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The University of Arkansas at Monticello hosted the 51st annual conference for the Arkansas Political Science Association (ArkPSA) on March 8-9. This marks the second time UAM has hosted the gathering since it first convened in 1974.

The statewide conference featured multiple roundtables and paper panels. Keynote speakers included Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, and Reagan Bijou, UAM alumna and associate research director at YouGov’s Scientific Research Group.

Presenters from more than a dozen colleges and universities in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas participated in the conference. UAM faculty, staff and students contributed research presentations on issues ranging from political psychology to economic development.

A panel of five UAM psychology students presented their paper, “Issues of Political Psychology, Why Coercion Does Not Lead to Empowerment.” The student panel included Zachary Anthony, Mallory Donaldson, Logan Myers, Sirenia Rodriguez and Leah Wolfe and was chaired by Dr. Yvette Prior, assistant professor of psychology at UAM. All students conducted their research in a spring semester class taught by Dr. Prior. “These students researched the negative impacts of coercive leadership, a leading style that can disempower and lead to temporal compliance issues of political psychology,” Dr. Prior said.

Three UAM political science students also presented their research. Matthew Daniel Outlaw’s paper, “Pirates, Famine, and Sheep: Why Somalia Remains Divided,” analyzed Sudan to understand how developing countries can create sustainable development. Garrett Marks’ paper, “Colonial Legacy: A Comparative Analysis of the Modern Status of Former French and British Colonies on the African Continent,” compared how different legacies impact economic development. Katherine Hindsley’s paper, “Navigating the World of State Government: The Value of Undergraduate Internships,” was based on her employment with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

“The Arkansas Political Science Association is committed to encouraging and developing undergraduate research because we believe that our undergraduates are the future,” Dr. Carol Strong, UAM professor of political science and chair of the conference, said. “These opportunities help our undergraduates practice research, critical thinking, communication and presentation skills not just for the academic world but also for their future careers. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences is proud of the UAM students who presented at the conference. Their involvement in undergraduate research, which brought them to this event, speaks to the competitiveness of UAM students, the strength of UAM programs and the marketability of UAM graduates.”

For more information about the conference, contact Dr. Strong at strong@uamont.edu.