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Leslie K. Finger

Title: Assistant Professor

Department: Political Science

College: College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae Link

Education

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

Current Scheduled Teaching

No current or future courses scheduled.

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 3300.002Political Science Research MethodsSpring 2025 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 5050.001Seminar in American Government and PoliticsSpring 2025 SPOT
PSCI 2316.002Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsFall 2024 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 4490.001Topics in Public PolicySpring 2024 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 2316.003Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsSpring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 4490.001Topics in Public PolicySpring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 2316.002Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsFall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 3300.002Political Science Research MethodsFall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 3300.003Political Science Research MethodsSpring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 4490.002Topics in Public PolicySpring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 2316.001Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsFall 2021 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 2316.002Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsSpring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 2316.003Honors US and Texas Constitutions and InstitutionsSpring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 3300.002Political Science Research MethodsSpring 2021 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 3300.002Political Science Research MethodsFall 2020 Syllabus SPOT
PSCI 3300.005Political Science Research MethodsFall 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 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. (2024). Advocacy Groups, Policy Subsidies & Policy Change: The Case of Teacher Evaluations. Policy Studies Journal. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/psj.12538?af=R
  • 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. (2025). Advocacy Groups, Policy Subsidies, and Policy Change: The Case of Teacher Evaluations. Policy Studies Journal. https://psjblog.net/2025/05/09/advocacy-groups-policy-subsidies-and-policy-change-the-case-of-teacher-evaluations/
  • 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/

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 - 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
    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
  • 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
    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
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