• Vicki Hesli, discussing: Henry E. Hale, George Washington University, "Why and When Do Political Systems Become Party Systems?"
• Danielle Lussier, Grinnell College, discussing: Rostislav Turovskii, Moscow State University, "Opposition Parties in Russia's Regions: The Hard Choice between Inclusion and Exclusion"
• Response from Hale
• Response from Turovskii
• General discussion

• Hyemin Yoo, discussing Vladimir Gel’man, “Politics, Governance, and the Zigzags of the “Power Vertical”: Russia’s Local Regimes in Comparative Perspective”
• Robert Grey, discussing William M. Reisinger, University of Iowa, and Bryon J. Moraski, University of Florida, “Skill or Loyalty? The Fate of Governors in an Era of Appointments”
• Response from Gel’man
• Response from Moraski and Reisinger
• General discussion

Cameron Thies, Chair, Department of Political Science

Joseph Kearney, Associate Dean for Research and Development, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences