Politics... according to jim
By David Williams
With more than 30 years of teaching at seven different universities under his belt, Jim Simmons can tackle just about any question about politics.
Just don’t expect him to predict the next election.
Simmons came to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1989 and currently serves as political science department chair.
He has published books, articles and reports spanning such topics as civic engagement at the university and what government can do about poverty and inequality. He serves as the Wisconsin Political Science Association president and Wisconsin Political Scientist editor.
Engage: First things first, why is political science important?
Jim Simmons: Why is politics important? Why is government important? The type of political system you have shapes every aspect of society: social lives, religion, economics.
Engage: What about political science piqued your interest in the first place?
JS: When I was very little, I liked comic strips. In addition to the comics page, I found a page with political cartoons. I taught myself to read with comic books and comic strips.
Plus I come from a large Catholic German and Irish family, and my aunts and uncles liked to argue about things, especially politics.
Engage: How has teaching political science changed over the years?
JS: When I first began teaching, I assigned more reading and writing. I look at syllabi from the 1980s, and I think students today would be in open revolt if I assigned that now.
Engage: Are students more politically active today than in past decades?
JS: I’m a child of the ’60s, so I have a somewhat jaded view of student involvement on campus. On the other hand, I have to say that in recent years, I’ve seen more evidence of student involvement in comparison to previous decades.
Engage: How do you measure your success as a professor?
JS: The way success is frequently measured is by published research and awarded grants. But you can’t do better than when a student comes back and says, “I couldn’t have done it without you and your classes.”
Engage: What has been the most challenging aspect of your career?
JS: I suppose there are a number of students who come to class only because it’s a requirement. They sit in the back of the class, almost daring you to teach them anything.
Engage: Do you practice what you preach?
JS: I frequently put in seven-day work weeks, but I’ve been involved in a number of community organizations. I’ve led the effort to change the form of local government twice.
Engage: What is the No. 1 problem with American politics today.
JS: American politics has become one of the worst kinds of marketplaces. Campaigns are nasty, expensive and often lacking in substance. Part of it is the structure of our institutions; part of it is the makeup of the private sector, that interest groups that are effective can generate bias.
Engage: Any predictions for the 2008 presidential election?
JS: One thing I’ve discovered political science professors shouldn’t do is make predictions.
But if I were to bet the farm, I’d go with the established candidates, those who are well known and seem to have the resources to stay in for the long haul — probably Hillary Clinton or John McCain.