Announcements: On the Road Again

This week is week three of a four-week almost non-stop road itinerary for me, which is why posts are—and will continue to be—sporadic. I’m starting to feel like a rock star on the road, except without the limos, roadies, groupies, drugs, and heart-valve replacement surgery. So in other words, not like a rock star at all really.

Anyway, I’m making a few public appearances this week that are free and open to the public, for those of you in the local areas.

First, I’ll be participating once again this week in the annual Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado at Boulder. It’s quite the liberal hootenanny as a general matter, but they invite a handful of right-thinking people such as myself to spice things up, and if you’re in the Boulder area with time to spare, drop by. Check out the full schedule for other panels featuring Robert Kaufman, John Eastman, and Henry Nau.

Here are my four panels (though the personnel have changed a bit on a couple of these—turns out some of the liberals chickened out and had to be replaced):

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Meanwhile, for Bay Area readers, I want to bring to your attention two worthy events this week (the first of which I’ll have to miss unfortunately): the annual Baxter Liberty Initiative lecture tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon at 4:15 pm, which will feature political scientist Terry Moe of Stanford talking about the lessons of education reform in New Orlean after Hurricane Katrina. This is a more significant story than you might think from the description. Just recall that Obama’s first secretary of education, Arne Duncan, got into a heap of trouble when he remarked that the destruction of the public schools by Katrina was the best thing that happened to public education there, because it made sweeping reform possible. Normally I attend this event, and last year I was the discussant for Jonathan Haidt’s lecture, but alas I’ll be out in Boulder. The lecture will be held in the Banatao Auditorium in 310 Sutardja Dai Hall, UC Berkeley. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. Seating is first come, first served.

On Friday, though, I will be back in the saddle at Berkeley at the annual Travers Political Science Department conference on the subject “Is America Breaking Apart?” As you might guess, the panels will discuss the topic of the time—political polarization, and I’ll be speaking on the last panel of the day at 2:45 pm. It is free and open to the public, and is held at the very nice Bancroft Hotel on Bancroft Ave. (Best to register, though, right here.)

Here’s the complete agenda:

The 2019 Travers Conference will bring together experts from around the country to assess the question of whether America is breaking apart politically. There is a sense among some that Americans are more divided than at any time since the Civil War. The conference will consider the nature of these divisions, how deep and genuine they really are, and how they are affecting governance. It will include three panels: Divisions in the Public, Imagined or Real?; Prospects for Governing Amid Polarization; and Identity and Politics in a Changing America.

Panel Information:

10:15-10:25:  Introductory Remarks

10:30 – 11:45:  Divisions in the Public, Imagined or Real?

While there is little doubt that political elites in Washington are highly polarized by party, to what extent are ordinary Americans ideologically divided? This panel will consider the extent to which policy preferences, partisanship and geography separate the country into different political camps.

Morris P. Fiorina (Stanford)

Leah Stokes (UCSB)

Jessica Trounstine (UC Merced)

 

11:45– 1:00: Lunch Break: Lunch provided for conference participants and attendees

1:15 – 2:30: Identity and Politics in a Changing America

Many attributed Donald Trump’s election to a backlash against growing racial diversity in America.  What is the relationship between demographic diversification and political change?  What are the prospects for division or unity going forward?

Marisa A. Abrajano (UCSD)

Patrick Egan (NYU).

Vincent Hutchings (University of Michigan)

Ashley E. Jardina (Duke)

 

2:45 – 4:00: Prospects for Governing Amid Polarization

Does polarization inevitably result in gridlock and paralysis?  What are the prospects for finding solutions to pressing policy challenges in today’s divided Washington?

Pamela Ban (UCSD)

Steven Hayward (UCB)

Jack Pitney (Claremont McKenna)