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About Scott Minkoff

I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Barnard College in New York City.  My research focuses on American local politics and public goods provision; however, my interests also include legislative politics, state politics, federalism, and budgetary politics.  My research involves the use of quantitative and qualitative social science methodologies with an emphasis on spatial statistics, geographic information systems, and network analysis. 

I have taught courses on American urban politics, the American Congress, and American federalism.  In coming terms I will be teaching courses on other topics including the logic of inquiry (research methods and data analysis in the social sciences for undergraduates).  

My blog, Contemplating Dog,* chronicles what I am reading and thinking about with respect to news, politics, economics, science, technology, and sports.

 

SLM Approved Blogs

Wonkblog - Ezra Klein
538 - Nate Silver 
Krugman's Blog 
James Fallows' Blog 
Baseline Scenario - Simon Johnson and James Kwak 
Moneybox - Matthew Yglasias 
On the Economy - Jared Bernstein 
NYT Economix Blog 
Slate's Double X Factor 
The Monkey Cage 

 

*Did you hear the one about the dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac?  He stayed up all night contemplating dog.
                                              -Old Joke

 
Appointments

Barnard College, New York, NY
Assistant Professor of Political Science 

Education

Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder, Political Science, May 2011
M.A. University of Colorado at Boulder, Political Science, May 2008
B.A. Skidmore College, Government, May 2004

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Minkoff, Scott L. "The Proximate Polity: Spatial Context and Political Risk in Local Developmental Goods Provision." Urban Affairs Review. Forthcoming.  

Abstract: The author develops a theory for understanding local developmental goods expenditures in metropolitan areas. The basis of the theory is that that local officials seek to minimize the economic and political risks of policy failure by anticipating how their policy choices are likely to influence the movement of people and firms into and out of jurisdictions. The theory is tested on a dataset of 1,500 cities that makeup fifteen randomly selected metropolitan areas using spatial-lag and spatial mixed models.  Statistically significant spatial autocorrelation and spatially-lagged explanatory variables support the theory and lead to inferences about which populations matter most to local politicians.

Minkoff, Scott L. 2009. "Minding Your Neighborhood: The Spatial Context of Local Redistribution." Social Science Quarterly 90 (3):516-37.

Abstract: Objectives. Previous research on local redistribution has not accounted for spatial context. I develop a model of local own-source redistributive spending that accounts for the economic characteristics and policy decisions of geographic neighbors. Methods. I estimate a modified spatial 2-SLS equation of own-source redistributive spending that appropriately accounts for endogeneity between neighboring policy decisions and own policy decisions. The dataset spans the 48 contiguous states and utilizes data from the 2000 Census and the 1997 Census of Governments—Finance among other sources. Results. I find that neighboring policy choices and economic characteristics are significantly related to own-source HCD spending decisions. Conclusions. The nuances of geographic context are a critical determinant of local redistributive spending decisions.

Dissertation Research

Title: The Proximate Polity: Exit, Voice, and Space in Local Development Politics

Committee: Dr. Kenneth Bickers (chair), Dr. Susan Clarke, Dr. E. Scott Adler, and Dr. Anand Sokhey of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Dr. Rick Feiock of Florida State University.

Overview: My dissertation research examines the spatial dynamics associated with local economic development policy production and provision. I ask the question: How do the politics and economics of geographically proximate polities influence the provision of developmental goods by cities and the arrangements they use to provide them? The hypotheses I test are rooted in the theories about mobility and urban politics developed by Tiebout (1956), Hirschman (1970), and Peterson (1981). The Tiebout hypothesis in particular places the policy decisions of localities in the context of a space where people make decisions about how they want to live. So long as people are free to make these decisions, then the policy decisions and economic characteristics of other political jurisdictions are critical to understanding the policy choices of cities. Using several datasets I am conducting spatial econometric analyses on local commercial and residential development spending and inter-jurisdictional cooperation.

Grants

2011 National Science Foundation Political Science Program Dissertation Improvement Grant ($9,040)

Awards

2010 Best Paper, Urban Politics Section (American Political Science Association 2010 Annual Conference) for "The Proximate Polity: The Spatial Context of the Local Developmental Goods Provision"

2010 Norton Long Young Scholars Award (American Political Science Association, Urban Politics Section)

2010 Stone Scholar (American Political Science Association, Urban Politics Section)

Conference Papers

Minkoff, Scott L. 2011. “The Proximate Polity: Interlocal Developmental Cooperation in Colorado.” Prepared for the 2011 Southern Political Science Association Annual Meetings (New Orleans, LA.: January 5-8).

Abstract: This paper explores the conditions under which Colorado cities and counties are likely to engage in formalized intergovernmental developmental cooperation. I theorize that sub-state developmental competition, jurisdictional similarity, and each jurisdictions position within the larger informal network that exists amongst local officials condition the likelihood of formal cooperation. The more competitive each jurisdiction's environment is and the more centrally located officials are within the network, the more likely they should be to formally cooperate. These theories are tested and borne out with data collected using a dyadic complementary log-log model with spatial and network components.

Minkoff, Scott L. 2010. “The Proximate Polity: The Spatial Context of the Local Developmental Goods Provision.” Prepared for the 2010 American Political Science Association Annual Meetings (Washington, D.C.: September 2-5).*

Abstract: With limited resources and the threat of economic and political failure, are all American cities seriously pursuing substantial economic development goods provision? Or, do cities minimize the risks of developmental failure by engaging in greater economic development spending when the policy environment demands it and when regional demographics increase the probability of quality movers? In this paper, I theorize that the political and economic difficulties associated with development lead cities to take careful note of their geographic situation prior to provision. I test this theory using spatial lag models that account for variables internal and external to the jurisdiction. Statistically significant spatial autocorrelation and exogenous spatially lagged variables support the theory and lead to inferences about which constituents matter most to local politicians.

*Winner of 2010 Best Paper, Urban Politics Section (American Political Science Association 2010 Annual Conference)

Makse, Todd, Anand Edward Sokhey, and Scott L. Minkoff. 2010. “Understanding Visible Political Participation: An Analysis of Yard Sign-Displays during the 2008 Presidential Election.” Prepared for the 2010 Western Political Science Association Annual Meetings (San Francisco, California: April 1-3) and the 2010 Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting (Chicago, Illinois: April 22-25).
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1581132

Abstract: Displaying a political yard sign is a conspicuous but understudied act that toes the line between political participation and political communication. While these signs constitute an important part of campaigns - and anecdotal evidence suggests that political “sign wars” arise in neighborhoods - no systematic analysis of such behavior exists. To address this, we utilize an original, geo-coded observational dataset of sixty-one voting precincts in Franklin County, Ohio collected over the course of the 2008 presidential election cycle. Looking at the level of the precinct, census-block, and property-level, we examine the correlates of yard sign-displaying, and look for spatial patterns in this highly visible form of political participation.

Adler, E. Scott, Charles Cameron, and Scott L. Minkoff. "Bills Support Rates: What do they tell us about Theories of US Lawmaking." Prepared for the 2009 American Political Science Association Meetings: Toronto, Canada. http://papers.ssrn.com/Sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1450623

Abstract: We examine bill support rates (BSR), the percentage of times a member votes for a class of bills rather than the status quo on the final passage vote, as a function of her ideology. The set of BSR maximizers is the set of ideal points yielding maximal BSRs. Using simulations and simple derivations, we show that three theories of lawmaking – a simple Downsian Congress, a Party Cartel Congess, and a Veto Pivots Congress -- make quite distinct and very different predictions about the location and marginal shifts of the set of BSR maximizers. We formulate simple tests for each theory’s predictions and for the predictions that distinguish among the theories. We propose practical methods for implementing these tests statistically. Using newly assembled data, we calculate bill support rates and estimate the set of BSR maximizers for a variety of bill types in the House of Representatives in three congresses (the 102nd, 105th, and 106th). We carry out the required statistical tests. We are reluctant to over-interpret preliminary data. In further work we will extend the analysis to all post-war congresses, allowing stronger inferences and conclusions.