lead me to finding
a more effective means in educating the constituents within our own community.

Dollar, David, Raymond Fisman, and Roberta Gatti. "Are Women Really the 'Fairer' Sex?
Corruption and Women in Government." Journal of Economic Behavior and
Organization 46.4 (2001): 423-29. Print.
This study recognizes that many studies prior to it have found women to be more honest
and altruistic leaders, more so than men. As a result, the authors have hypothesized that women
are more efficient in encouraging a trust worthy government. By analyzing the levels of women
in different forms of parliamentarian bodies around the world, the researchers find that the higher
representation of women in the government result in a lower level of corruption.

I am a bit hesitant to agree with this study, due to its methods. It assumes correlation
equates to causation, however there could be many reasons why a more honest government has
more women. Womens rights have only dramatically improved within the last century, meaning
governmental bodies have only recently accepted women. Although tremendous strides in
womens rights have been taken, the level of equality is not that of men. Therefore, it makes
sense that some countries, that are more inclusive to women, have more women in government
and therefore are considered less corrupt as a government overall. Additionally, I have read an
article with the similar topic that refutes this hypothesis, saying that the inclusiveness of women
compared to men has more to do with strategy of the individual rather than their gender. I do not
think this article will be used in my research, however, it may lead to further research in this
topic.

Duvall, Tim. "Political Science." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline
Horowitz. Vol. 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 1838-44. Gale Virtual
Reference Library. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
This article explains the development of Political Science, a way of thinking that grew in
the nineteenth century as a result of the Age of Reason. Previously, Political thinking was
classified as a philosophy, and was deeply rooted in religion. In several places throughout the
world, this is still the main style of political thinking. However, in the Western World, Political
Science grew with the need to shift towards a more objective and empirical method of analyzing
politics. This focus on the quantitative details flourished in the nineteenth and twentieth

centuries, especially among the Behaviorists. But today, in the twenty-first century, there is a
movement to allow for a more inclusive political context. This article lays a good foundation on
the origins of Political Science and modern political thinking in this area of the world. It is in
depth when describing the agendas and shift between political thinking movements, but allows
for a more inclusive audience. This resource may be good for future articles on theories or for
gathering insight on different methods of thinking.
This article provided me with a basic understanding of the origins of political thinking
and revealed to me how recent this objective approach was founded in history. This will be
helpful information for understanding the basic nature of the field, and narrowing down where I
want to go with my research and my project. It comes from a resource that can be used in the
future for other ideas and concepts, and also provides a multitude of reliable resources to
investigate for more information on Political Science and its origins.
Emerson, Blake, Mr. "The Democratic Reconstruction of the Hegelian State in American
Progressive Political Thought." The Review of Politics 77.4 (2015): 545-75. Print.
According to Emerson, it is widely accepted that Hegelian ideas have had a major impact
in both the modern American administration and the ideals of the American progressives. In this
article, he investigates the similarities and discrepancies between the Hegelian and American
progressive administrative conditions, seeing how far the influence really stems. In the end, he
identifies three theoretical pairs that both ideologies investigate, individual rights and social
welfare, civil society and the state, legislation and execution. The progressive approach to these
duos is a modern democratic interpretation, in which the administration attempts to integrate the
public involvement in public policy and governmental activities. These theories have blended to
form the modern American philosophy.
While this article was insightful to the origins of the ideology of the modern American
administration, I do not believe it will have a major impact in my research or project. It
investigated the philosophical nature of government, and, as essential as these theories are to the
government, I hope to focus on the application of interactions of government with its citizens.

Funk, Kendall D. "Gendered Governing? Women's Leadership Styles and Participatory

Institutions in Brazil." Political Research Quarterly 68.3 (2015): 564-78. Print.
In this research study, Kendall Funk investigates whether womens governing styles are
more inclusive than those of men. To test this query, she examined the data of two participatory
institutions located in Brazil. One pertained to inclusive budgeting, and the other to policy
councils. The product of this investigation was that the style of governing had little to do with
gender and more to do with strategy and agenda of the leader. The level of inclusiveness of the
leader solely depends on their political tactics. The article also goes in depth on the areas of

government that each gender is more likely to contribute to, but this relates more specifically to
that region than a global perspective.
This article and its investigation of the leadership styles of different genders were quite
interesting to me. Prior to reading the article, I believed that leadership style was purely based on
personal agenda. While this thought process was supported, the research by Funk allowed me to
think of other patterns between the leadership styles of those in power. In the long term, I am not
sure how influential this article will be on my project, but it is possible that I choose to research
gender within the government.
Gerber, Alan S., and Donald P. Green. "The Effects of Canvassing, Telephone Calls, and Direct
Mail on Voter Turnout: A Field Experiment." American Political Science Review 94.3
(2000): 653-63. Cambridge University Press. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This article reflects research that was done concerning the effectiveness of various tactics
in ensuring citizens came out to vote. In New Haven Connecticut, this field experiment involved
about 30,000 registered voters who were approached by nonpartisan messages through personal
canvassing, direct mail and telephone calls close to the 1998 elections. It was revealed through
this study that voter turn out increased tremendously due to personal canvassing, only slightly
due to direct mail and very rarely due to telephone calls. This supported the hypothesis of the
researchers, which claimed that the decline in voter turn out is directly correlated with the
diminishing levels of face-to-face political communication.
This research is intriguing to me because I participated in the Courtney Watson
campaign, a candidate who lost due to low voter turn out. My main job on the campaign was to
make direct phone calls and to canvass various neighborhoods. My personal experience was that
constituents were more amiable (or less likely to be rude) when speaking to an individual face to
face rather than on a phone call. Thee hypothesis that face to face interaction could raise voter
turn out may be essential for future campaigns to take into consideration.
Gerber, Alan S., Donald P. Green, and Christopher W. Larimer. "Social Pressure and Voter
Turnout: Evidence from a Large-Scale Field Experiment." American Political Science
Review 102.1 (2008): 33-48. Cambridge University Press. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This study analyzed the effect of internal and external pressures when it related to voter
turn out. Because these researchers had identified those theories of voter turn out based on selfinterested behavior generally failed to predict turnout unless the satisfaction of the citizen who
completed their civic duty was individually calculated. The researchers decided to distinguish
the two forms of utility in regards to voter turn out, the first being intrinsic due to completing a
civic duty, and the second being complying to extrinsic pressures. In a study that involved
hundreds of thousands of registered voters, mailed letters were sent. Some received a letter that
informed the household their voting turn out would be publicized to the local community while

the other simply asked the household to participate in the voting. It was observed that there was a
much higher rate of turn out among those who felt the external pressures of attending the
voting. This exemplifies the social pressure associated with political participation.
This article reveals that the majority of American citizens would not vote simply due to
their own ambitions. As seen on the Courtney Watson campaign, constituents are often too busy
or feel too uniformed to get involved. However, in this study, once voting became a priority for
social status or appearance, turn out increased. I doubt that, legally, voting information could be
published as it was suggested in the study but it can lead campaigns to encourage incentives in
another manner.
Goodin, Robert E., and Hans-Dieter Klingemann, eds. A New Handbook of Political Science.
N.p.: n.p., 1998. Oxford University Press. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
This book investigates and analyzes modern political science with articles and
contributions from forty-two of the worlds top political scientists. It assess the development in
the field for the past twenty years and compares what has occurred to historical trends. Within
this piece of literature, the eight main disciplines of political science political institutions,
political behavior, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, public policy and
administration, political economy, and political methodology - are divided into four
subsections. These subsections present the general details of the field, give multiple perspectives
on the specific discipline and then analyze recent developments in light of past customs and
patterns. This handbook is considered to be an essential tool in the field of political science.
This book raised my awareness to the intricacies of this field and is a great tool for
furthering my understanding of Political Science. By comparing modern or recent events to those
that occurred in the past, the literature aids global awareness of the patterns that may repeat and
allow students and experts to prevent history from repeating itself. It was a great overview and
background of the field, and has definitely developed my understanding of the field.
Haselswerdt, Jake, and Brandon L. Bartels. "Public Opinion, Policy Tools and the Status Quo:
Evidence from a Survey Experiment." Political Research Quarterly 68.3 (2015): 607-21.
Print.
Especially in a Democratic Republic similar to the United States, the opinion of the
people is important when it comes to policy decisions. In this article, Haselswerdt and Bartels
wonder how important the delivery tactic of public policy to the citizens reaction. To research
this, they employed several rounds of a survey experiment, investigating whether citizens prefer
tax breaks to equivalent spending programs. The worth of each of these is equivalent, but the
style of distribution is not. It is revealed that among both the conservative and liberal ideology of
constituents in the United States, tax breaks are preferred to government involvement. This
confirms the belief that the presentation and distribution of a delivery the delivery mechanism is
essential to the perception and acceptance of citizens towards public policy.

The concept investigated with this research is essential for any governmental body to be
aware of. Since we are working for the people, it is important that those civilians are happy and
positively perceive the work being done for them. The conclusions of this research will definitely
change the display of my work and outlook to a more careful and critical method, ensuring it can
be approved by the majority of those who view it.
Hayes, Danny. "When Gender and Party Collide: Stereotyping in Candidate Trait Attribution."
Politics & Gender 7.2 (2011): 133-65. Cambridge University Press. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
According to pat research, voters tend to stereotypes candidates due to their gender,
which can be either beneficial or detrimental to the women candidate. However, the effect of the
gender of the candidate in relation to the candidates party on voters perception has yet to be
researched, which is what Hayes analyzes in this article. Using data from a national
representative survey and content of news channels from the 2006 U.S Senate elections, he
focuses on the evaluation of candidate traits. Hayes concludes that party stereotypes have a
larger effect on voter perception than gender does. With news coverage, the character of a
candidate is often analyzed in relation to his or her party, rather than a direct characterization of
their gender.
This is an interesting portrayal of women in context of the perception of voters. The
results of this research topic do ultimately make sense, because most candidates follow the party
lines and that will be the first aspect that will be criticized for any candidate, not a stereotype in
relation to gender. In context of my research, this could have an effect on my attempts to educate
the local constituent and voter, allowing them to focus on the values and tenants of the candidate
rather than the stereotypes of their gender or party.

Howard County, ed. "The Budget Office." Howard County, Maryland. Ed. Howard County.
N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This article goes in depth on the function of the Budget Office and the process that
Howard County goes through prior to the fiscal year. The Howard County fiscal year is from
July first to June thirtieth of the following year. The budget includes the development process
and funded projects of the county for the upcoming fiscal. These projects include anything to do
with government services, ranging from education to public facilities and other avenues of the
Countys government. This process starts in the fall of every year, where the County Council and
County Executive allow constituents to voice their needs and wants for the upcoming
year. Members of the community are able to display these needs in two public hearings that the
County Executive hosts, and can maintain correspondence with the Executive on the importance
of their initiatives. The separate requests for the budget are submitted to the Chief Administrator
Officer by early March. In the spring, each of the proposed aspects of the budget are presented to

the council through public meetings. The council is not permitted to raise the budget of the
executive, but they can reduce it. The only exception to this is the Board of Education, of which
the County considers the requested level of operation by the school board. As delineated by
policy in the Howard County Charter, Howard County is required to have a balanced budget,
which is what the goal of the council is in the spring. After review, the Council finalizes the
budget as a whole, in time for the next fiscal year.
The fiscal process for the upcoming year is a process that takes several months. Members
of the community have begun to organize their priorities at public meetings, allowing the
Council to gauge the necessary elements of the fiscal budget. A project that I will be working
closely with the community on is an initiative to add sidewalks to Montgomery Road. In order
for this project to be successful, the County Executive must support and add the project. To
accomplish this, the community is lobbying the executive and bringing attention to the need the
community has for sidewalks. We will begin by testifying at the first public hearing early in
December and follow up at the second public hearing in March. Between those months, the
community must show their continuous support. This article has informed me extensively of the
process I can expect to view and be a part of while advocating for projects this project and
various projects throughout the year.

- - -. Howard County Code of Ordinances. 31st ed. N.p.: Howard County, 2015. Print.
This is the Code of Ordinances of Howard County, Maryland. It is considered a piece of
legislation, which outlines all the rules and regulations of the county, the function of the council
and the Howard County Charter. This is the document that is referred to when there is a conflict
of proper procedure, or to clarify the legality of certain action. With detailed legislation for
every mundane object that takes place in the county, this is the document that sanctions the
procedures for any actions or changes within the county. It is available as a print source in the
office of the Howard County Council, but it is also available online, allowing constituents to
easily access the regulations of the County. The Code is updated every few months with
supplements, and there is an extensive table that compares the Code with local laws and Council
bills. It is written with political jargon, but is a good reference for ensuring the legality among
the different areas included in the Code.

My mentor has introduced me to this piece of legislation and allowed me to familiarize

myself with its structure and format. It will be a point of legal reference if the office is unsure of
an action or if I am ever communicating with a constituent. I do not foresee myself needing to
regularly use the Code, but it an essential piece of legislation to have access to while assisting in
a public office. Each CouncilMember has an individual copy of the Code in their office, so I will
be able to easily refer to it if necessary.
Howard County Council. Howard County. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
The Howard County Council Website is a useful resource that is the first step for locating
the basic information pertaining to the council, legislation, and current proceedings. It has a
legislative search tool that informs the reader on whether a piece of legislation has passed, has
been tabled, or has failed on every bill and resolution since 2005. It also provides the specific
vote for every councilperson so that information can be later utilized if necessary. There is a tool
for local civilians to discover which district they belong to, and it provides contact information if
a constituent feels that there is an issue the council can consider. There are several more
resources located on the website that will be essential in future projects, simply due to the
quantity of knowledge provided.
I have already used this website on a couple of minor assignments in the few weeks that I
have been at the internship. It is an extremely useful website because it allows me to access what
will be discussed and what has been discussed, especially if an old resolution comes into
question. It is a fast and easy resource to policys, rules and the current proceedings of the
agenda. Additionally, it allows me to confirm that a business or constituent is in the First
District. This website will be an aid to success in my internship at the Howard County Council.

Howard County Council. Howard County, Maryland: County Budget. Comp. Maryland State
Archives. N.p.: n.p., 2015. Print.
This chart displays the division of the budget of Howard County, Maryland for every
fiscal year from 1995 to 2015. It presents the budget for the county, the state and the federal
governments, and includes the numbers of the staff associated with the county. It is interesting
to see the gradual increase of the budget that has to do both with the depreciation of the value of
the dollar in the time of the financial crisis and the expansion of the county. Past fiscal years are
describes as actual budget while the 2015 budget is simply displayed as approximate budget,
due to the lack of finality in the spending.
Mr. Smith has mentioned the upcoming budget season, and that a lot of work will have
to do with technicalities of the budget. A project that has been pending for several years is that of
the crosswalk on Montgomery Road. The main reason it has yet to occur is due to the budget, but

this year I will be working as a liaison to ensure the project is carried out. This information on
the budget is beneficial to my understanding and success on this and future projects.

"Howard County, Maryland." United States Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts. N.p.:
n.p., n.d. United States Census Bureau. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.
This is a data chart that with displays the demographics of both Howard County and
Maryland in general. It is an in depth census, providing information on the population, age,
gender, race, geography and businesses of the area. All of this information is derived by the U.S
Census Bureau through population estimates, surveys, hosing unit estimates, business patterns,
and building permits of the area.
I believe the demographics of the area and the councils constituents is useful information
to be aware of. It may not be actively used, but could later display a correlation in voter
registration or turn out. It could also display different levels of active government and
community participation.

Jackman, Robert W. "Political Institutions and Voter Turnout in the Industrial Democracies."
American Political Science Review 81.02 (1987): 405-23. Cambridge University Press.
Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This article investigates the conditions under which voter turn out is high or low across
multiple industrial democracies. Jackman asserts that the differences found within voter turnout
are a result of political institutions and electoral law. Primarily, the competitive nature of the
electoral candidates lead to the wide spread mobilization of constituents. This occurs due to
incentives given by the party and the candidate, in an effort to raise turn out. In a competitive
situation, these candidates rely on the turn out for their success, because there is no bound party
line to ensure a sufficient number of voters. This is also the reason why multiparty systems lead
to lower voter turn out, because elections appear to play a less influential role in the outcome of
the government. Because single party systems display a clear connection between elections and
style of legislation, encouraging more voters to attend elections. Lastly, voter laws tend to

diminish the interest in voting because of the regulations that come with what should be a simple
act.
This article provides insight on the reasons why voter turn out is consistently low in the
United States. However, it does not offer a solution, except the complete alteration of the
American political system, which is not feasible. It does seem to display accurate information,
since many of the industrial democracies across the world have a higher voter turn out that the
United States. In the long run, it provides useful information, but no alternative or possible
solution, not making it the most practical article in terms of my research project.

James, Michael Rabinder, Mr. "Constituency Deliberation." Political Research Quarterly 68.3
(2015): 552-63. Print.
This article investigates the democratic ideal of representatives working for their
constituents. Empirical studies reveal that while it is the goal and the bedrock norm of
representatives to work to and for the interests of their constituents, public opinion reveals that
the wants of the constituent often mirror the actions of the representative. As paradoxical as this
is, James and authors of several other democratic theories were interested in identifying the
amount of representatives that attempted to educate their constituents as opposed to manipulate
their opinions. However, despite the high occurrence of manipulation in the political field, it is
rarely ever purposely blatant, making it difficult to distinguish manipulation from education. To
alleviate the uncertainty when it comes to this aspect of public opinion, James created model of
constituency deliberation that takes the asymmetric relationship between constituents and
representatives in an attempt to reform the institutional exploitation proven by empirical studies.
The goal of this model is to allow constituents to reflect and represent their own beliefs to their

representatives actions and, in turn, formulate their own opinion for the representative to act
upon. Democracy has built upon the bedrock norm that exists in the United States today, and
unraveling the relationship between the representatives and their constituents is a long process. A
balance must be found to present a truthful and honest agenda to the people, and allow them to
make the choices they see fit in a thoroughly educated manor. The reforms that must be made
rely on the careful and accurate education of constituents, and the reflection of these same people
in a manner that prevents any representative manipulation. This model is a method to restore the
ideology and foundation that democracy was built on.
This article revealed a lot to me about the democratic ideals of this nation. The
democracy of the United States was to allow representatives to respond to the wants and needs of
their constituents. Instead, the system has developed into a contradictory approach, which
prevents constituents from individually making an informed decision due to the political or
social agenda of a constituent. A possible explanation for the progression of to this state could be
the pressure that representatives feel to be politically successful in order to get reelected in the
proceeding term. The government should work to restore the ideal of representing the views of
the people, and educating its constituents is an essential step to ensuring this occurs. This can
occur when the focus of administration and representatives is no longer on reelection but proper
representation. The idea of bedrock norm has opened my interest to this idea and may be a
possible avenue for further research.

Maryland State Archives. Maryland State Archives. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.

This website is an archive for all of Maryland, and acts as a guide to the state government
and facilities. There is a page specifically in relation to Howard County and it provides access to
the county code and charter, the executives, the basic population and demographics. It also
provides all the links to the each of the councils and committees available in the county, creating
an easy form of access to constituents who are unsure of the provided facilities of our county.
However, the Maryland State Archive also contains resources that date back to 1634, since the
foundation of Maryland, and provides access to dozens of reference in relation to Maryland. It
has digitalized most of the resources and records it has in its archives, allowing visitors to have a
quick and easy search on the any necessary items.
This website is an extremely useful base of knowledge because it provides quick access
and information to offices and agencies associated with Maryland as well as a gateway to
independent agencies. This will be helpful in my internship because it will allow me to quickly
inform myself on the details of different organizations we may work with at my time with the
Howard County Council, and compare any pieces of legislation with Maryland as a whole.

Post, Jerrold M. "Current Concepts of the Narcissistic Personality: Implications for Political
Psychology." Political Psychology 14.1 (1993): 99-121. International Society of Political
Psychology. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
Recent advancements in psychology have revealed details of the narcissistic personality.
In this article, Post investigates the significance of these clinical discoveries in the world of
politics. It is revealed that, due to the narcissists aversion to criticism and new information from
outside sources, narcissistic leaders often have impaired choices, especially in emergency
situations. In addition to this poor decision-making, the narcissists over confidence in his own
skills is often perceived by his peers or the general public as attractive, charismatic and idealistic.
However, this often can be result in self-obsession, and rage. Post analyzes, in depth, the thought
processes and belief systems of the narcissist and how that reflects in politics.
This article was intriguing to say the least. I have always been fascinated by the
implications of narcissistic personality, and this investigative study that reveals the majority of
government and industry positions are actually filled by narcissistic characters. However, this
high rate of narcissism could be the reason that government productivity is often very slow and
that could be very detrimental in emergency situations. This article can lead to more in depth
research on the thought processes of representatives and their actions.

Powell, G. Binghamm, Jr. "American Voter Turnout in Comparative Perspective." American

Political Science Review 80.1 (1986): 17-43. Cambridge University Press. Web. 19 Oct.
2015.
This article recognizes that low levels of voter turn out are well below the average of
other democracies internationally. As a nation that prides itself on constituent involvement, it is
identified that the institutionalization of American elections is the cause of this lower voter turn
out, specifically the party system and several registration laws. Compared to the rest of the
world, the United holds a 5% advantage due to the strength of its political attitudes, but is
disadvantaged by 13% due to institutional factors and the two party system, and an additional
14% simply due to the amount of registration laws. What can be most attributed to these
percentages is the American electorate, because many feel as though there vote does not have a
major effect in the final result.
Although these statistics are from 1986, the patterns identified within the context of this
paper still hold true today. I recognized that many constituents did not feel as though their vote
counted due to the electoral system, however, I did not realize that registration laws and the party
system had such a detrimental effect. These ideas and values can be recognized within

campaigns and can lead to higher encouragement and ease of constituents. Because it is unlikely
I will be working first hand on an election in this experience, this research may not effect my
final project, but has been effective in clarifying the reasons of lower voter turn out.

Riker, William H. "The Political Psychology of Rational Choice Theory." Political Psychology
16.1 (1995): 23-44. International Society of Political Psychology. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
This article investigates Rikers belief that the rational choice theory is the only scientific
groundwork that political science can base its predictions on. Riker explains that the reason
political science has developed slower than the natural sciences, although it theoretically begins
at the same foundation, is due to the difficulty of generalizing and predicting events in politics
and history. In the social sciences there are endless factors and it is often difficult to recreate and
retest these situations to group various conclusions or results. However, the rational choice
model has two elements that allow predictions of large and inconclusive events. The two factors
of this model are a) members can rank their preferences, strategies and goals, b) members choose
the options that bring them the maximum happiness. This strategy is effective when it comes to
predicting results in the social sciences.
This article investigates the psychology and decision making process that most go
through when making a choice that does not pertain to quantitative data. In the realm of politics,
very few choices are based on quantitative data. Instead, in the realms of social sciences, it leans
toward the qualitative choices that constituents and representatives have to result to when
making effective decisions. It is interesting to see how the thought processes of those in and

related to government. The rational choice theory can be used as a method to compel constituents
to agree to once option over another, making the presentation and distribution of ideas very
particular. I think this information will be beneficial when contacting outside parties or
presenting pieces of legislation or resolutions.

Sidanius, Jim, Felicia Pratto, and Diana Brief. "Group Dominance and the Political Psychology
of Gender: A Cross-Cultural Comparison." Political Psychology 16.2 (1995): 381-96.
International Society of Political Psychology. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.

These researchers investigated the social dominance theory in terms of government. The
social dominance theory states that in a situation, assuming that all other factors are equal, males
will maintain higher levels of dominance over the group than women will. To test this hypothesis
across borders, 1,200 participants were selected from Australia, Sweden, the United States and
Russia. This examination confirmed this theory, proving that males did, in fact, have higher rates
of dominance across borders. This translates into a major effect in the government, and effect
that should be and adjusted.
This article confirms the belief that males hold the majorities of governments
internationally, a query that is proven by statistics. However, it also takes the study one step
further and investigates the dominance that these men have in interactions. Just because there are
a higher rate of men does not mean those men have a higher rate of dominance. It was proven
that these men do hold a greater power of dominance over the group, across all nations
investigated, although some nations do have a higher rate of dominance than others. This study
can be used to translate more responsibility, power and respect to the women in public offices
and government.

Simon, Herbert A. "Human Nature in Politics: The Dialogue of Psychology with Political
Science." American Political Science Review 79 (1985): 293-304. Print.
This article reveals the two essential theories of psychology implemented in political
science. The first is procedural coherence stemmed from cognitive psychology and the second is
global, nominal rationality derived from economics. Simon analyzes texts of modern political
science pieces and examines the function of each theory in relation to political situations, ranging
from the characteristics of the constituent to the various reactions to representatives. He analyzes
that the principle of rationality holds little influence over the public unless supported with
empirical research that verifies and strengthens any assertions and political predictions.
This information is a good background on the influence of psychology in politics. It is not
a very broad analysis, focusing solely on these two theories in relation to political predictions,
but it observes the thinking and power different forms of information have over the public and
government in the long run. This article can lead me to further investigate the mentality of
different groups when being involved with politics and government.

Smith, Gary, Mr. Personal interview. 6 Oct. 2015.

Mr. Smith is the special assistant of Mr. Weinstein, and he aids and participates Mr.
Weinstein in many of the activities and service events that take place throughout the first district
of Howard County. Mr. Smith has had plenty of experience in Politics and community relations
with his Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Towson University and his Masters in
Political Science from the American University. Extremely involved throughout his years in
university, Mr. Smith fostered his leadership and communication skills. He was a fall fellow for
the Obama for America campaign, organizing local service projects and managing local voter
information. After this experience, he went on to become the Legislative Directer of Delegate
Miller for the Maryland General Assembly, which involved a lot of constituent experience and
collaboration with state and local officials. This was his final experience prior to being Mr.
Weinstein's special assistant, a job that requires a lot of in depth care for the community, but is
extremely fulfilling.
Weinstein, Jon, Mr. Personal interview. 6 Oct. 2015.
Mr. Weinstein is the Howard County Council Representative of District One, which
includes Ellicott City, Elkridge, Hanover and Columbia. He has been involved with leadership

and service positions for the majority of his life, starting in high school. His family strongly
encouraged giving back to the community and to his country, which is why he is so passionate
with his work. This patriotism fueled by his family and love for his country also encouraged him
to attend the Army ROTC program, which fostered his leadership skills and allowed him to later
serve as an Officer. Mr. Weinstein was very active in political activities all throughout college,
and graduated from Boston University with a degree in International Relations. After earning his
degree, he moved to Washington D.C with his wife, and served as an Officer in the Military
Police Reserves as he earned his Master's in International Studies at the American University. He
moved to Howard County twenty years ago and has been actively involved with all aspects of the
community, from coaching local youth sports teams to serving on the Spending Affordability
Advisory Committee. Most notable is his involvement in the Historic District of Ellicott City, in
which he aided the organization of the Historic District Partnership of the area. He is also the cofounder of a consulting firm in Howard County that focuses on government improvement, called
Line of Sight. In addition to his interest in local politics, Mr. Weintein has written two books and
several articles, and has spoken in Europe, Africa and the United States on various governance
and leadership affairs.