GAMBIER, Ohio — A distinguished group of political analysts and experts will visit Kenyon College this fall as part of a lecture series addressing the state of American democracy as the midterm elections approach.
The lineup organized by Kenyon’s Center for the Study of American Democracy (CSAD) includes prominent political strategist Sarah Longwell, a 2002 Kenyon graduate who founded The Bulwark, one of the most influential new media platforms focusing on politics. She will appear Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Rosse Hall as Kenyon’s Constitution Day speaker.
Known for conducting focus group sessions to better understand the Make America Great Again phenomenon, Longwell has become a frequent guest on news programs and political podcasts. She will appear in an event co-sponsored by the Kenyon Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement that is part of the national tour for her upcoming book “How to Eat an Elephant.”
The event will be moderated by one of Longwell’s former teachers, Professor of Political Science Pamela Camera-Rowe. Registration is required and costs $29, which includes a copy of Longwell’s book.
“This is really such a dangerous time for the future of American democracy,” said Joseph L. Klesner, CSAD director and a professor of political science and international studies. “These are speakers we’ve chosen because they have strong views about the merits of democracy and also strong analysis about why our democracy is under threat these days.”
The series will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 2, with an appearance by Mike Madrid, principal at Grassroots Lab and co-founder of the Lincoln Project. Formerly the political director for the California Republican Party, he is among the foremost experts on voting behavior among Latines. Madrid will give a 7:30 p.m. lecture titled “The Latino Century? Parties, Midterm Elections and the Concerns of Latine Voters.”
A pair of activists with opposing backgrounds will come together on Monday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. for “Two Dads Defending Democracy: Bridging the Gap During Divisive Times.” Fred Guttenberg, whose child was one of the victims of the 2018 Parkland high school shooting in Florida, will appear in conversation with Joe Walsh, a former Republican Congressman from Illinois and gun rights advocate.
All of the events in the speaker series, other than Longwell, are free and open to the public. They will take place in Oden Hall’s Archon Auditorium on the College’s campus in Gambier. Parking for these events is available on site behind Chalmers Library in the West Quad Parking Garage.
Established in 2007, Kenyon’s Center for the Study of American Democracy organizes conferences, lectures and seminars with the goal of stimulating nonpartisan civic and political discourse. It also provides teaching and research opportunities for faculty and students and promotes student internships in Washington, D.C.
For more information, contact the Center for the Study of American Democracy at americandemocracy@kenyon.edu or 740-427-5855.
View downloadable images of Sarah Longwell, Mike Madrid, Fred Guttenberg, Joe Walsh and Kenyon College.
