Elections, Politics, and Power Struggles from Ancient Rome to Modern North Carolina
September 20, 2014
Many Americans believe that political elections have become more polarized or bitter than at any time in our modern history. This seminar places this year’s American and North Carolina elections in broad historical and political contexts as we discuss the electoral practices in ancient Rome and the changing views of elections during the era of “democratic revolutions” in America and France. The analysis then turns to the modern history of elections in North Carolina and to the changing dynamics of American electoral politics in the 21st-century political culture of advanced technologies and vast fundraising. How have elections changed and how have they stayed the same? Are “democratic” elections really democratic? The diverse perspectives of history, political journalism, and political science provide a wide-ranging framework for addressing these questions and understanding this year’s elections in our state and nation.
Topics & Speakers
How to Get Elected in Ancient Rome
Richard J. A. Talbert, William Rand Kenan, Jr., Professor of History
Did Elections Become Democratic in the Age of the American and French Revolutions?
Lloyd S. Kramer, Professor of History and Faculty Director, Program in the Humanities and Human Values
North Carolina Politics: A Red, Blue, and Purple State in Modern America
Ferrel Guillory, Director, Program in Public Life and Professor of the Practice, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
American Elections in the 21st Century: Something Old, Something New, and Something Borrowed
Thomas M. Carsey, Thomas J. Pearsall Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Director, Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
The Meaning of Elections: Past, Present, Future
A panel discussion with our speakers
Time & Cost
9:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, September 20, 2014. The optional lunch is $15.00. The tuition is $125 ($110 by August 29). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by August 29). 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.