Examining the impact of political systems on people's lives

As the son of a world-traveling United Nations official, Mark Franklin learned about differences in national political systems firsthand. Today he is the John R. Reitemeyer Professor of Political Science and chairman of the political science department at Trinity, and Franklin’s experience of living in many places – and under many governments – fuels his passion to understand the intricacies of political systems and to nurture that passion in others.

Franklin was born in South Africa. After completing his primary education at a boarding school in England and acquiring his bachelor’s degree at Oxford.  But Franklin had his sights set on the United States. "The thing that struck me about America politically was that everything is on the surface. Compared to Europe, where everything is hidden, America is like an old car. You pop the hood, and everything is easily accessible. Foreign governments are like newer cars; when you look under the hood, the heart of the engine is obscured. Getting to the workings of those governments is much more difficult. My interest in political science is in essence a way to get to know the country."

Franklin’s curiosity about America and his interest in political science led him to Cornell University, where he obtained his doctorate in political science. He re-crossed the Atlantic and began his teaching career at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, where he taught for 20 years before he began his American teaching career at the University of Houston, where he taught for 10 years. He then headed back east, arriving at Trinity in 1998. Here, Franklin says, he has found a place where teaching political science is a pleasure, largely because his students share his passion for learning. "I really love the students. They’re earnest and hardworking, and they have a deep commitment to learning."

Franklin also appreciates his colleagues and their devotion to their craft. "The faculty are wonderful. They are constantly trying to bring new experiences to the students, experiences from outside the classroom. It is an inspiration to be around people who are so dedicated to making the educational process work." His colleagues, in return, admire both Franklin’s teaching and his collegial style of leadership. "The enthusiasm of students who have taken Professor Franklin’s classes is indicative of what he inspires through his teaching," says Associate Professor of Political Science Brigitte Schulz. According to Professor of Political Science Diana Evans, Franklin is "an extraordinary colleague. There are many distinct qualities that make him so good as both an educator and a department chair. In addition to being extremely bright and a very decent person, he cares deeply about his students and his colleagues."

A transatlantic classroom
As an educator, Franklin constantly seeks new and exciting ways to present political science.  He is planning, for instance, a new senior seminar course pairing Trinity students in Hartford with students at the University of Amsterdam. The ocean-spanning cyber-seminar would enable students to collaboratively analyze both American and Dutch governments. "This transatlantic collaboration should prove to be very exciting because we will bring together two groups whose governments have similar problems yet quite different political systems."

In Franklin’s view, political science examines the ways in which human beings organize themselves to live peacefully and productively and how this political organization varies from country to country. His objective as an educator, he says, is to challenge his students to question all political systems. He says that people in many countries, including the United States, are unwilling to look at ways to organize their governments differently. "The founding fathers of America did an excellent job. But the problem with this country is that because the founding fathers did such a wonderful job, Americans seldom look overseas. I encourage my students to look critically at other forms of government and the ways they deal with certain issues. That will enable students to determine if some other form of government or approach to an issue is more effective than what currently prevails."

An amazing capacity to challenge students
Olga Bogatyrenko ’01, a political science major who took Franklin’s "Empirical Political Methods and Data Analysis" course as well as his "Introduction to International and Comparative Politics," praises Franklin for his "amazing capacity to challenge students to think critically. His passion for what he is teaching leads students to love what they are learning. He is very accessible and he is always eager to discuss everything from coursework to potential careers."

Beyond the classroom
The author or co-author of seven books on Western European political systems and more than 60 articles on American and European politics, Franklin approaches political science from a range of theoretical perspectives. Currently, he is examining the effects particular features of political systems have on political behavior. A previous study of his, for example, explored whether changing Election Day in America would alter turnout rates at the polls. "I wondered if changing that day from a Tuesday to, say, a Sunday or a Thursday, when elections are held in Europe, would alter voter turnout rates. I discovered the alteration would not make much difference," he says. But Franklin insists that both large and small changes in political systems can significantly influence people’s expectations and behaviors.

Since the days of his globetrotting youth, Franklin has sought to understand the impact political systems have on people’s lives. He encourages his students to be as thirsty for that understanding as he is, to pursue studies in history, political theory, and law to expand and enhance their comprehension. "I want students to see political science beyond the classroom, beyond how it impacts their own lives. I want them to understand political science as it affects the world."

--Andrea Comer