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Great Plains Political Science Associati

2026 Conference Program

28th Annual Meeting

March 20th-21st, 2026
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Education Building, 2nd Floor
Friday, March 20th

9:00am - 9:30am: Registration, Room 261
 
9:30am - 10:30am, Room 243
Local Politics
Chair/Discussant: Brian Amos, Wichita State University
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  • Mark Joslyn and Grant Hansen, University of Kansas. "The Transformation of Johnson County Electoral Politics."​
  • Jessica Velasco, Sul Ross State University. "Understanding the High Failure Rate of County Appraisal Districts in Texas."
9:30am - 10:30am, Room 240
Authoritarianism
Chair/Discussant: Rachel Finnell, Bethany College
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  • Lina Garcia Arrieta, University of Arkansas. "Authoritarianism, Clientelism, and Water Scarcity."​
  • Ismayil Akhundov, Istanbul Kent University. "Determinants of Authoritarian Stability in Azerbaijan: The Interplay of Economic Shocks and Elite Dynamics."
10:45am - 11:45am, Room 243
Gender and Minority Politics
Chair/Discussant: Alexandra Middlewood, Wichita State University
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  • Brian Amos, Alexandra Middlewood, and David Hernandez, Wichita State University. "Gendered Races, Gendered Voting."
  • Stephanie Wise and Steel Anderson, Central College. "Thaw and Refreeze: The Tone of Religious and Sexual Rhetoric at National Party Conventions, 1984-2024."
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12:00pm - 1:00pm: Lunch
Scofield 109
During lunch, starting at 12:30pm: GPPSA Business Meeting
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1:00pm - 2:00pm: Undergraduate Poster Session, Room 243
  • Carrie Brosman, Hastings College. "Disposition and Disinterest: An Analysis of Ineffectual Intelligence Oversight"
  • Meg Dedic, Hastings College. "Every Man for Himself: Higher Education Rape Culture Through the Neoliberalist and Feminist Ethics of Care Lens."
  • Juliana Fanning, John Brown University. "Childhood Social Media Use and Adult Opinions: Assessing Predictors of Support for Government Regulation of Minors Online."
  • Ella Ferguson, University of Nebraska at Kearney. "Politics and the Freedom of Educators: A View From Nebraska Public Schools."
  • Ainsley Foster, Northwest Missouri State University. "How Costs of Voting Disproportionately Affect Certain Demographic Groups Across America: A Paradox in the Democratic Process."
  • Nickytha Georges, Hastings College. "When Time Costs Lives: The Politics of Influence in Health Crisis Policymaking."
  • Dean Gorby, Northwest Missouri State University. "Why Geographical Location Matters and How Living In Two Opposite Geographical Locations Can Change Gun Control Views."
  • Gregory Lee, Northwest Missouri State University. "Unequal Processes, Unequal Places: Procedural Fairness Across Rural and Suburban Courts."
  • Victoria Mallory, Hastings College. "Competing for the Latino Vote: How Religion, Economic Policy, and Candidate Appeal Shape Partisanship."
  • Kentaro Onishi, Northwest Missouri State University. "Comparing Russia and China: Nature of Bureaucracy and Leadership in Authoritarian States."
  • Bethany Parks, Northwest Missouri State University. "Informing Policy, Practice, and Programs on Mental Health."
  • Olivia Riggs, University of Central Missouri. "Speech and Tolerance: An Analysis of Hate Speech in Germany versus the United States."
  • Kayley Schurman, Missouri Southern State University. "Voter ID Laws and Native American Political Participation: Evidence from North Dakota, Arizona, and Montana."
  • Andrew Strunc and Kimberly Casey, Northwest Missouri State University. "Are Missourians Voting for Conservative Candidates and Liberal Policies? A Case for Ballot Measure Ticket Splitting."
  • Amelia Torres, University of Central Missouri. "Measuring the Third Branch: An Index of State Judicial Professionalism."
  • Dante Trinidad-Gomez, Isaac Stensland, Lincoln Stensland, and Stephanie Wise, Central College. "Shadows of Justice: The Influence of Off-Bench Emergency Docket Rhetoric on Supreme Court Legitimacy."​
  • Bre'el Washington. Northwest Missouri State University. "TikTok and Politics: The Impact of Ban Positions on Leader Ratings."
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2:15pm - 3:30pm, Room 261
Political Behavior
Chair/Discussant: Michael Smith, Emporia State University​
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  • Bronson Herrera and Jacob Tengelsen, Northwest Missouri State University. "Fear, Parties, and the 2024 General Election."​​
  • Robert Amyot and Cody Wilson, Hastings College. "The Impact of Personality on Political Polarization: A Pilot Study."
2:15pm - 3:30pm, Room 240
Political Power
Chair/Discussant: Ismayil Akhundov, Istanbul Kent University
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  • Peter Longo, University of Nebraska. "Considering Executive Power: Constitutionalism and Religious Rules."
  • Satoshi Machida, University of Nebraska at Kearney. "Article 9 of the Japanese Constitutions and Japanese Citizens’ Views Toward Power."
3:45pm - 4:45pm, Room 243
National Politics Roundtable
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  • Bronson Herrera, Northwest Missouri State University (chair)
  • Jessica Velasco, Sul Ross State University
  • Stephanie Wise, Central College
3:45pm - 4:45pm, Room 240
Kansas Politics Roundtable
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  • Michael Smith, Emporia State University
  • Alexandra Middlewood, Wichita State University
  • Russell Fox, Friends University
  • Brett Zollinger, Fort Hays State University
  • Jian Sun, Fort Hays State University
Saturday, March 21st

9:00am - 9:30am: Registration, Room 243
 
9:30am - 10:30am, Room 243
Roundtable: Rigor in the Classroom
Discussion Leader: Alexandra Middlewood, Wichita State University
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10:45am - 11:45am, Room 243
Roundtable: Dealing with Difficult Situations
Anchor Paper: Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Kansas State University. "When Your Students Don’t Think You Should Have Rights: Maintaining Your Dignity and Job Satisfaction in the Face of Sincerely-Held Student Beliefs"
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12:00pm - 1pm: Lunch
Scofield 109
 
1:00pm - 2:00pm, Room 243
Roundtable: Service and Experiential Learning
Discussion Leader: Brian Amos, Wichita State University
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2:15pm - 3:15pm, Room 243
Roundtable: The Politics of Teaching Politics
Discussion Leader: Michael Smith, Emporia State Universty.
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