We’re all in various states of physical uncomfortableness (a stomach flu?), but we head out for the airport in less than an hour. We’ll be in the Midwest (Chicago & South Bend) for the duration of the holiday season. I’ll try to check in from time to time (trusty Kaneda is coming w/ us so I can work on a revise-and-resubmit), but if I don’t: Happy holidays to everyone!

My paper proposal for the APSA Teaching & Learning Conference in Baltimore was accepted. The paper (which I’ll work on over the holiday break) is based on a series of in-class discussions I’ve had in my comparative politics classes: using the TV show American Idol as a reference point to discuss Karl Marx (specifically, the Communist Manifesto) & Alexis de Tocqueville (specifically, the Introduction to Democracy in America).

At the end of the semester (and, yes, I’m done!) I like to give my students some ideas for holiday reading. After months of studying, it’s important to switch gears a little bit & read for pleasure. Here’s my recommendations at Pronto* Recommends.

I’ve also updated my syllabi for next semester. I’ll be teaching Democracy and Democratization, Latin American Politics, and Comparative Politics.

Back when José Luís Exeni was named to head Bolivia’s National Electoral Court (CNE), skeptics worried about the court’s future impartiality. Exeni was a well-known public intellectual w/ “leftist” sympathies. He even had a blog (Fadocracia), which he discontinued upon assuming the post. I wasn’t worried then, and recent events have confirmed my optimism.

I’ve been so busy lately, that I’ve hardly had a moment to post “personal” stuff (and hardly any time for “Bolivia” stuff, either). But December & the holidays are fast descending upon us, which is a good time for reflection. And now that I have less on my plate (until 70+ final exams & end-of-semester papers pile up!), and a few days of breathing room before the holiday crazyness, it’s a good moment for some quick personal updates.

I just wrapped up an article manuscript on Savina Cuéllar & the “new” regionalism in Bolivia. I focused on Santa Cruz, Tarija, and Chuquisaca (Sucre), which is interesting because lately these have become the most vocal opponents of MAS as the constitutional referendum inches closer (set for January 25, 2009).

If anyone’s in the DC area next Tuesday (December 9), I’ll be part of a panel on “Political Polarization in the Andes” at George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. The panel will include Craig Kauffman (a Ph.D. candidate at GW), to speak about Ecuador, and possibly also John Walsh (from the Washington Office on Latin America), to speak about Venezuela.