Kael Kropp (he/him) is a graduating honors Political Science student, with a minor in Psychology and a Certificate in Applied Social Science Research. Kael had 2 articles published in the 2022 edition of the PSUR, and an additional article that he co-authored (discussed in a later blog post). The two articles are titled “No House, No Vote: Elite voting laws and houseless peoples’ franchise in Canada” and “The (Persisting) American Authoritarian Personality: Tracking political affinity, antipathy, and polarization to the post-Trump era”.
He is the University of Alberta's Killam Fellow (Fulbright Canada); the Vice President (Academic) of the Organization for Arts Students and Interdisciplinary Studies; the Editor-in-Chief of Crossings; and a former Roger S. Smith Undergraduate Student Researcher.
Kael’s favourite Political Science course was POL S 323 (Elections in Canada), sharing that “I always joke that ‘I want to be like Linda Trimble when I'm older,’ and it is largely because of this class! Dr. Trimble and the other students made our class discussions incredibly engaging, covering urgent topics for advancing Canadian civic equity”. The research Kael did in this class also introduced him to the work of his upcoming Master’s thesis supervisor at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Carey Doberstein!
Read further to hear about both of Kael’s wonderful articles and some of the advice he offers to anyone considering submitting their own work to the PSUR!
Hi Kael! What inspired you to research the specific topic of your papers?
No House, No Vote - Before writing this paper, I knew very little about civic accessibility in Canadian politics. I am very passionate about rectifying pervasive houselessness across our country, so this provided a unique opportunity to critically explore franchise approaches for houseless Canadians.
The (Persisting) American Authoritarian Personality - I wrote this paper for POL S 484: Topics in U.S. Politics and Policy (Authoritarianism). I have long been interested in partisan polarization and the United States is a unique and ongoing case study. Further, I knew that I would be researching abroad in the U.S. for my last semester, so I took the opportunity to critically explore the foundations for contemporary American authoritarianism. Being a political science major and a psychology minor, I was excited to interdisciplinarily frame my research with Adorno et al.'s (1950) notion of 'authoritarian personalities.'
What was the most interesting thing you learned from researching/writing your paper?
No House, No Vote - I was most interested in the ‘elite’ propensity for photo identification requirements. Some Canadians do not have a passport, driver’s license or similar pieces of identification. By making these the preferred identification documents, the government excludes sections of Canada’s population, especially targeting houseless people.
The (Persisting) American Authoritarian Personality - My paper principally concerned U.S. right-wing authoritarianism and I was most interested in the increasing "respect for submission to an acknowledged authority and aggression towards those who are different." When analyzing interview transcripts of Trump supporters at rallies, I sometimes felt like I was watching Monty Python's 1972 "Argument Clinic" sketch. In the sketch, John Cleese and Michael Palin find themselves in a seemingly endless cycle, each alternating "yes I did" and "no you didn't," regardless of what the other had said before. The rise of U.S. authoritarianism, however, is no laughing matter.
What made you want to submit to the PSUR?
I know the PSUR's quality and academic rigour well, having served on its editorial team in the past. When the opportunity arose to submit potential articles for publication, I was eager to do so! The PSUR shares the significant undergraduate research conducted in our department and I am thrilled to contribute to this year's volume!
What was the submission and peer-review process like for you? And what was the most valuable part?
I am so fortunate to have been supported by the wonderful PSUR review and copy editing teams throughout the submission process. Their revision suggestions and a close eye for detail undoubtedly strengthened the articles. I'd especially like to thank Fea Gelvezon and Chloe Dizon for seeing the merit in these papers and offering several cogent suggestions to improve it throughout publication!
What would you say to someone who is considering submitting their work to the PSUR?
Do it! Submit eligible writing whenever you can! Even if it is not selected for publication, you will receive valuable feedback on your writing that will strengthen your communication and research skills.
What is a piece of advice that you would give to students as they write papers that they might submit to the PSUR?
To quote Kevin from The Office: “why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?” Succinct writing captures the readers’ attention and is more likely to be retained within their knowledge base. Take out an adjective, or two! Read your work aloud as you write! Your brain will know what to keep and what to delete. And most importantly: be proud of what you write! Defend it. Share it.
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