Vladimir Kogan, assistant professor, political science, is coauthor with Steven Erie and Scott MacKenzie of the book, Paradise Plundered: Fiscal Crisis and Governance Failures in San Diego (Stanford Univ. Press, 2011), which has been named by American Political Science Association (APSA) as the best book of the year on urban politics.Paradise Plundered shows how San Diego's fiscal crisis arose from failures of governance and institutions in ways both predictable and largely unintended.

According to APSA judges, Paradise Plundered was “meticulously researched and convincingly argued” and “represents urban political science at its best.” Engagingly written, Paradise Plundered is accessible for multiple audiences without compromising the quality of the analysis and the theoretical mindfulness of its authors. 

Kogan teaches political science 4127, City Politics and political science 4130, Law and Politics.