College of Liberal Arts

Professor Emeritus
Political Science Program
School of Public Policy
Oregon State University

blunch@oregonstate.edu

Research Interests

• American Politics and Public Policy
• Environmental and Natural Resource Policy
• Northwest Regional Politics and Policy

Brief Vita

Background

• Bill Lunch is a Professor Emeritus in Political Science at Oregon State University, and is the Political Analyst for Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).
• In his academic work and teaching, Lunch emphasizes American national political institutions, Northwest regional politics, and environmental, natural resource, and science policy. In 1986-87, students at OSU voted him the "outstanding faculty member" for his teaching; in 1993-94, a student honor society named him one of their "Top Profs" for his teaching and advising. He created new courses on the Politics of Science (PS 476/576) and on the Civil Rights Movement and Policies (PS 375).
• Lunch has published a number of articles concerning American politics, elections, public opinion, and environmental, health, and science policy. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Oregonian as well as academic journals. His book, The Nationalization of American Politics, was published by the University of California Press. He has recently written on national politics and political institutions, and on political culture and controversies in Oregon and the Northwest, particularly concerning health care policy and the influence of extremist groups in the region.
• In 1998-99 Lunch served as President of the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association, a regional professional association with members from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, British Columbia, and other states and provinces.
• He has been OPB's Political Analyst since 1988. His political analysis can be heard regularly on OPB Radio and he appears periodically on OPB Television's "Seven Days." His political analysis has also been heard regionally on radio networks including the Northwest Public Affairs Network (NPAN), nationally on National Public Radio (NPR), and internationally on Canadian National Radio (CNR) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He has won awards for his broadcasting for "Excellence in Commentary and Analysis" from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Press Club.
• Lunch has spoken to many groups in Oregon and Washington including the Portland City Club, the Salem City Club, the Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon Public Health Association, and the Oregon and Washington Library Associations, among others.

Current Positions

• Professor Emeritus, Political Science, Oregon State University
• Political Analyst, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Education and Fields

• A.B., Political Science, Univ. of California, Riverside, l969, (highest honors)
• M.A. & PhD, Political Science, Univ. of California, Berkeley, l970 & 1976
• Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, 1969; Ford Foundation Fellow in the Social Sciences, 1969-74.
• Areas of Concentration: American government, public policy (science & environmental policy), public opinion and elections, Northwest regional government and politics.

Teaching

• Courses created: The Politics of Science (PS 476/576), and the Civil Rights Movement and Policies (PS 375).
• Courses taught: American Government, Interest Groups, Environmental Politics & Policy, the Politics of Science, Bureaucratic Politics, the Civil Rights Movement, plus others.
• Honors: OSU "Outstanding Professor of the Year" for teaching, 1986-87; "Top Prof," 1993-94.

Selected Publications

• The Nationalization of American Politics (Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1987)
• Animal Rights Activism & Natural Resource Policy (Wash: Natl Park Service, 1994) [w/ Wesley Jamison ]
• Oregon in An Era of Uncertainty (Corvallis: Extension Publications, 1995) [with Don Balmer]
• "The Shadows of 1972," New York Times, September 9, 1980.
• "Ecological Policy: The Inevitability of Politics," Human Ecology Review, Spring-Summer, 1997
• "Budgeting by Initiative: An Oxymoron," Willamette Law Review, Fall, 1998
• "The Christian Right in the Northwest: Two Decades of Frustration," in Marching to The Millennium, John Green, Mark Rozell, & Clyde Wilcox, eds. (Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2003)

Broadcasting

• Since 1988, WML has been Political Analyst for Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB); heard weekly on OPB radio and seen periodically on OPB TV, "7 Days." Regionally heard on Northwest Public Affairs Network (NPAN); occasional national broadcasting with National Public Radio (NPR). International broadcasts include analysis on Swiss and Japanese national television, and on radio with the BBC World Service and Canadian National Broadcasting.
• Honors: Awards for analysis and commentary from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Press Club.

Invited Presentations

• WML has given invited presentations at meetings of the American Political Science Assn., the Western Political Science Assn., the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science, the American Veterinary Medical Assn., the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency Labs, plus other professional organizations and public agencies. Popular invited presentations to the Portland City Club, the Salem City Club, the Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Public Health Association and the Oregon State Bar, among others.