Events

The Politics of The Winter Olympics in China: Controversy and Competition

Fall Term:
October 28 5-7pm Safety and Security in the "Migration Crisis"

Seán Binder is one of the 24 defendants in one of the largest cases of the criminalisation of humanitarian action in Europe. After over seven years since his initial arrest, the felony trial against him is finally set to begin on 4 December 2025 in Lesvos, Greece. He faces 20 years’ imprisonment if found guilty of the charges. Binder will speak about his search and rescue work in the context of the so-called migration crisis as well as the underlying policies that brought about his arrest and pre-trial detention. Prosecutions like this have made humanitarian activity more difficult and, therefore, made European borders more deadly. This talk is a cautionary tale at a time when the rule of law is eroding and human rights are being violated.

Winter 2026 Term

Lester Lecture in Contemporary Politics: American Politics in the 21st-century: Distrust, Polarization, and Dissatisfaction

James Druckman

Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science

University of Rochester

Monday, February 9, 5 pm

Nott Memorial

American politics in the 21st century has been tumultuous. It has included 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. For its part, the public 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 as a source of discontent. Antidotes revolve around improving the way those in government and other positions of authority communicate with citizens.