Faculty Profile

Leslie Finger

Title
Assistant Professor
Department
Political Science
College
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

    

    

      


                          

            
Curriculum Vitae

            

              Click Here to View Faculty CV
            

          

        
                          

            
Education

            



  

  


  
PhD, Harvard University, 2017. 
Major: Political Science
Dissertation Title: Group Power and Policy Change in Education
MA, Harvard University, 2012. 
Major: Political Science





          

        
                

          
Current Scheduled Teaching*


          
PSCI 4490.001, Topics in Public Policy, Spring 2024 Syllabus


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  


    

    

      


        


          


            
Previous Scheduled Teaching*


            
                    

                    PSCI 2316.003, Honors US and Texas Constitutions and Institutions, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 4490.001, Topics in Public Policy, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 2316.002, Honors US and Texas Constitutions and Institutions, Fall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 3300.002, Political Science Research Methods, Fall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 3300.003, Political Science Research Methods, Spring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 4490.002, Topics in Public Policy, Spring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 2316.001, Honors US and Texas Constitutions and Institutions, Fall 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 2316.002, Honors US and Texas Constitutions and Institutions, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 2316.003, Honors US and Texas Constitutions and Institutions, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 3300.002, Political Science Research Methods, Spring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 3300.002, Political Science Research Methods, Fall 2020 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    PSCI 3300.005, Political Science Research Methods, Fall 2020 Syllabus SPOT

          


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  

  
  	

	

	  

		

		   
Published Publications



  

  
Published Intellectual Contributions


  
Book Chapter
Chambers-Ju, C., Finger, L. K. (2016). Teachers’ Unions in Mexico: The Politics of Patronage. 
Book Review
Finger, L. K. (2022). Firepower: How the NRA Turned Gun Owners into a Political Force by Matthew Lacombe. Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2021. 328 pp. $29.95. Political Science Quarterly. 137(4), 811-812. 
Finger, L. K. (2021). Making Social Welfare Policy in America: Three Case Studies since 1950, Edward D. Berkowitz. Political Science Quarterly. 136(2), 385-387. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/polq.13180
Finger, L. K. (2018). Citizens by Degree: Higher Education Policy and the Changing Gender Dynamics of American Citizenship. Perspectives on Politics. 26(4), 1187-1189. 
Journal Article
Finger, L. K., Houston, D.  (2023). Public Goods, Private Goods, and School Preferences. Harvard Educational Review. 93(1), 53-82. 
Hartney, M. T., Finger, L. K. (2022). Politics, Markets, and Pandemics: Public Education’s Response to COVID-19. Perspectives on Politics. 20(2), 457-473. 
Finger, L. K., Reckhow, S.  (2021). Policy Feedback and the Polarization of Interest Groups. State Politics & Policy Quarterly. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/state-politics-and-policy-quarterly/article/abs/policy-feedback-and-the-polarization-of-interest-groups/E2CD649157B49DA43C6D9235909F3F8A
Finger, L. K., Gift, T., Miner,  (2021). DCPS or Sidwell Friends? How Politician Schooling Choices Affect Voter Evaluations. American Politics Research. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1532673X211042002
Finger, L. K., Lastra-Anadon, C.  (2021). Advocates For Hire: How Government Contracting Shapes Politics. Governance. 
Finger, L. K., Hartney, M. T. (2019). Financial Solidarity: the Future of Unions in the post-Janus Era. Perspectives on Politics. 
Finger, L. K. (2019). Interest Group Influence and the Two Faces of Power. American Politics Research. 47(4), 378-401. 
Finger, L. K. (2018). Giving to Government: The Policy Goals and Giving Strategies of New and Old Foundations. Interest Groups and Advocacy. 7(3), 312-345. 
Finger, L. K. (2018). Vested Interests and the Diffusion of Education Reform across the States. Policy Studies Journal. 46(2), 378-401. 
Finger, L. K., Gindin, J.  (2015). From Proposal to Policy: Social Movements and Teachers’ Unions in Latin America. Prospects: Quarterly Review of Comparative Education. 45(3), 365-378. 
Magazine/Trade Publication
Finger, L. K., Gift, T.  (2019). Some People Want Lottery-Based Admissions. That’s a Terrible Idea. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/some-people-want-lottery-based-admissions-thats-a-terrible-idea
Newspaper
Finger, L. K., Hartney, M. T. (2020). What determined if schools reopened? How many Trump voters were in a district. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/11/10/partisanship-schools-reopening-virus-trump-unions/
Finger, L. K., Hartney, M. T. (2020). Remote or In-Person Reopening Decisions Are Linked to Trump 2016 Vote Share, Catholic School Presence, a New Study Finds. EducationNext. https://www.educationnext.org/remote-in-person-reopening-decisions-linked-to-trump-2016-vote-share-catholic-school-presence-new-study/
Finger, L. K. (2011). Bˆonus de SP n˜ao deve morrer com o de NY [S˜ao Paulo’s teacher bonus shouldn’t die with New York’s]. Folha de São Paulo. 
Research Report
Gindin, J., Finger, L. K. (2014). Promoting Education Quality: The Role of Teachers’ Unions in Latin America. 
Webpage
Finger, L. K. (2021). Voters prefer candidates who send their children to public over private school. USAPP. USAPP (London School of Economics). https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2021/10/01/voters-prefer-candidates-who-send-their-children-to-public-over-private-school/
Finger, L. K., Reckhow, S.  (2019). Walmart Heirs Shift From Red To Purple: The Evolving Political Contributions Of The Nation’s Richest Family. Histphil. Histphil. https://histphil.org/2019/06/03/walmart-heirs-shift-from-red-to-purple-the-evolving-political-contributions-of-the-nations-richest-family/
Finger, L. K. (2019). Interest groups’ influence on policy comes through the presence of faithful legislative allies – not gifts to their campaigns. USAPP. USAPP (London School of Economics). https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/02/28/interest-groups-influence-on-policy-comes-through-the-presence-of-faithful-legislative-allies-not-gifts-to-their-campaigns/
Finger, L. K. (2018). Giving To Government: Foundation Grants To State Education Agencies. Histphil. Histphil. https://histphil.org/2018/11/19/giving-to-government-foundation-grants-to-state-education-agencies/
Finger, L. K. (2018). Do Strikes Signal Union Strength?. EducationNext. EducationNext. https://www.educationnext.org/does-labor-activism-signal-union-strength-west-virginia/
Finger, L. K. (2016). How Friedrichs Saved Public Sector Unions - But Not In The Way You Think. EducationNext. EducationNext. https://www.educationnext.org/how-friedrichs-saved-public-sector-unions-but-not-in-the-way-you-think/



	
		
		
	  

	

	

  
    
	

	

	  

		

		   
Awarded Grants



  
  
  	  
          
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research  

 	 
	 	 
  
Grant - Research   
Finger, L. K., "Research Seed Grant for "Homeschooling and the Evolving Role of Public Schools in Rural America"," University of North Texas, $3600 Funded. (2023 – March 2024).



	
		
		
	  

	

	

	
	

  
  
  

  	

		

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					Overall
Summative Rating		
					Challenge and
Engagement Index		
					Response Rate
					
				

			
			
				

					
					
out of 5		
					
out of 7		
					%
 of 
students responded		
					
					
				

			
		


		
    
			
  • Overall Summative Rating (median):
    
			This rating represents the combined responses of students to the four global summative items and is presented to provide an overall index of the class’s quality. Overall summative statements include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 5 = Excellent, 3 = Good, and 1= Very poor):
				
      
					
    • The course as a whole was
      • 
					
    • The course content was
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    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
      • 
					
    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
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    • 
			
  • Challenge and Engagement Index:
    
			This rating combines student responses to several SPOT items relating to how academically challenging students found the course to be and how engaged they were. Challenge and Engagement Index items include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 7 = Much higher, 4 = Average, and 1 = Much lower):
				
      
					
    • Do you expect your grade in this course to be
      • 
					
    • The intellectual challenge presented was
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    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
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    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
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    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
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