A new speaker series by the Department of Political Science kicks off next month with a talk focused on the tumultuous times in U.S. politics.
James Druckman, the Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science at the University of Rochester, will discuss “American Politics in the 21st-century: Distrust, Polarization and Dissatisfaction,” on Monday, Feb. 9, at 5 p.m. in the Nott Memorial. The talk is free and open to the public.
James Druckman, the Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science at the University of Rochester
Druckman’s talk is part of the Margaret O. Lester Lecture in Contemporary Politics. The idea is to bring in a prominent speaker each year on a topic of contemporary importance and broad appeal.
Speakers and topics will rotate through the subfields of political science (international relations, comparative politics, political theory and U.S. politics).
“The series features distinguished scholars in political science whose work helps illuminate our understanding of current politics,” said Guillermina Seri, professor of political science and chair of the department.
“Relevant to students of politics and accessible across the disciplines and to the broader community, the Lester lecture brings us together in timely conversations about the challenges and future of our political world.”
Druckman cites contested elections, a terrorist attack, the Great Recession, substantial demographic change, a transformed media environment, the largest ever mass protests, an insurrection, and a worldwide pandemic as contributing to the tumultuous politics. The public, Druckman asserts, has grown increasingly distrustful of societal institutions, more polarized, and less efficacious.
“In this talk, I examine these aspects of public opinion, highlighting the role of structural shifts in the political parties, misperceptions about those with different partisan affiliations, and poor well-being,” Druckman said.
Previously, Druckman was the Payson S. Wild Professor and a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University.
He is also an honorary professor of political science at Aarhus University in Denmark. Druckman has published more than 200 articles and book chapters in political science, communication, economics, science and psychology journals. He is the author of multiple books, including his most recent, “Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: Explaining Political Divides” (University of Chicago Press, 2024).
“Jamie Druckman is one of the nation’s leading scholars of public opinion, political psychology, and American democracy,” said Zoe Oxley, William D. Williams Professor of Political Science. “His research exploring political polarization has been especially illuminating, for other scholars, for journalists, and for the general public. We are very fortunate that he will be visiting campus to share his timely scholarship with us. His talk will be informative, thought-provoking, and engaging.”
The Lester Lecture is supported by the Margaret O. Lester Fund. It was established by Bernadotte P. Lester, Class of 1918, in memory of his daughter, Margaret, who died May 28, 1945, at the age of 19.