Defending Democracy
2023-25 Theme of Inquiry
Join us in exploring the crisis of democracy in the United States by reckoning with problems and considering solutions.
Events
3:00–4:30 p.m.
Lynn Vavreck is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at UCLA, a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times, and a recipient of the Andrew F. Carnegie Prize in the Humanities and Social Sciences. She is the author of five books, including Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America, and The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election, described as the “definitive account” of the 2012 election. Political consultants on both sides of the aisle refer to her work on political messaging as “required reading” for presidential candidates. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and she has served on the advisory boards of both the British and American National Election Studies. At UCLA she teaches courses on campaigns, elections, public opinion, and the 1960s. Vavreck holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House.
5:15–6:45 p.m.
Featuring Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College. Sadhwani specializes in Asian American and Latino voting behavior, elections, interest groups and representation. Her analysis of politics and elections has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, Politico, The Guardian, Vox, The Los Angeles Times, NBC News, The HuffPost and many more. In a voting rights case before the California Supreme Court, she coauthored an amicus brief that summarizes empirical research on the benefits of maximizing the voting strength of historically excluded communities.
5:30–7:00 p.m.
Featuring Rep. Peter DeFazio and professors Alison Gash, Chandler James, Regina Lawrence, Neil O’Brian and Daniel Tichenor.
Thursday, Nov 7, 5:30 p.m.
Giustina Ballroom, Ford Alumni Center
7:00 p.m.–8:30 a.m.
Will Jones, professor of history at the University of Minnesota, will deliver the Bob Bussel Labor History Lecture on April 24, 2025.
The UO Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) created the lecture in recognition of Bob Bussel’s years of service as LERC’s director and an affiliated member of the UO history department. The lecture features historians with a distinguished record of scholarship, a commitment to public history, and an interest in labor and working-class issues. Will Jones is a professor of history at the University of Minnesota with a particular interest in issues of race and class. Professor Jones is the author of two books and numerous articles on labor and working-class history. He is also a past president of the Labor and Working-Class History Association.
Videos of recent events
The New Town Hall: Building a Communications Platform for Democracy, with Kevin Esterling
Race, Rights and Rifles: The Origins of the NRA and Contemporary Gun Culture, featuring Alexandra Filindra
Democracy: the Challenges Ahead, featuring Rep. Peter DeFazio
View more videos on our YouTube channel