Last November, the Bangor Daily News published an article about Rockport trying out a boys-only classroom for math. Because this article did not point out the very basic research flaws in Rockport’s effort, I wrote a critique. Once again, the Bangor … Continue reading
1. George Gallup made his mark in polling when he and the other “scientific pollsters,” called the presidential race right in 1936, while the Literary Digest did not. Now the Gallup organization’s recent polling has a skew, as it tended … Continue reading
I am pleased to welcome guest poster, Professor Jim Melcher, political scientist at the University of Maine-Farmington. I grew up a big fan of elections in Wisconsin, and now I have the privilege of studying and teaching about politics for … Continue reading
1. Denmark has a state church. Its national legislators have voted 85-24 “allowing same-sex couples to get married in formal church weddings instead of the short blessing ceremonies that the state’s Lutheran Church currently offers.” By the way, under the … Continue reading
First of an occasional series on an academic’s life Last night I returned from a political science conference, the New England Political Science Association (NEPSA) annual meeting, which was held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Why do academics go to conferences? … Continue reading
This semester students in my course, Introduction to American Government, had what I called a “political engagement” assignment. The main task was to write a letter to an elected official, a letter-to-the editor to any publication, or an op-ed. They … Continue reading
Enough with politics for awhile. It’s Valentine’s Day! In celebration, I’m passing along a traditional song that was collected by the Maine Folklife Center. This wonderful organization is located at the University of Maine and developed a traditional song and … Continue reading
Hello all, If you’re a new reader of this blog, consider this a hearty welcome to Pollways. If you’ve been reading this blog at my old site, you’ll find both new and old content right here. And, to, all, here’s … Continue reading
Why getting Tocqueville wrong matters The Frenchman Alexis Tocqueville published Democracy in America in two volumes in 1835 and 1840 and it’s still garnering attention. I teach the work in my American Political Thought course, in which we read quite … Continue reading
– The Republican candidates don’t seem to know why the Constitution was written – How can you love the Founders if you don’t pay attention to what they did and why they did it? Watching the Sunday morning New Hampshire … Continue reading
