This study examined the role and function of public relations in public higher education institutions by focusing on the messages being communicated by four public research-oriented universities. This study was designed to determine if and how these universities communicate their public good responsibility and how that communication is perceived by two constituent groups—higher education reporters and state legislators. The researcher used two qualitative methods: thematic analysis and in-depth/elite interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the universities’ mission and vision statements, strategic plans, legislative appropriations requests, presidential speeches, and 800 press releases (200 from each of four universities), to determine whether references to the public good were either present or absent in messages the universities disseminated during 2006 and 2007. In-depth/elite interviews were used to obtain the perspectives of the chief public relations officers at each of the four public research-oriented universities about their public relations strategies and communication goals. Higher education reporters covering these respective institutions and members of the legislature in positions of leadership on committees involved with higher education policy and funding issues were also interviewed to understand their perceptions about the universities. This study found the following 24 references to public good: the core concepts of research, teaching and public service; the benefits the universities create as engines of economic development; diversity; the recruitment and retention of faculty; the university as a center for arts, entertainment and cultural events; faculty and student achievement; student career enhancement; and institutional prestige, among others. The study demonstrated that public research-oriented universities are using public relations strategies and techniques to construct and distribute messages to their key constituents about the benefits they provide to the State and its citizens. Major findings also include the observation that higher education reporters cover higher education as a statewide beat which focuses on the state’s two flagship or Tier 1 universities—the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University and the institutions in the reporters respective cities. In addition, the higher education reporters write about “issues” related to higher education rather than institutions per se. The study also found that State Legislators only recognize the two Tier 1 institutions as research institutions and their perspectives about these institutions are driven by how these universities are funded. / text

This research aims to understand how black descriptive representation comes about and why black descriptive representation matters, at the state level. What distinguishes this research from previous works is its simultaneous analysis of different forms of descriptive representation at the subnational level, rather than in Congress or at the local level. This research argues black descriptive representation can take four different forms: dyadic, collective, parity and caucus. An important and understudied mechanism for black descriptive representation is the formation of state legislative black caucuses and their potential to influence policy and behavior. Subnational descriptive representation need not have negative tradeoffs for black substantive policy representation, as has been found with minority representation in Congress (Lublin 1997). Black representation is akin to a diamond, and looking at it from only one perspective is similar to judging a diamond only by its color, instead of also judging it by its hardness and fluorescence, as well as its clarity, shape, and size. In short, this work recognizes the multifaceted nature of black representation in the states. This research defines a theory of black descriptive representation as taking four different forms: dyadic, collective, parity, and caucus. Dyadic descriptive representation is the one-to-one relationship between a legislator and a voter, and heretofore it has received the most scholarly attention. This one-to-one relationship may occur between a minority citizen and their elected representation in Congress, in the state legislature, or in local government (Bobo and Gilliam 1990; Barreto, Segura, and Woods 2004), but this work focuses on dyadic descriptive representation in Congress. Although some argue that dyadic descriptive representation leads to better policy outcomes for blacks (Whitby 1997; Hutchings, McClerking, and Charles 2004), and encourages blacks to engage in politics (Gay 2001; Gay 2002; Tate 2003; Banducci, Donovan, and Karp 2004; Griffin and Keane 2006), others argue that dyadic descriptive representation is not only unnecessary to implement policies beneficial to blacks (Swain 1993), but also that it may actually lead to poorer policy outcomes for the group (Lublin 1997). That is, there is a tradeoff between increasing the number of black representatives (descriptive representation) and passing policies beneficial to the group (substantive representation). Collective descriptive representation is the relationship that an individual has with elected officials with whom they share a group identity. For blacks, collective descriptive representation may include the percentage of black lawmakers in the state legislature or Congress. An argument developed in this research is that collective descriptive representation in the state legislature, a topic rarely studied by scholars of race and ethnicity, may maximize both descriptive and substantive representation, and as a result, it may encourage black political behavior and lead to better policy outcomes for the group. Both parity and caucus descriptive representation are extensions of collective descriptive representation in the state legislature. Parity descriptive representation examines the extent to which the percentage of blacks in the state legislature is equal to a state's black population and is a measure of racial equity in electoral representation. Caucus descriptive representation is the formal organization of black lawmakers within a state legislature. Almost no published research has empirically studied legislative black caucuses in the states (for an exception see King-Meadows and Schaller 2006). Since the four forms of descriptive representation are distinct, the expectation is that they be caused by different factors. Moreover, this research builds on previous work by measuring and defining collective descriptive representation in all fifty states and is the first research to argue that state legislative black caucuses shape political behavior.

My dissertation examines gender representation in both bureaucratic agencies and standing legislative committees focusing on Corrections and Human or Social Services in eleven southern states. By examining individual public officials in both regulatory and redistributive agencies and committees, I am able to determine if active representation of women’s issues is occurring and how this impacts the policy development and implementation of domestic violence programs. Theoretical models used in examining the linkage between passive and active representation often incorporate the values and actions of public officials. The ethic of care is a theoretical approach that argues that gender differences may arise in terms of moral evaluations, perceptions of responsibilities, and the development of relationships. Therefore, care is used as a value and action in this study for two reasons. First, women’s issues, such as domestic violence, require an ethic of care to be used in assisting vulnerable populations, as victims’ needs should be addressed with care and concern. Secondly, contemporary scholarship in governance argues that emotional labor is prevalent among public officials, which suggests that care can instrumentally improve governance. This study uses a mixed method approach. Quantitative analysis explains the linkage of passive and active representation in legislative bodies. Survey instruments completed by legislators provided information on policy preferences, emotional labor, legislative responsibilities and political environment. Qualitative methods are used to develop a case study examining the link in representation in three southern state bureaucratic agencies. Administrators from these agencies were interviewed to explore their responsibilities, their ability to use care or exert emotional labor and represent women’s issues. Due to the lack of passive representation, in terms of female representation in southern governments, active representation is not reached in many units studied. However, regulatory agencies exhibit signs of active representation and the use of care and emotions in serving vulnerable populations. This study contributes to our understanding of female representation in the south as well as the impact politics have on the policy process.

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-04-11T14:14:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vladimir Meira Nunes.pdf: 2467427 bytes, checksum: f43b436137fb8e26bfd9f1e82c1d40e7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2016-04-28T18:16:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vladimir Meira Nunes.pdf: 2467427 bytes, checksum: f43b436137fb8e26bfd9f1e82c1d40e7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:16:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vladimir Meira Nunes.pdf: 2467427 bytes, checksum: f43b436137fb8e26bfd9f1e82c1d40e7 (MD5) / FAPESB / O estudo analisa a Geografia do Voto dos Deputados Estaduais e Partidos na Bahia, nas eleições de 2002, 2006 e 2010, buscando captar e avaliar supostos impactos produzidos sobre a localização das suas bases eleitorais, por força de seus reposicionamentos face às variáveis condições de ser governo, ou oposição, nos planos nacional e estadual. Além disso, procurou correlacionar as votações agregadas dos principais partidos no Estado com indicadores sociais, como IDH e População Rural dos municípios, visando mapear os perfis de suas bases, no que diz respeito às características urbanas e sociais e saber se eles sofreram modificações no período, também tendo em vista os referidos reposicionamentos. Buscou, ao mesmo tempo, problematizar essas questões a partir de referenciais da Teoria Democrática, assim como na literatura institucional acerca dos Sistemas Partidário e Eleitoral. Foram identificadas mudanças significativas na geografia das bases eleitorais dos principais partidos a partir dos reposicionamentos, mesmo com a manutenção dos respectivos padrões de votação antes predominantes. Nesse sentido, a análise das mudanças na geografia eleitoral dos deputados estaduais e partidos baianos ao longo das três eleições estudadas, apontou que o padrão de votação horizontalmente “disperso” é mais vinculado a deputados e partidos de governo, enquanto o padrão vertical “dominante” não é necessariamente governista, sendo afetado, também, pela trajetória anterior de cada partido. Os resultados sugerem também que o Legislativo baiano não possui um padrão oligárquico de competição, já que 52% dos seus parlamentares possuem votação Não-Dominante, ou seja, compartilham seus redutos eleitorais. Apesar disso, observou-se que o reposicionamento estadual provocado pelos resultados das eleições de 2006 atenuou, sem reverter, a tendência à ampliação da competitividade eleitoral nos municípios baianos, provocada pelo realinhamento nacional ocorrido em 2002.The study analyzes the geography of the Vote of Parties and State Representatives in Bahia in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 elections, seeking to capture and evaluate alleged impacts produced on the location of their constituencies , by virtue of its repositioning in the face of changing conditions to be government or opposition, in the national and state plans. In addition, sought to correlate the votes aggregates of the major parties in the state with social indicators such as HDI and Rural Population of the municipalities, aimed at mapping the profiles of their bases, with regard to urban and social characteristics and whether they have been changed in the period also with a view to repositionings. Search at the same time, discuss these issues from references of Democratic Theory, as well as in institutionalist literature on the Partisan and Electoral systems. Significant changes were identified in the geography of constituencies of the major parties from the repositioning, even with the maintenance of their voting patterns before prevailing. In this sense, the analysis of changes in electoral geography of state representatives and Bahian parties over the three studied elections, pointed out that the voting pattern horizontally "dispersed" is more linked to MPs and parties of government, while the vertical standard "dominant" is not necessarily ruling, being affected also from the previous path of each parties. The results also suggest that the Bahian legislative does not have an oligarchic pattern of competition, since 52% of its parliamentarians have vote Non- Dominant, ie shared their bailiwicks. Nevertheless, it was observed that the in state repositioning, caused by the results of the 2006 elections, were attenuated, without reversing the trend to expand the electoral competitiveness in Bahia municipalities, caused by national readjustment in 2002.

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In this dissertation I systematically examine African-American and Latino legislator behavior in a legislative setting. The project specifically examines whether and how minority legislators represent and influence African American and Latino policy interests during the legislative process. I perform an analysis of minority legislator participation rates on bills and develop an original measure of substantive representation using patterns in legislative speech of state representatives’ language during committee hearings. I build on existing theory in the representation literature and offer new hypotheses for expanding the scope of how substantive representation is defined and investigated, namely through an empirical investigation of the link between deliberation and descriptive representation. Second, I collect an original data set and develop an original measure of substantive representation to test these hypotheses with participation rates and a linguistic frame based content analysis approach of minority and non-minority representatives’ language on bills for racial perspectives during state legislative committee hearings on several policy issue areas including, but not limited to education, healthcare, and immigration. Third, I offer a critical test of hypotheses to test whether African American and Latino representatives’ (1) participate more when the legislation is deemed minority interest in comparison to their non-minority counterparts? (2) their behavior (or deliberation style) is different from non-minority legislators? (3) impact the deliberation style of non-minority legislators? The analysis draws on original data collected through committee hearing tapes and online video archives of Texas committee hearings in multiple policy areas, and the findings indicate that minority legislators do indeed provide a voice for minority constituents, providing more minority interest language on minority interest bills in comparison to their non-minority colleagues, especially when the legislation is threatening to minority populations. These results support the argument that minority legislators do indeed substantively represent minority constituents at levels greater than non-minority representatives during the legislative process.

In this dissertation I systematically examine African-American and Latino legislator behavior in a legislative setting. The project specifically examines whether and how minority legislators represent and influence African American and Latino policy interests during the legislative process. I perform an analysis of minority legislator participation rates on bills and develop an original measure of substantive representation using patterns in legislative speech of state representatives’ language during committee hearings. I build on existing theory in the representation literature and offer new hypotheses for expanding the scope of how substantive representation is defined and investigated, namely through an empirical investigation of the link between deliberation and descriptive representation. Second, I collect an original data set and develop an original measure of substantive representation to test these hypotheses with participation rates and a linguistic frame based content analysis approach of minority and non-minority representatives’ language on bills for racial perspectives during state legislative committee hearings on several policy issue areas including, but not limited to education, healthcare, and immigration. Third, I offer a critical test of hypotheses to test whether African American and Latino representatives’ (1) participate more when the legislation is deemed minority interest in comparison to their non-minority counterparts? (2) their behavior (or deliberation style) is different from non-minority legislators? (3) impact the deliberation style of non-minority legislators? The analysis draws on original data collected through committee hearing tapes and online video archives of Texas committee hearings in multiple policy areas, and the findings indicate that minority legislators do indeed provide a voice for minority constituents, providing more minority interest language on minority interest bills in comparison to their non-minority colleagues, especially when the legislation is threatening to minority populations. These results support the argument that minority legislators do indeed substantively represent minority constituents at levels greater than non-minority representatives during the legislative process.