The recent introduction of empirical biological and genetic methods into political science necessitates the need for training the larger political science community in these new methods. However, despite large scale data collection efforts, and the numerous publications in politics and genetics, very few political scientists have been exposed to the specific methodologies needed to review, evaluate, or take part in this new area of research. For established faculty members interested in this growing area of political behavior there are few avenues to pursue training. The central goal of this project therefore is to offer training to political scientists in applied statistical genetics to be used on political behavior analyses. Training political scientists in new methods and theories that are unavailable in their training programs will improve future scholarship and expand knowledge about the relationship between genetics and political behavior.
Every year the Behavior Genetics Association hosts a workshop at the University of Colorado Boulder, aimed at training junior and advanced faculty, across disciplines, in introductory behavior genetics. This project would send 20, mostly mid career associate professors or experienced assistant professors, to the 2010 International Workshop on Methodology of Twin and Family Studies. The project will cover travel, lodging, and tuition for attendees, and a portion of the expenses for one extra faculty member of the workshop (to accommodate the overload). The long term impact of sending faculty to the workshop is that it will undoubtedly spawn new interest in these areas, create a long term interest in sending future students to BGA workshops, and generate more human capital in the area of genetics and political behavior.
Over the last several decades there incredible advances in biological, evolutionary and genetic methods have allowed for unparalleled insight into the study of human behavior, including those that are "Political" in nature. However, very few political scientists have been exposed to the specific methodologies needed to review, evaluate, or take part in the analyses and the majority of findings in this area have been from the geneticists themselves. Indeed, inclusion of genetic findings into mainstream political research is scarce due to lack of training. This is important because political scientists provide that bridge between public policy analysis, media, elected decision makers and the public. In this grant we began to remedy this gap in methodological training. Every year the Behavior Genetics Association hosts a week long workshop at the Institute of Behavioral Genetics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Through this NSF funded proposal we recruited and funded 19 political scientists, including full professors, associate professors, assistant professors and graduate students, to attend the 2010 International Workshop on Methodology of Twin and Family Studies, at Boulder Colorado. The grant covered travel, lodging, and tuition for attendees. The benefits of the project were substantial. The most critical benefit was the introduction of genetic techniques to mainstream political scientists. By "training the trainers", senior faculty members now have the tools to train future graduate students, include familial modeling their coursework, perform primary research, write new grants, and supervise theses, review articles and grants and importantly the ability to communicate the findings from genetics to the public .
