Cultural significance of college football is nowhere more pronounced than in the Southern United States where football assumes the characteristics of a civil religion in the sense of Rousseau (1762), as social cement, a means of organizing the state. The enormity of college football transpires a ritual expression of Southern pride and patriotism evolving from victories against college football teams on the national stage of athletics. The purpose of this study is to show the power of Southern football and portray its geographic dominance through an Index of Dominance (IOD). IOD identifies the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and its powerhouse teams as the strongest program in percentage wins and percentage margin of victory. The other conferences of the Bowl Championship Series rank below the SEC. Calculation of IOD assists in delineating a Pigskin Power Region comprising the Heart of Dixie and Louisiana. Abstract: La importancia cultural del futbol universitario no es en ningun lugar mas evidente que en el sur de los Estados Unidos donde el futbol adquiere las caracteristicas de una religion civil en el sentido de Rousseau (1762), como cemento social o un medio de organizar el estado. La enormidad del futbol universitario revela una expresion ritual de orgullo sureno y patriotismo elaborada a traves de las victorias contra equipos de futbol universitarios en el escenario nacional del deporte. El proposito de este estudio es mostrar el poder del futbol sureno y retratar su dominio geografico a traves de un indice de dominancia (IOD). El IOD identifica la Southeastern Conference (SEC) y su poderoso grupo de equipos como el programa mas fuerte en porcentaje de triunfos y en porcentaje de margen de victoria. Las otras conferencias del Bowl Championship Series figuran por debajo de la SEC. El calculo del IOD ayuda a delinear una region de Pigskin Power compuesta por el corazon de Dixie y Luisiana.

Pigskin Power Region: Dominance of Southern Collegiate Football

Recent themes in political geography—a review

Passage of the 26th Amendment gave young adults the right to vote. Along with this privilege, new voters assumed responsibility for conducting themselves as knowledgeable citizens concerning issues, candidates, and the electoral process. This study attempts to further student understanding of the electoral process by presenting a method for analyzing spatial voting patterns. The spatial emphasis adds another dimension to the temporal and behavioral - structural approaches in studying the American electoral system. Inclusion of spatial analysis of voting patterns increases understanding and political socialization of young people.

Ted Klimasewski

Papers

Analysis of Spatial Voting Patterns: An Approach in Political Socialization