Leslie K. Finger

Previous Scheduled Teaching

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).