Dr. James Franklin

I have just started teaching classes in comparative politics at Ohio Wesleyan University. I teach a wide variety of courses, such as Latin American Politics, European Politics, Asian Politics, and Comparative Political Topics: Democratization. Before this, I taught at Texas A&M University, where I won an Excellence in Teaching Award in 1998.

I received my Ph.D. in 1999 from Texas A&M University with a major in comparative politics. My dissertation entitled "Why Parties Resist" establishes that many political parties have engaged in active resistence to authoritarian regimes in developing countries and explores factors that explain why some parties resist while others do not. I received a BA in political science from Auburn University in 1993.

My primary research interests are political repression, political dissent, and democratization. I am also interested in the politics of developing countries, with emphasis on Latin America. I have published an article in Comparative Political Studies entitled "IMF Conditionality, Threat Perception and Political Repression: A Cross-National Analysis." This article examines whether restrictive agreements set up by the International Monetary Fund put governments in positions in which repression is more likely. I have had an article accepted for Party Politics examining whether party-led dissent influences the democratization process. Furthermore, I have presented numerous papers at conferences, with the most recent one focusing on the human rights record after democratization in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.

My research interests stem from my interests in human rights and developing countries. My interests in human rights grew from participation in Amnesty International in college and then interning with the organization. My interest in developing countries was enhanced by service trips to Mexico to work with local community members to build houses.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy listening to and playing music–I am a drummer and have played in a variety of bands. I also enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities.