Margaret Ferguson (political scientist)
{{Short description|American political scientist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|10|10}}
| birth_place = Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S.
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| fields = Political science
| workplaces = Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
| alma_mater = University of Southern Mississippi (BA)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MA, PhD)
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| known_for = State politics, governors, Southern politics, welfare politics, American politics
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Margaret Robertson Ferguson (born October 10, 1968) is an American political scientist specializing in state politics,[http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2014/nov/30/lincoln-chafee/gov-lincoln-chafee-says-ri-legislature-strongest-u/ "Gov. Lincoln Chafee says R.I. legislature is strongest in U.S"]. Politifact, By Katie Mulvaney on November 30, 2014 governors, and Southern politics at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-lugar-a-washington-insider-on-his-way-out/ "Dick Lugar: A Washington insider on his way out?"]. CBS News, Stephanie Condon May 8, 2012.
Early life and education
Ferguson was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the daughter of Jim Robertson, a one-time member of the Mississippi Legislature and political science professor from Liberty, Mississippi. She graduated with a BA in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. She earned an MA and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Scholarship and academic career
Ferguson joined the academic staff of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis in 1996. Now a professor,[http://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics/house-dems-upbeat-day-after-bauer-ousted "House Dems Upbeat Day After Bauer Ousted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703001345/https://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics/house-dems-upbeat-day-after-bauer-ousted |date=July 3, 2018 }}. Channel 6 ABC. in 2012 she was head of the Department of Political Science, and was named assistant vice president for statewide academic relations at the university.
She was one of Justin Knapp’s professors, and has said she was not surprised by his dedication to editing Wikipedia.{{Cite web |url=http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/news/index.php/news_article/in_the_news_-_june_2012/ |title=In the News - June 2012 |last=Vinci |first=Angela |website=Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis News |date=July 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203162028/https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/news/index.php/news_article/in_the_news_-_june_2012/ |archive-date=February 3, 2017 |access-date=February 2, 2017}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.indystar.com/article/20120611/LOCAL/206110312 |title=Week in Wiki out: Hoosier is top contributor to online encyclopedia |last=Guerra |first=Kristine |date=June 18, 2012 |work=Indianapolis Star |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618180217/http://www.indystar.com/article/20120611/LOCAL/206110312 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-date=June 18, 2012}}
Ferguson's research includes comparing the structures of state-level government institutions in the United States{{cite book|author=Cal Jillson|title=Texas Politics: Governing the Lone Star State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O6RGCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA177|date=July 30, 2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-55335-9|pages=177–}}[http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20141203/NEWS/312039903 "R.I.'s weak governor"]. The Providence Journal-December 2, 2014. and analyzing legislative procedures.{{cite book|author=Alan Rosenthal|title=The Best Job in Politics: Exploring How Governors Succeed as Policy Leaders|url=https://archive.org/details/bestjob_ros_2012_00_7378|url-access=registration|date=March 9, 2012|publisher=CQ Press|isbn=978-1-4522-3999-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bestjob_ros_2012_00_7378/page/90 90], 100}} She is often quoted in news reports about political issues.[https://www.npr.org/2012/05/07/152183979/6-options-for-the-aging-politician "5 (Plus 1) Options For The Aging Politician"]. NPR, May 7, 2012 She writes opinion articles for the Indianapolis Business Journal, and has also written a number of other articles about American politics.{{cite book|author1=Todd Donovan|author2=Daniel Smith|author3=Christopher Mooney|title=State and Local Politics: Institutions and Reform|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IBBuCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA319|date=January 13, 2012|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-1-133-71326-5|pages=319–}}{{cite book|author=Jeffrey E. Cohen|title=Public Opinion in State Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oPaMuSeBdxIC&pg=PA17|date=August 25, 2006|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=978-0-8047-6797-2|pages=17–}} In 2015 a book she edited, The Executive Branch of State Government: People, Process, and Politics, is in the collections of more than 700 libraries.[https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/70203622 "The executive branch of state government : people, process, and politics"]. WorldCat, retrieved November 14, 2015.
In 2016, she became senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at IUPUI.{{Cite web |url=http://news.iupui.edu/releases/2015/11/ferguson-appointed-interim-leadership-post.shtml |title=Margaret Ferguson Appointed to Interim Senior Executive Leadership Post at IUPUI |publisher=Indiana University |date=November 18, 2015}}
Selected publications
- "Governors and the Executive Branch", in Politics in the American States: A Comparative Analysis.{{cite book|author=Donald P. Haider-Markel|title=Political Encyclopedia of U.S. States and Regions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sWZ2AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA761|date=November 19, 2008|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-1-4522-6735-7|pages=761–}}
- The Executive Branch of State Government: People, Process, and Politics (editor), ABC-CLIO, 2006{{cite book|author1=Thomas H. Little|author2=David B. Ogle|title=The Legislative Branch of State Government: People, Process, and Politics|url=https://archive.org/details/legislativebranc0000litt|url-access=registration|date=January 1, 2006|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-761-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/legislativebranc0000litt/page/194 194]–}}
- Assessing Perceived Gubernatorial Influence on State Administrators, 1978–1988, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992.
- "Divided Government, Interest Representation, and Policy Differences: Competing Explanations of Gridlock in the Fifty States", CJ Bowling, MR Ferguson – Journal of Politics, 2001.{{cite book|author=Thomas T. Holyoke|title=Competitive Interests: Competition and Compromise in American Interest Group Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4q4TVH6RuWYC&pg=PA179|date=August 22, 2011|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=978-1-58901-779-5|pages=179–}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/about/directory/ferguson-margaret-r.html Faculty Profile at IUPUI's site]
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Category:American women political scientists
Category:American political scientists
Category:People from Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni
Category:Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis faculty
Category:Writers from Indianapolis
Category:University of Southern Mississippi alumni
Category:Writers from Mississippi
Category:20th-century American writers
Category:21st-century American writers
Category:20th-century American women