James W. Stoutenborough, ISTPP Postdoctoral Research Associate, presented two papers at the 71st annual conference of the Midwest Political Science Association, held April 11-14, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois. All of these papers draw upon Institute research project data.
In keeping with ISTPP’s mentoring of future policy makers, ISTPP undergraduate student worker, Shelbi Sturgess, is a co-author on the “Public Perceptions of Nuclear Power” paper and presented with Stoutenborough at MPSA. Sturgess is a junior political science major, Student Government Association Executive Council Chief of Staff, and member of A&M’s Model United Nations.“Knowledge, Risk, and Policy Support: Public Perceptions of Nuclear Power.” James W. Stoutenborough, Shelbi Sturgess, and Arnold Vedlitz. This project examines U.S. public support for nuclear energy one year after the Fukushima tragedy, seeking to understand the influence of knowledge and risk perceptions on policy support.
“Problem Definition and Risk Perceptions: Rethinking the Role of Risk Perceptions on Political Behavior.” James W. Stoutenborough and Arnold Vedlitz. This project explores the influence of risk perceptions on policy support within three issue domains – energy, climate change, and terrorism.
Stoutenborough also presented two papers he co-authored with ISTPP Director Arnold Vedlitz at the annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association in Hollywood, CA held March 28-30.“The Role of Scientific Knowledge in the Public’s Perceptions of Energy Technology Risks.” The researchers exam the effect of perceived and objective scientific knowledge on the public’s risk evaluations of different energy technologies in order to more clearly connect science knowledge, scientific trust, and issue problem identification.
“Collective Action and Public Support for Pollution Reducing Energy Policies.” The authors apply a collective interest model of public support to pollution reducing energy policies and behavioral changes. They integrate this approach with an evaluation of the policy elite’s influence on the public as filtered through their trust in the policy elite.
Stoutenborough based these papers on results from on ISTPP’s National Public Energy Survey.
