Christiane Conn ’03 Chosen to Present Research on Federalism at National Conference

Senior Christiane Conn (Buxton, Maine) has been invited to present her research on federalism Jan. 10-12 at the Rice University Undergraduate Research Conference 2003 in Houston, Tex.

Conn will present findings from research investigating whether federalism serves as a superior institutional framework for new democracies and developing countries. She has used empirical indicators for 191 countries to evaluate the effectiveness of federalism compared to other forms of government.

“The past quarter-century has been termed the third wave of global democratization, during which more than 60 countries have transitioned to democracy,” says Conn, who is evaluating federalism in a year-long honors thesis in government and law. “Federal systems have been noted for their ability to assist in appropriate situations with the difficulties of political integration in a democracy.”

Conn has gained significant insight into the subject through her work with John Kincaid, Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Professor of Government and Public Service and director of Lafayette’s Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government. Last summer, she helped Kincaid organize a summer Fulbright Institute at the center for scholars from 17 countries. For the second consecutive year, Kincaid received a Fulbright grant of more than $170,000 to conduct a six-week summer institute on the theory and practice of the United States Constitution for 18 foreign university educators.

Conn says the experience provided her with “the unique opportunity to discuss issues of government and federalism with scholars representing five continents.”

“Participants in the institute challenged me to better understand the U.S. government, asking how and why the United States has survived over 200 years of democracy,” she notes.

Conn also has conducted intensive research with Kincaid as an EXCEL Scholar to explore the relationship between federalism and democracy. In Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, students assist faculty with research while earning a stipend.

“It’s an attempt to see how federal systems perform in terms of civil liberties, a prosperous economy, and human development, compared with unitary governments, in which a single, national government has all the power,” explains Kincaid.

Conn’s honors thesis builds on the EXCEL research by examining the relationship between federalism and democracy, attempting to determine whether federalism helps or hinders democratic consolidation in new democracies and developing countries.

“The Lafayette faculty and staff are incredibly supportive and motivating,” says Conn, noting that her interest in federalism stemmed from two courses taught by Kincaid: State and Local Government and Politics, and Politics, Policy, and Law in American Federalism.

Conn served as president of Kirby Government and Law Society last year and volunteers in Boys & Girls Clubs and Adopt-a-Class. She is also involved with Learning Together in Friendship, a mentoring program with fourth-grade students, through Lafayette’s Landis Community Outreach Center.

Kincaid was named Distinguished Federalism Scholar for 2001 by the American Political Science Association, the major professional society for the study of politics, government, and public policy in the United States and around the world. He was executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, Washington, D.C., from 1988-94, following two years as director of research at the commission.

He is coeditor of Publius: The Journal of Federalism, which is devoted to the increase and diffusion of knowledge about federalism and intergovernmental relations. He is also editor of a 50-book series on the Governments and Politics of the American States being published by University of Nebraska Press.

A National Leader in Undergraduate Research. Christiane Conn ’03 made a presentation on her collaborative research with John Kincaid, Meyner Professor of Government and Public Service, at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.