Department Mission 

The primary mission of the Political Science Program is to create a community of responsible and engaged citizens and leaders by providing the intellectual skills and substantive knowledge necessary to analyze, interpret, and participate in domestic and international political and governmental processes. The Program also provides students with the knowledge and abilities necessary to excel in graduate and law programs, and transferable skills that graduates can use to succeed in the public and private sectors. The faculty provide expertise on international, national, and local political issues, and ongoing philosophical discussions concerning politics and government.

2012-13 Departmental Activities

• April, 2013
  Neil Kraus presented the paper "When Political Support is Not Enough to Reform Urban Schools," at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference Annual Conference, in April 2013.
• March 8, 2013
  Neil Kraus published an article entitled "Citizens to Leaders: Support the stronger Gun-Control Proposals," in Minnpost.com, as part of their "Community Voices" section, on March 8, 2013.
  
• December 28, 2012
  Neil Kraus was interviewed on KSTP, Channel 5 regarding the decision of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to not seek reelection.
  
• December 20,2012
  Neil Kraus published an article in MinnPost.com entitled "The Problem of Violence, and of Politicians Terrified of Regulating Guns Ultimately Lies with Us," as part of their "Community Voices" section.
  
• Fall 2012
  Davida Alperin and Neil Kraus published an article entitled "Voting Restriction Politics in Minnesota and Wisconsin," in the New England Journal of Political Science.
  
• October 2012 - October 2013
  Wes Chapin is serving as president of the Wisconsin Political Science Association
• October 29, 2012 
  Wes Chapin is moderating a foreign policy debate sponsored by the UWRF Global Politics Club.
• October 24, 2012
  The Department hosted United States Senator Ron Johnson who who spoke to political science students, and the River Falls community.
  
• October 22, 2012   
  Wes Chapin was interviewed by KARE 11 reporter Scott Seroka for a story, "Wisconsin as a Swing State in the 2012 Election."
• October 11-12, 2012
  Wes Chapin co-organized the annual Wisconsin Political Science Association meeting (with Wisconsin Sociological Association, and Sociologists of Minnesota).
• October 11, 2012
  Erick Highum served as chair and discussant of a panel, "Democracy and Elections," at the annual Wisconsin Political Science Association Conference
• October 11, 2012
  Davida Alperin presented a paper, "Photo ID for Voters in Minnesota and Wisconsin" (co-authored with Neil Kraus) as part of a panel, "Democracy and Elections," at the annual Wisconsin Political Science Association Conference.
• October 11, 2012
  Sooh-Rhee Ryu presented a paper, Keeping Your Promise:  The Effect of Structural, Individual, and Promise-Specific Factors on Campaign Promise Fulfillment among South Korean Legislators, 2008-2012," at the annual Wisconsin Political Science Association Conference.
  
• September 11, 2012 
  Wes Chapin was interviewed by Colin Smith of WCCO for a story about vice presidential candidates and Wisconsin's role in the 2012 presidential election.
• Fall 2012 - 2013
  Erick Highum is working with a team of students to complete a survey on International Trade.
  
• May 2012-May 2013
  Wes Chapin is serving as the Chair of the UWRF Faculty Senate.May 2012 
  
• May 2012
  Wes Chapin led 22 students to Germany as part of POLS 371 The Politics of German Speaking Europe.  Students studied Germany history, culture, and politics, and visited Berlin, Munich, Berchtesgaden, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
• January-May 2012
  Wes Chapin led 35 students to Europe as part of the International Traveling Classroom (www.uwrf.edu/itc).  The students studied international relations, European politics, German politics, Scottish politics, world music, and urban geography in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Austria.
• January 19-21, 2012
  Wes Chapin participated in a Society for College and University Planning Step III workshop on Integrated Planning in Phoenix, Arizona.
  
• January 18, 2012 
  Wes Chapin was interviewed by "The Sun" reporter Amy Ward for a story, "Wisconsin Readies for Walker Recall" (www.osceolasun.com)
  
• October 2011-October 2012
  Wes Chapin served as president-elect of the Wisconsin Political Science Association.