Political Economy Days
April 8 - 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Mark Abajian
Topic: An Economist Looks At Professional Sports
Mark Abajian is Associate Professor of Economics at Mesa College. He
has also taught at Palomar College and the University of San Diego. He
received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees at San Diego State University after graduation from Palomar College. He teaches a course on Sports Economics at the University of San Diego.
Christine Moore
Topic: Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz and the Chicano Plitical Identity in Alta California, 1763-1848
Christine Moore is Adjunct Professor of History at Palomar College and Lecturer in History at California State University, San Marcos. She holds an M.A. in History from San Diego State University. She is Regional President of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges.
Debate 2009: The State of the Economy: Opposing GOP-Democratic Perspectives
The Democratic debater is Francine Busby. Ms. Busby was the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate for the 50th U.S. House District in 2004 and 2006. She is currently Vice-Chair of the North County Chapter of the San Diego Democratic Party. She has previously served on the Cardiff Unified District School Board of Education, and as Adjunct Professor of Women’s History at California State University, San Marcos. The Republican debater is Nathan Fletcher (R – 75th State Assembly District, Mira Mesa). In 2007, Fletcher recently completed his service in the United States Marine Corps Reserves where he served as a Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence Specialist. On his last deployment, Nathan worked in the Horn of Africa region traveling throughout Eastern Africa and the Near East. For his service he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
Nelson Altamirano
Topic: Effects of the Current Financial Crisis in Latin America: The Case of Venezuela & Chile
Nelson Altamirano teaches Economics at National University and Palomar College. He has a Ph.D. in International Economic Policy & Management from UCSD. He has been visiting professor in Japan and in Columbia. He is a specialist in issues related to the mining and oil industries in Latin America.
John Valdez
Topic: Cesar Chavez: Victory in the Fields
John Valdez is Professor of Multi-Cultural Studies at Palomar College
and Chair of the Multi-Cultural Studies Department. He is organizer of
the San Diego Latino Film Festival. He has advanced degrees in
Language and Policy Studies and also in International relations.
Louise Kelly
Topic: Women and Entreprenuership in Developing Countries
Dr. Louise Kelly is a Professor of Strategy at Alliant
International University. Dr. Kelly has co-founded the GlobalMind She has been a visiting professor at ITESM in Mexico City, CETYS University in Tijuana, and Vietnamese National University in Ho Chi Minh City. She has received several grants to work with micro-enterprises in Baja California, including two from the Hewlett Packard Foundation/CONAHEC. Dr. Kelly is the author of several publications and journal articles.
Teresa Laughlin
Topic: The Political Economy of the Green Economy
Teresa Laughlin is Professor of Economics at Palomar College. She specializes in both environmental and labor economics – the latter of which she has authored a text-book chapter. Professor Laughlin holds degrees in the Political Economy of Natural Resources (B.A.) and Economics (M.A.), respectively, from U.C. Berkeley and California State University, Fullerton.
Thursday, April 9
Rosco Williamson
Topic: The Dangers of New Money: Development, Democracy & the return to Civil War
Rosco Williamson is Professor of Political Science at Point Loma Nazarene University. He holds a Ph.D in Political Science from UCSD and an M.A. in History from San Diego State University . He is a specialist in international relations, political theory and comparative politics.
Casey Dominguez
Topic: President Obama's First 100 Days & Prospects for the Next 100
Casey Dominguez is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of San Diego. She holds B.A., M.A. and Ph. D degrees in Political Science from U.C. Berkeley. She has published several journal articles on Presidential Elections and Presidential and Congressional “honeymoon” periods in the journal, “Political Science and Politics”. Her current research involves the relationship between political parties and interest groups.
Matt Estes
Topic: Dealing with Discrimination: Japanese-American Economic Self-Suffiency
Matt Estes is Assistant Professor of History at Palomar College. He holds and M.A. in History from San Diego State University. His thesis involved the relocation of the Japanese community in San Diego during World War II. He is the author or co-author of several publications.
Charles Wolcott
Topic: The Bush Legacy: A Retrospective
Charles Wolcott is Professor of Political Science at Virginia Tech. He holds a Ph. D in Political Science from U.C. Santa Barbara.Professor Wolcott is the author, or co-author, of five books and over 35 journal articles and book chapters. He has won several scholarship and research awards, including the Richard Neustadt Award for “Best Book on the U.S. Presidency” and the Theodore Lowi Award for “Best Policy Studies Journal”. Professor Wolcott has also won seven awards for teaching excellence, including “Professor of the Year” by the Virginia Tech Political Science Club. He teaches courses on the U.S. Congress, the bureaucracy, interest groups, political parties and organizational theory. He is widely recognized as a nationally respected scholar and specialist on the American Presidency and White House organization.
Mark Weston
Topic: California's Shrinking Water Supply Threatens the State's Economy
Mark Weston is General Manager of the Helix Water District, the second
largest water district in San Diego County. Helix Water District supplies
water to some 250,000 people.
Thad Kousser
Topic: Does Partisan Polarization Lead to Policy Gridlock in California Politics?
Thad Kousser is Associate Professor of Political Science at UCSD.
He holds a Ph. D in Political Science from UC Berkeley. His publications include work on term limits, the initiative process, voting by mail, reapportionment, campaign finance laws, the blanket primary, health care policy, and European Parliament elections. He is the author of Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism (Cambridge University Press, 2005), a co-author of Adapting to Term Limits: Recent Experiences and New Directions (Public Policy Institute of California, 2004), a co-editor of The New Political Geography of California (Berkeley Public Policy Press, 2008), and a co-author of The Logic of American Politics, 4th Edition (Congressional Quarterly Press). He is a recipient of the UC San Diego Academic Senate’s Distinguished Teaching Award, serves as co-editor of the journal State Politics and Policy Quarterly, and has worked as a staff assistant in the California, New Mexico, and United States Senates.
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