Civility, Incivility, and Public Opinion in the 2012 Elections

June 27, 2012

Andrew Perrin, Associate Professor of Sociology

Mockery, outrage, apologies, and retractions abound in the political public sphere. Comment threads on social media have become forums for ad hominem attacks, “trolling,” and snarky retorts. We hear a lot about the decline of civility in public conversation and its negative effects on democratic citizenship. If the national conversation is a fight, what’s a citizen to do? This talk will explore the relationship between public opinion and political discourse as the election season progresses.

TIME: 5:30-7:00 p.m.

All Humanities in Action events take place at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill. There are no preparatory readings for Humanities in Action events.

Program Tuition: Register ahead of time and pay $18.00 per program or pay only $8 if you are a member of the UNC General Alumni Association (GAA). To check your membership status or to join the GAA, please visit alumni.unc.edu or call 800.962.0742. GAA membership is open to all UNC alumni and friends. Tuition is $20.00 for everyone paying at the door.

Flyleaf Books: Location and Contact Info

752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (Historic Airport Rd)
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Next to Foster’s Market and Flying Burrito

Monday – Saturday: 9 – 9
Sunday: 10-5
Phone# (919)942-7373
info@flyleafbooks.com