Opportunities and Announcements

     for the Week of December 13, 2019

As you begin your well-deserved winter break, keep in mind that the Wellman Hill Summer Internship Grant applications are due on February 7. Even if you aren’t planning to apply, I encourage you to use the break to think about your summer and future plans. Many deadlines for internships, jobs and academic and summer programs are fast approaching. The earlier you start planning and applying, the happier you’ll be in this spring when you’ll be in the middle of an academic semester.

Several of our spring courses have open seats. Here’s a list with links to full descriptions:

POSC 306/406 Interest Groups in the Policy Process: Prof. Joe White’s course focuses on organized interests in U.S. politics. The seminar covers how groups fight for or against policy change; how lobbyists attempt to inform their clients about the government as well as the government about their clients; which resources matter most; and whether some interests have special advantages in the policy-making process.

POSC 319/419 Money and Politics: Prof. Justin Buchler’s seminar places special emphasis on campaign finance law and practice and the separation of fact from fiction.

POSC 363/463 Comparative Political Parties and Party Systems: Taught by Prof. Karen Beckwith, who just started a new project on party system transformation and women’s political inclusion in France, Italy, Sweden, and the US, this course focuses on political parties and elections in countries around the world. There is no prerequisite and the course fulfills the SAGES departmental seminar requirement.

POSC 369/369 Social Justice Issues in Latin America: Professor Laura Tartakoff’s course explores ethnicity, gender, and religion, and tackles revolution, democracy, and populism. Instead of a midterm and final exam, students focus (choose, research and write) on a concrete and specific country and subject. First years are welcome.

POSC 373/473 The Politics of the European Union: My course on the European Union assumes no prior knowledge and covers the basics (what the European Union is, its origins, the political institutions, etc.) as well as current challenges and developments (Brexit, a resurgent Russia, the influx of immigrants, the euro, President Trump, Banking Union, etc.). First years are welcome.

POSC 377/477 The Politics of Russia: Since independence in 1991 Russia has faced three challenges: the creation of a sovereign state, the development of a new political system, and the restructuring of its economy. This course, taught by Prof. Kelly McMann, evaluates the outcome of these transformations, considering “Putinism” and Russia’s foreign influence, among other topics.

POSC 370C/470C United States and Asia: The course, taught by Prof. Paul Schroeder who will be retiring at the end of the spring semester, covers American policy toward China, Japan, and the two Koreas as well as American policy toward the East Asian region.

This is the last newsletter of the semester. I’d like to thank Jessica Jurcak, Brook Sabin, my colleagues and, of course, our students for making my short tenure as acting Chair of the Department as smooth as possible. We’ll be welcoming back Prof. Beckwith after the new year. Have a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,
Elliot Posner

—
Elliot Posner
Professor & Acting Chair (Fall 2019)
Department of Political Science
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 368-1015
eap26@case.edu
http://politicalscience.case.edu/faculty/posner/

Internship & Fellowship Opportunities

Rumi Forum
Interested students can apply for research or project internships this spring. Dates and hours are flexible.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Look online for the available full- and part-time Spring 2020 internships available in Washington, DC.

Department of Veteran Affairs Summer Internship
The VA National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) provides internship opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students. Applications are open until all positions are filled. 

Previously posted opportunities can be found on the department webpage. 

Summer Opportunities

Brennan Center for Justice
Undergraduate students provide administrative and programmatic support to staff in our Communications, Development, Events, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, and Programs (Democracy, Justice, and Liberty & National Security) departments. Summer 2020 applications are due January 15, 2020.

FIRE Summer Internship Program
FIRE offers a ten-week, paid summer internship to current undergraduates the opportunity to assist FIRE in defending civil liberties on campuses across the country. The early decision deadline is January 20, 2020. 

Hoover Institution Summer policy Boot Camp
This program is an intensive, one week residential immersion program in the essentials of today’s national and international United States policy. The program is intended to instruct college students and recent graduates on the economic, political, and social aspects of United States public policy. Early bird registration is January 22, 2020. Regular registration is March 16, 2020, and includes a $100 application fee.

Volunteer Opportunities

Voting Outreach Team
This nonpartisan CWRU volunteer group assists with campus voter registration and promotes voter engagement. Apply by January 15, 2020.

Prepare Taxes at ASIA, Inc.
Asian Services In Action, Inc. is seeking volunteers to be income tax preparers at its Cleveland office from February 1 to April 15. Volunteers can choose the times that they are available, with no obligation for weekly recurring time slots. The service would be active from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. A day-long training through the Cuyahoga County Earned Income Tax Credit program is required (lunch provided). Interested volunteers can contact Benjamin Holda for details: bholda@asiaohio.org or 330.535.3263

Job Opportunities

Collecting Signatures for Joe Biden
Every candidate has until the filing deadline, December 18th, to collect enough signatures to get on the ballot in Ohio. Volunteers will be paid $15/hour. Click here for opportunity dates. If you’re interested, please contact Madison Newingham at (330) 671-1601 or madison@kpaohio.com.

Please note that the Department of Political Science alerts our students to a range of opportunities, including internships, fellowships, and jobs.  We do not endorse or sponsor these, and leave it to the judgment of our students what is most useful and appropriate to them.