Kenneth R. Mladenka
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Ray Mladenka is a retired political scientist who spent the bulk of his academic career at Texas A&M University
in College Station
, Texas
, and is known for his research on the urban political process, bureaucracy
, local government, and the distribution of public services, rather than the more traditional study of parties and elections.
in Fort Bend County
in the Houston Metropolitan Area
. In 1958-1959, he was the Texas state oratory
champion for high school. Mladenka is a veteran of the Vietnam War
, having served as a captain in the United States Army
in the 4th Infantry Division and the 716th Military Police Battalion from 1967-1968. He was stationed in Saigon during the Tet Offensive and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He received his master's degree
from Sam Houston State University
in Huntsville
, Texas, and his Ph.D.
in 1975 from Rice University
in Houston. His dissertation, available full length on-line, is entitled The Distribution of Urban Public Services. After completing his graduate studies, Mladenka was appointed in 1975 as assistant professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia
in Charlottesville
, Virginia. He also spent a year at Northwestern University
in Evanston
, Illinois
. In 1979, he joined the TAMU faculty.
, The Unfinished Republic: American Government in the 21st Century, a study of the dynamic nature of politics and how the system reacts to change. With Kim Quaile Hill (born 1946), then of the University of Houston
and later Texas A&M University, Mladenka is co-author of another textbook, Texas Government: Politics and Economics. He has also penned Democratic Governance in American States and Cities and The Dual Republic: A Multiracial/multicultural Approach to American Government.
In 1977, Mladenka and Kim Hill completed the study "The Distribution of Benefits in an Urban Environment: Parks and Libraries in Houston." The researchers found that the location of parks and libraries are based on "bureaucratic rules and appear to be little affected by explicit racial and socioeconomic criteria." Mladenka and Hill in 1978 did a similar study on police services in urban areas.
Mladenka's research revealed that scholarly journals during the 1980s published fewer articles on urban politics than in the other subfields of the discipline. He found that urban scholars are not as prominent on the editorial boards of the major political science journals, and that traditional scholars, called empiricists, regard most urban research, dependent on case studies, paradigms, quantitative analysis, and theoretical perspectives, as confusing and repetitive jargon in sharp contrast to the traditional emphasis of the discipline. These urban scholars stress "local settings where global, national, and voting behavior outcomes happen at street level and where day-to-day lives are affected."
Mladenka contributed "The Political Machine
, the Urban Bureaucracy, and the Distribution of Public Services" to Chicago Politics Papers, a joint effort of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, to study the period between the two Chicago mayors named Daley
.
He is a past president of the urban politics section of the American Political Science Association
and editor of Urban Politics Newsletter. He published research articles in
Social Science Quarterly and the American Political Science Review
. In a study of the distribution of parks and recreational opportunities in Chicago, Mladenka found that by the late 1980s class had replaced race as the determinant factor in the distribution of urban services.
in Gunnison County
in west central Colorado
. Mrs. Mladenka operates a business there called At Home in Crested Butte. The Mladenkas have two daughters, Brooke M. Mladenka (born ca. 1976) and Lauren E. Mladenka (born ca. 1982). The couple divorced, and Mladenka moved first to Hollywood
, Florida
, and later near Austin
in Georgetown
in Williamson County
, Texas. In the fall semester of 2010, Mladenka was teaching the Texas state government course, required in most college major fields in Texas, at the Rio Grande campus of Austin Community College
.
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and is known for his research on the urban political process, bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
, local government, and the distribution of public services, rather than the more traditional study of parties and elections.
Background
Mladenka was reared in Sugar LandSugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
in Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
in the Houston Metropolitan Area
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. In 1958-1959, he was the Texas state oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
champion for high school. Mladenka is a veteran of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, having served as a captain in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in the 4th Infantry Division and the 716th Military Police Battalion from 1967-1968. He was stationed in Saigon during the Tet Offensive and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He received his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
in Huntsville
Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....
, Texas, and his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1975 from Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston. His dissertation, available full length on-line, is entitled The Distribution of Urban Public Services. After completing his graduate studies, Mladenka was appointed in 1975 as assistant professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, Virginia. He also spent a year at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In 1979, he joined the TAMU faculty.
Scholarly work
Mladenka is the author of the textbookTextbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
, The Unfinished Republic: American Government in the 21st Century, a study of the dynamic nature of politics and how the system reacts to change. With Kim Quaile Hill (born 1946), then of the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and later Texas A&M University, Mladenka is co-author of another textbook, Texas Government: Politics and Economics. He has also penned Democratic Governance in American States and Cities and The Dual Republic: A Multiracial/multicultural Approach to American Government.
In 1977, Mladenka and Kim Hill completed the study "The Distribution of Benefits in an Urban Environment: Parks and Libraries in Houston." The researchers found that the location of parks and libraries are based on "bureaucratic rules and appear to be little affected by explicit racial and socioeconomic criteria." Mladenka and Hill in 1978 did a similar study on police services in urban areas.
Mladenka's research revealed that scholarly journals during the 1980s published fewer articles on urban politics than in the other subfields of the discipline. He found that urban scholars are not as prominent on the editorial boards of the major political science journals, and that traditional scholars, called empiricists, regard most urban research, dependent on case studies, paradigms, quantitative analysis, and theoretical perspectives, as confusing and repetitive jargon in sharp contrast to the traditional emphasis of the discipline. These urban scholars stress "local settings where global, national, and voting behavior outcomes happen at street level and where day-to-day lives are affected."
Mladenka contributed "The Political Machine
Political machine
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses , who receive rewards for their efforts...
, the Urban Bureaucracy, and the Distribution of Public Services" to Chicago Politics Papers, a joint effort of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, to study the period between the two Chicago mayors named Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
.
He is a past president of the urban politics section of the American Political Science Association
American Political Science Association
The American Political Science Association is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903, it publishes three academic journals...
and editor of Urban Politics Newsletter. He published research articles in
Social Science Quarterly and the American Political Science Review
American Political Science Review
The American Political Science Review is the flagship publication of the American Political Science Association and is the most prestigious journal in political science according to the ISI 2004 Journal Citation Report...
. In a study of the distribution of parks and recreational opportunities in Chicago, Mladenka found that by the late 1980s class had replaced race as the determinant factor in the distribution of urban services.
Mladenka today
After leaving TAMU, Mladenka and his wife, Linda Marie Mladenka (born 1947), moved to the resort community of Crested ButteCrested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is a Home Rule Municipality in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. A former coal mining town now called "the last great Colorado ski town," Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities...
in Gunnison County
Gunnison County, Colorado
Gunnison County is the fifth most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 15,324 at the 2010 census. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Army Topographical Engineers, who surveyed...
in west central Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Mrs. Mladenka operates a business there called At Home in Crested Butte. The Mladenkas have two daughters, Brooke M. Mladenka (born ca. 1976) and Lauren E. Mladenka (born ca. 1982). The couple divorced, and Mladenka moved first to Hollywood
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and later near Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in Georgetown
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
in Williamson County
Williamson County, Texas
Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...
, Texas. In the fall semester of 2010, Mladenka was teaching the Texas state government course, required in most college major fields in Texas, at the Rio Grande campus of Austin Community College
Austin Community College
The Austin Community College District is a regional community college district with eight campuses and 12 centers located in and around the city of Austin, Texas, United States....
.