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10/23: Experts Offer Insight on What Really Matters for the Election

This Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 2:30 p.m., Falvey Memorial Library will host the first of two events centered on the 2012 US Presidential Election. Two Political Science professors from the University will cover the particulars of this year’s election along with some relevant trends from elections past.

The event will give students and community members a chance to consider some of the more nuanced characteristics of the 2012 race and to participate in a political discourse, which is especially important here in one of the most hotly contested regions of this year’s election.

Matt Kerbel, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, will deliver the first lecture, entitled “Understanding the 2012 Election: What’s Likely to Happen in Two Weeks?” He will discuss how—after a long primary campaign, two national conventions and four debates—the 2012 presidential election is about to be decided as voters go to the polls and how control of the Senate and possibly the House of Representatives is also at stake.

Dr. Kerbel will examine how the race stands at the moment and describe what we can expect to happen on Election Day.

Immediately following, David Barrett, PhD, professor, Department of Political Science, will talk about “Some Lessons from Political Science about Presidential Elections.” He will provide insight on what political science can reveal about candidates, campaigns and elections, and will also elaborate on how many of the colorful details of campaigns are rather predictable and have minimal influence on the outcome.

Dr. Barrett’s talk will focus on instances in which particular debates or other events did seem to shape the outcome on Election Day in prior years and speculate on which events, if any, seem to have mattered so far in the current election cycle.

The event begins at 2:30 pm and will take place in Speakers’ Corner, on the library’s first floor.

Barrett photograph by Jen Cywinski ’10 A&S


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Last Modified: October 21, 2012

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