Office: 656 ICC
Office Hours: M 10:30 - 11:30
Telephone: (202) 687-5580
Fax: (202) 687-5858
E-mail: mjh72@georgetown.edu
Areas of Specialization: Voting behavior, Methodology, Policy Evaluation, Public Opinion
Vitae (pdf)

Michael J. Hanmer is an assistant professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University. He earned a Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Michigan in 2004, a M.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and a B.A. in Economics from the State University of New York College at Geneseo. Professor Hanmer teaches and conducts research on American politics and methodology, specializing in voting behavior, electoral reform, and public opinion. Currently, he is working on a project that explores the adoption of registration laws and their subsequent effects on individual behavior and party mobilization strategies. He is also involved in three collaborative projects: the first involves an assessment of how changes in voting technologies and
ballot designs influence voter behavior and attitudes; the second is a study of political participation among college students; and the third analyzes question wording effects and reports of turnout. His next project will examine how mobilization and participation lead to changes in the ways individuals think about politics.

Hanmer was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and believes that the Buffalo Bills will someday win the Super Bowl. After growing up watching curling (think shuffle board on ice, not weight lifting) on CBC, he joined the Detroit Curling Club during graduate school. He now curls at the Potomac Curling Club.

Course Schedule

Spring 2005:
GOVT 509 Advanced Political Analysis (Syllabus)
This course builds on Govt 508, The Analysis of Political Data, which provided an introduction to statistical research methods. Thus, command of the material covered in Govt 508 or its equivalent is assumed. The key goals of this course are to enhance your ability to understand and engage in the testing of theories via the analysis of political data. In building your statistical skill set it is hoped that you also obtain the ability to teach yourselves techniques that are beyond the scope of this course as well as new techniques that will be developed over the course of your career.

 

Recently Taught Courses
Fall 2004:
GOVT 219 Political Behavior (Syllabus)
This course will provide students with an overview of political participation in the United States. In doing so, we will seek answers to a number of questions including: Who votes?; Why?; Is a high rate of participation desirable?; What can be done to increase participation?; Do the least well off in society have enough say in who gets elected and what policies get enacted? Though the focus will be on voting, other forms of participation will also be studied. Through class meetings and readings, students will be exposed to the theoretical and empirical findings in the literature on political participation. As a result, students will come to an understanding of who participates and will grapple with a number of issues that continue to generate attention. A core goal of the course will be to discuss and debate what the responsibilities of citizens and the government are in a democratic society.

GOVT 508 Analysis of Poltical Data (Syllabus)
This course provides an introduction to statistical research methods. The course has two important goals: 1) to understand work that uses empirical research methods; and 2) to provide the skills necessary to analyze data. That is, through this course you will begin the process of becoming a competent consumer and producer of research that utilizes quantitative methods. No previous experience in statistics is assumed.