Since many, though I know not all, on the list are political scientists and many more are social scientists of some stripe, I thought some would be interested in these articles from last week.
If you are an American and these developments are not your preferred policy, you can also read the links below the articles to express concern. And my apologies if this issue has showed up on the list and I haven't been paying attention. Ron <http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/06/06/why_i_dont_need_to_take_c harles_lane_seriously_any_more> Why I don't need to take Charles Lane seriously any more Foreign Policy, June 6, 2012 Earlier in the week the Washington Post's Chuck Lane wrote an op-ed arguing in favor of Jeff Flake's amendment to cut National Science Foundationfunding for political science. In fact, Lane raised the ante, arguing that NSF should stop funding all of the social sciences, full stop. <http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2012/06/06/charles-lane-no-federal-funds- to-social-science/> Charles Lane: No Federal Funds to Social Science Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2012 Congress has proposed cutting the money that the National Science Foundation spends on political science, but Charles Lane ups the ante: "The NSF shouldn't fund any social science." <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/yes-political-scienc e-is-a-good-buy-for-the-public/2012/06/05/gJQAI4QOGV_blog.html> Yes, political science is a good buy for the public Washington Post, June 5, 2012 Charles Lane takes on social science in The Post today, supporting Jeff Flake's House-passed amendment to strip political science funding out of theNational Science Foundation - and arguing that such a move should be extended to all the social sciences. He's dead wrong. June 2012 Action Alert: Contact Your Senator to Support Political Science Funding <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDc2/index.html> <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDc2/index.html> Dear Dr. Mitchell, This is an alert to support the political science program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). I urge you to take a few minutes to contact your senators in support of NSF's political science program and against any amendment that would eliminate NSF funding of political science research in the Senate appropriations bill (S.2323). I urge this action with the hope that our collective efforts will prevent the introduction of an amendment. In the event that an amendment is offered to the Senate bill, we will send a further action alert, and ask you to contact your senators again in support of political science funding. To facilitate your communication, we provide a direct portal <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDc3/index.html> to your senators with sample language that you can modify to create your own message. Please contact your senators now. <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDc4/index.html> As you deem appropriate, please forward this e-mail to your colleagues, to your students, and to other concerned people. Also, to strengthen the inventory of evidence we have about political science research, we invite you to send two or three examples you may have of political science work that has influenced public policy and public understanding about politics and public affairs, and that demonstrate why policy makers should support political science research. The more specific the examples, the stronger our response to threats to support for political science research. We encourage you to use your examples when communicating with senators and others. The APSA advocacy page <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDc5/index.html> includes additional arguments and other information that may be used to inform your communications, including a link to this <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDgw/index.html> Washington Post opinion piece <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDgw/index.html> (June 4, 2012) that attacks NSF funding for all social science programs and highlights the need for our action now! We welcome your contributions to this effort. Please contact me or our advocacy team ([email protected]) with any information, questions, and comments you would like to share. Sincerely, Michael Brintnall Executive Director APSA [email protected] Legislative Background On May 9, the US House of Representatives passed an amendment to the FY 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (HR. 5326) offered by Jeff Flake (R-AZ) that prohibited the use of funds for NSF's political science program. The vote was 218-208, largely along party lines. To date, the Senate has not yet considered the appropriations bill (S. 2323). APSA has learned that a Flake-like amendment is likely to be offered on the Senate floor. Senate action is not expected until near the end of June. After Senate action on appropriations, APSA will further seek to preclude any prohibition on political science funding in the final enacted bill. APSA's Response to the Threat to Political Science During the last three weeks, APSA has vigorously advocated in support of NSF funding of political science research. We are in regular contact with all political science departments through department heads to communicate events as they have occurred, and to provide legislative updates and tools for communicating with faculty, university government relations offices, university administrators, elected officials and other policy makers. In addition to writing letters to all members of the House and Senate, we identified critical votes in the Senate and directed specific communications to these senators. Also, we are in contact with our members in these key states as part of our strategy of reaching directly these senate offices. The APSA Advocacy page <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDgx/index.html> on our website provides updates on legislative activity; talking points for communication with legislators, university administrators, reporters, and other concerned parties; links to political science blogs and other online sites on which political science scholars have written about the significance of their research; and links to other organizations that actively support the political science program at NSF. APSA is actively engaged in communicating updates and information through various social networking tools, including Facebook <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDgy/index.html> , Twitter <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDgz/index.html> , and LinkedIn <http://APSA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjU5NDc4JnA9MSZ1PTc3MDcyMjMyMCZsaT03N zk0NDg1/index.html> . We encourage you to do the same as we use many voices to communicate the urgency of support for the NSF program in political science. Widespread Value of Political Science Research As you know, the significance of NSF funding of political science research cannot be overstated. The implications of federally funded political science research are far-reaching and go beyond the individual scientists who receive funding for research. The benefits are readily apparent in the research of others whose work builds on the findings and data sets that are produced by this research; in the classroom where research findings play a primary role in educating our children and developing citizens; in public and private spheres of power where research findings inform many of the critical policy decisions of our time; and in the arena of public discourse where citizens engage in fundamental debates about democracy and freedom in the United States and abroad. Moreover, the allocation of awards by NSF involves a rigorous process of peer review by scientists who are experts in their respective fields. The Flake Amendment and similar actions compromise the integrity of this scientific review process and-by targeting specific research projects for criticism and specific disciplines for elimination-have a chilling effect on inquiry, innovation, and creativity and among all fields of study. We welcome your contributions to this effort. Please contact our advocacy team ([email protected]) with any information, questions, and comments you would like to share.
