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November 17, 2012

Someone will win the 2012 Presidential election. And someone will lose. That’s all we know now as we go to press, but by mid-November, we’ll be ready to look back on what will have happened on November 6th and try to make sense of it. We’ll have lots of questions: What are the implications of either a Romney or Obama administration? What can the new/old president expect to accomplish over the next four years? How will the makeup of Congress affect our political landscape? Will things change either way?

To help us get our bearings, we’ve turned to three experts from different disciplines and with varying opinions. Thomas Carsey will review data he presented in March 2012 on the upcoming elections to see how his analysis looks in retrospect, and suggest what we can expect in terms of public opinion and policy in 2013 and beyond. John McGowan will offer his opinion on the 2012 elections’ implications for American democracy. Michael Munger will address the problems facing any administration in our polarized political climate. Whoever wins, you won’t want to miss this discussion about our future.

Topics and Speakers

Looking Backwards and Forwards: What to Expect from the 2012 Elections
Thomas Carsey, Thomas J. Pearsall Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Director, Odum Institute for Social Science

Did the 2012 Election Change Democracy in America?
John McGowan, Ruel W. Tyson, Jr. Distinguished Professor of the Humanities and Director, Institute for the Arts and Humanities

The Opposition is Not The Enemy: Effective Governance in a Polarized Polity
Michael C. Munger, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy, and Economics, Duke University

Making Sense of the 2012 Election
A panel discussion with our speakers

Time and Cost
9:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday, November 17, 2012. The tuition is $125 ($110 by September 13). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by September 13). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The optional lunch is $15.00.

For information about lodging click here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.

For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.

Register for this seminar.