LAURA L. LANGER

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Education:

Ph.D.                           Florida State University; 1998 (Political Science—testing fields American Government, Public Policy): Doctoral Dissertation “Judicial Review and Countermajoritarian

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Behavior on State Courts of Last Resort.”

M.S.                             Florida State University; 1996 (Political Science)

 

M.A.                            University of Illinois at Chicago; 1993 (Political Science & Public Policy); Master Thesis “Does Government Influence Income Inequality in the American States.”

 

B.A.                             Loyola University at Chicago; 1991 (Political Science Major; Philosophy and History Minors)

 

Professional Experience:

2009 – present             Associate Professor, School of Government  & Public Policy

2006 – 2008                Director of Graduate Studies; Department of Political Science, University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ

2003 – 2008                Associate Professor; Department of Political Science, University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ

1999 – 2003                Assistant Professor; Department of Political Science, University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ

1998 – 1999                Assistant Professor; Department of Political Science & Criminal Justice, Washington State University, Pullman, WA

1997  - 1998                Research Fellow; Department of Political Science, Rice University; Houston, TX

1996 -  1997                Research Assistant; Department of Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, August 1996-May 1997

1994 -  1996                Research Fellow;  Workers’ Compensation Division, Special Grant with Charles Barrilleaux; Tallahassee Florida

1996 & 1997               Summer Instructor; Department of Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Intro to Public Policy

 

Special Awards and Recognitions

  • State Politics and Policy Section Best Paper Award 2009, presented by State Politics and Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association for the best paper on state politics and policy written by a faculty member at the previous year’s annual meeting.
  • American Judicature Society Award, 2000, presented by Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association for the best paper on law and courts written by a faculty member that was presented at any of the previous year's annual meetings of the American, Midwest, Northeastern, Southern, Southwestern, or Western Political Science Associations
  • Certificate of Commitment to Outstanding Education, 2000, University-wide teaching award from the Alpha Delta Pi Scholarship Committee. Presented at the Scholarship Banquet on November 20, 2000, University of Arizona.
  • Special Faculty Recognition at Honors Convocation, 2000, from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Arizona.

 

Publications:

Book
  • Langer, Laura.  2002. Judicial Review in State Supreme Courts: A Comparative Study Albany: State University of New York Press
 
Journal Articles and Book Chapters

 

  • Langer, Laura, Meghan Leonard, and Andrea Polk. 2009 (in press) “Money, Competition, and Legitimacy: New Directions in Judicial Election Research.” In ed. (Jan Leighley) American State Elections Oxford University Press.

 

  • Langer, Laura.  2008.  “The History of Politics and Policy in Arizona.” In ed. (Gary Moncrief) Political Encyclopedia of U.S. States and Regions MTM publishing.

 

  • Langer, Laura and Teena Wilhelm.  2008  “State Supreme Courts as Policymakers.” In ed (Mark Miller), Rethinking U.S. Judicial Politics.  Oxford Press

 

  • Langer, Laura and Teena Wilhelm. 2005 “The Ideology of State Supreme Court Chief Justices.” Judicature 89 (September-October): 78-84.

 

  • Langer, Laura and Paul Brace. 2005. “Preemptive Role of State Supreme Courts: The Case of Abortion and Death Penalty Adoption.” Policy Studies Journal Vol. 33 Issue 3, p317-340, 24p

 

  • Langer, Laura, Jody McMullen, Nick Ray, and Dan Stratton. 2003.  “Recruitment of Chief Justices on State Supreme Courts: A Choice between Institutional and Personal Goals.” Journal of Politics. 65 (August): 656-675.  (McMullen is a former MA graduate student, and Ray and Stratton are current graduate students).

 

  • Langer, Laura. 2003. “Strategic Considerations and Judicial Review: The Case of Workers’ Compensation Laws in the American States.” Public Choice 116 (August): 55-78.

 

  • Barrilleaux, Charles, Thomas Holbrook, and Laura Langer. 2002. "Electoral Competition, Legislative Balance, and American State Welfare Policy," American Journal of Political Science 46 (April) 415-27.

 

  • Langer, Laura. 2002. “Arizona.” In Legal Systems of the World: A Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia. Ed. Herbert Kritzer. Denver: ABC-CLIO.

 

  • Langer, Laura.  2001. “Economic Development Policy Activism and Income Distribution in the American States 1976-94.” American Politics Research 29 (July): 392-414.

 

  • Brace, Paul and Laura Langer.  2001.  “The Florida Supreme Court and the 2000 Presidential Election.” PS: Political Science and Politics September: 645-650.

 

  • Brace, Paul, Melinda Gann Hall, and Laura Langer. 2001. “Placing Courts in State Politics.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1 (March): 81-108. 

 

  • Brace, Paul, Laura Langer, and Melinda Gann Hall. 2000. “Measuring the Preferences of State Supreme Court Judges.” Journal of Politics 62 (May): 387-413. 

 

  • Langer, Laura. 2000. “Attention to American State Courts in Undergraduate Classes:  A Commentary on Recent Survey Results.” Law and Courts Newsletter Winter 11: 20-24.
  •  
  • Langer, Laura. 2000. “Keeton on Judging in the American Legal System.” Law and Politics Book Review (February) 10: 103-105. 

 

  • Langer, Laura. 1999. “Measuring Income Distribution across Space and Time in the American States.” Social Science Quarterly (March): pp. 55-67.

 

  • Brace, Paul, Melinda Gann Hall, and Laura Langer. 1999. “Judicial Choice and the Politics of Abortion: Institutions, Context, and the Autonomy of Courts.” Albany Law Review 62:  1265-1302

 

  • Brace, Paul and Laura Langer. 1995. “Interpreting the 1994 State Legislative Elections.”  Spectrum The Journal of State Government (Spring), pp 2-10

 

Reviews of Book in Refereed Journals

 

  • Bonneau, Chris W.. Publius, Summer 2003, Vol. 33 Issue 3, p166-168, 3p; Abstract: Reviews the book "Judicial Review in State Supreme Courts: A Comparative Study," by Laura Langer.

 

·         Songer, Donald R.. American Political Science Review, Dec 2002, Vol. 96 Issue 4, p826, 2p; Abstract: Reviews the book 'Judicial Review in State Supreme Courts: A Comparative Study,' by

Laura Langer.

 

  • Emmert, Craig F. and Bowman, Ann O'M.. Journal of Politics, Nov 2002, Vol. 64 Issue 4, p1271, 3p; Abstract: Reviews 'Judicial Review in State Supreme Courts: A Comparative Study,' by Laura Langer.

 

Grants and Contracts

  • National Science Foundation CAREER Grant, SES-0092187 “Multiple Actors and Competing Risks: State Supreme Court Justices and the Policymaking (Unmaking) Game of Judicial Review.” Washington, D.C., (May 2001-April 2006), $300,000,  Sole PI

 

  • National Science Foundation Research Experience for Graduates--REG Supplemental Grant SES-0092187, (Fall 2003-2004), $12,000, Sole PI (funds to provide stipends to graduate students working on my CAREER grant, and funds to support collaborative projects with graduate students).

 

  • National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant (Teena Wilhelm SES-0420055), (July 2004-July 2005), $11,500.

 

  • National Science Foundation Research Experience for Graduates--REG Supplemental Grant, SES-0092187, (Fall 2001-2002), $10,000, Sole PI (funds to provide stipends to graduate students working on my CAREER grant, and funds to support collaborative projects with graduate students).

 

  • Research Professorship, SBSRI.  Fall 2004. University of Arizona

 

  • “Agenda Setting on the Arizona Supreme Court.” Undergraduate Research Grant (funds awarded to undergraduate student, Devereaux Howe, to conduct independent research). Spring 2001, Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, $500.00.  Faculty Advisor/PI

 

  • “Judicial Review in State Supreme Courts: A Comparative Study.”  Provost’s Author Support Fund, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, (Fall 1999), $1,200.00, Sole PI

 

  • Multiple Actors and Competing Risks: State Supreme Court Justices and the Policymaking (Unmaking) Game of Judicial Review.” Faculty Summer Grant Development Stipend, Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona, (Summer 2000), $4,000.00. Sole PI.

 

  • “Selection of State Supreme Court Chief Justices and Strategic Considerations.” Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty Small Grants Program, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona, (Fall 2000), $5,000. Sole PI.

 

  • “Chief Justices on State Supreme Courts and Opinion Assignment.” Faculty Mini Grant, Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona, (Fall 1999), $750.00. Sole PI.

 

  •  Arts and Humanities Research Travel Grant, (Spring 1999), Washington State University, Pullman Washington, (Spring 1999), $500. 

 

Current Research Projects

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Do Opinion Assignment and the Writer of the Majority Opinion Matter? Separate Opinion Behavior on Courts of Last Resort. “ under review at the American Political Science Review

 

  • Langer, Laura, Teena Wilhelm, and Gabriel Sanchez.  “To Join or Not to Join the Chief Justice: Opinion Behavior on American State Courts” under review at State Politics and Policy Quarterly

 

  • Langer, Laura, Meghan Leonard, and Joe Ross. “Legislators’ Perceptions and the Politicization of Courts: Sources of Inter-Branch Tension” under review at Policy Studies Journal

 

  • Langer, Laura and Gabe Sanchez.  “Coalition Formation on American State Supreme Courts”    revising for submission to referred journal

 

  • Langer, Laura.  State Legislative-Judicial Relations: Why is Communication between the Branches a Loveless Endeavor?  Book manuscript in progress

 

 PROFESSIONAL AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Conference Participation:

 

  • Wilhelm, Teena, Laura Langer, and Gabe Sanchez, “To Shirk or Not to Shirk from the Chief Justice: Associate Justices and Opinion Behavior.”  Paper to be presented at the APSA 2008 in Boston, pending approval. 

 

  • Langer, Laura. Discussant at Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2007 Curbing the Court Panel

 

  • Langer, Laura, Meghan Leonard, and Joe Ross. “Institutional Interactions: Legislative Perceptions of State Courts.” Presented at the State Politics and Policy Conference, February 24-25, 2007 University of Texas.  An earlier version was presented at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans January 3-5, 2007

 

  • Langer, Laura, Meghan Leonard, and Joe Ross. “Institutional Interactions: Legislative Perceptions of State Courts.  Paper presented at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans January 3-5, 2007

 

·         Langer, Laura, Gabe Sanchez, and Jeffrey Williams. “Minimum Winning, Sub-Maximum, or Maximum Winning Opinion Coalitions: A Test of Rohde’s Threat Hypothesis on American State Supreme Courts”   Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL April 2004.

 

·         Langer, Laura and Teena Wilhelm. “Policymaking and Judicial-Legislative-Executive Relations:  Observations from two American States.”   Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL April 2003.

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “How Should State Judges be Chosen.” American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2003. 

 

  • Discussant.  Panel, “Courts, Policy, and Practice.”  Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois 2002.

 

  • Chair. Panel, “Issues in State Court Elections.” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois 2002.

 

  • Langer, Laura. “The Impact of Bush v. Gore on State Courts and State Legislatures.” Paper presented at the conference on the Final Arbiter: The U.S. Supreme Court, Presidency, and the Politics of Election 2000, sponsored by the University of Akron School of Law’s Constitutional Center and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, Akron Ohio, February 8, 2002 (invited).

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “The Politics of Judicial Review: The U.S. and Abroad.” American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, September  2001.

 

  • Brace, Paul, and Laura Langer. “The Preemptive Power of Courts in the Legislative Policy Game.” Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, September 2001.

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Bush v. Gore” Roundtable Participant at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois 2001.

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “State Courts in the Federal System.” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois 2001.

 

  • Brace, Paul, and Laura Langer. “State Supreme Courts and the Preemptive Power of the Judiciary.” Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois 2001.

 

  • Langer, Laura, Jody McMullen, Nick Ray, and Dan Stratton. “Who Are the State Supreme Court Chief Justices and Does Method of Selection Matter?”  Paper presented at the American Political Science Association 2000 meeting Washington D.C., 2000

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Recruitment of State Supreme Court Chief Justices.” Paper presented at the Rice University Department of Political Science Colloquium Series, December 2000 (invited).

 

  • Brace, Paul, Melinda Gann Hall, and Laura Langer. “Placing Courts in State Politics.”   Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago Illinois 2000.

 

  • Brace, Paul and Laura Langer. “Income Distribution and Wage-Centralization in the American States.” Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago Illinois 2000.

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “Courts, Citizens, Interest Groups, and Direct Democracy in the States.” American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 1999.

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Does the Chief Justice on State Courts of Last Resort Shape Judicial Review?  The Case of Workers' Compensation.” Paper pesented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, September 1999.

 

  • Brace, Paul, Melinda Gann Hall, and Laura Langer.  “The Role of State Supreme Court Judges in the Policy Process: The Salient Case of Abortion.” Paper presented at the Southern Political Science Association, Savannah Georgia November 1999

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “Judicial Politics in the American States.” Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 1999

 

  • Discussant. Panel, “Judicial Politics and Democracy: Views from Beyond the West.” Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 1999

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Strategic Behavior and External Constraints on State Supreme Courts.”  Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois April 1999.

 

  • Langer, Laura. “Comparative Approaches to Judicial Review across Areas of Law in the American States.” Paper presented at the International Political Science Association Meeting in London, July 1999.

 

  • Brace, Paul, Melinda Gann Hall, and Laura Langer. “Formal Models of Judicial Decision Making in the American States.”  Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Meeting Boston, MA, September 1998.

 

·         Brace, Paul, Laura Langer, and Melinda Gann Hall.  “Measuring the Preferences of State Supreme Court Judges.”  With Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 1998.

 

·         Langer, Laura. “State Supreme Courts and Countermajoritarian Behavior” Paper presented at the Southern Political Science Association Meeting, Norfolk, VA, November 1997.

 

  • Barrilleaux, Charles, Thomas Holbrook, and Laura Langer. “The Effects of Party Competition, Party Control and Partisan Change on State Policymaking: Evidence From Welfare Spending in the American States.” Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Meeting, Washington, September 1997.

 

  • Langer, Laura. “The Constitutionality of State Campaign and Election Reform: State Supreme Courts and Countermajoritarian Behavior.”  Paper presented at the Midwest Political Science Association 55th Annual Meeting, Chicago:  April 10-12, 1997

 

Invited Presentations

 

  • “The Impact of Institutional Rules on Legislative-Judicial Relations in the American States.” Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs Speaker Series, Chicago, February 2006.

 

  • “Why are State Legislators not loved by State Supreme Courts?” University of Illinois and Kent Law School, Brown Bag October 2005.

 

  • “The Impact of Brown v. Board on Policy in the American States:  Did Brown have the intended Consequences” University of Arizona, Diversity Series September 22, 2004

 

  • “Coalition Behavior on State Supreme Courts.”  Florida State University, Department of Political Science Brown Bag series, October 2004

 

  • “Does Size Matter:  Opinion Coalitions on State Supreme Courts.” University of Illinois, Department of Political Science Colloquium Series, November 2004

 

  • “The Role of Courts in the 2000 Presidential Election,” Social Behavioral Sciences-Humanities Distinguished Luncheon Series, University of Arizona, January 2001.

 

  • “What Happened in the 2000 Presidential Election,” Democratic Nucleus Club Meeting, Tucson Arizona, January 2001.

 

  • “Nomination of Supreme Court Justices,” Pi Sigma Alpha Students, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona, Spring 2002.

 

  • “Judicial Review of Workers Compensation Laws in the American States,” Workers’ Compensation Research Institute, Cambridge Massachusetts, Fall 1998

 

  • “Law and Courts from a Political Science Perspective,” Junior and Senior High School Students, Pullman High school, Pullman Washington, Fall 1998.

 

University of Arizona Leadership Roles

2009 – present             Member of Promotion & Tenure Committee and Annual Performance Review Committee, School of Government and Public Policy

May 2006-2009           Director of Graduate Studies

2004/2003                   Member of the Faculty Advisory Committee for College of Social Sciences

2003/2001                   Member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Institute Advisory Board   

2005 -  present             Member of Grade Appeal Committee for College of Social Sciences

 

Department Committees and Administrative Positions

2006 –                         Member of Executive Committee

2006 (fall)                   Member of Search committee, American Politics

2006 (fall)                   Chair of 3rd Year Probationary Review for Chad Westerland

2005-April 2006          Member of Graduate Studies Committee

2004 (fall)                   Member of 4th Year Review Committee for Kris Kanthak

2003 (spring)               Member of Promotion and Review Committee for Jim Todd

2003-2002                   Member of Search Committee, American Politics

2001 - 2002                 Member of Executive Committee

 

Chair Graduate Student Committees (past six years)

 

2008 –             Ph.D. Doctoral Dissertation, Chair

                                    Meghan Leonard, expected to defend spring 2010

2007- 2008      Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination, Chair

                                    Meghan Leonard, passed

2007-2008       Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination, Chair

                                    Joe Ross, passed

2006-2007       M.A. (900 paper), Chair

                                    Meghan Leonard, defended April 2007

2006-2007       M.A. (900 paper), Chair

                                    Joseph Ross, defended April 2007

2006-2004       Ph.D. Doctoral Dissertation, Chair      

                                    Jeff Williams, defended April 2006, graduated

2005-2004       Ph.D. Doctoral Dissertation, Chair

                                    Teena Wilhelm, defended July 2005, graduated

2004                Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination, Chair

                                    Jeff Williams

2004                Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination, Chair

                                    Teena Wilhelm, passed

2003-2002       M.A. (900 paper), Chair

                                    Teena Wilhelm

2003-2003       M.A. (900 paper), Chair

                                     Nicole Zeiss

 

Professional Service

 

2008 -              Member of Law and Courts Section Journal Formation Committee for Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association

 

2006/2005       Section Organizer. State Politics and Policy Section of the Southern Political Science Association, Annual Meeting New

Orleans, January 2007

 

2005/2004       Member of Life Time Achievement Award Committee for Law and Courts Section of the American

Political Science Association, award presented to the recipient at the Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., 2005

 

2004/2003       Section Organizer. Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association, Annual

Meeting in Chicago 2004. 

 

2004/2002       Member of the Executive Committee for the State Politics and Policy Section of the American Political

Science Association

 

2003/2002       Conference Organizer/Host. Third Annual State Politics and Policy Conference, Tucson Arizona.2003

 

2003/2002       Section Organizer. Law and Courts Section of the Southwestern Political Science Association, Annual

Meeting in San Antonio, Texas 2003

 

2002/2001       Member of the American Judicature Award Committee for the Law and Courts Section of the American

Political Science Association, award presented to recipient at the Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA, 2002.

 

Reviewer for: American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, American Politics Research, Social Science Quarterly, Policy Studies Journal, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, Justice System Journal, Law and Society Review, National Science Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, SUNY Press, Westview Press; Law and Courts Book Review; State Politics and Policy Governance