New Series on the Future of American Politics
The Rothermere American Institute is delighted to launch its latest series of American politics events, entitled The Future of American Politics.
The Future of American Politics will bring together some of the world’s leading thinkers, historians, political scientists, journalists, and politicians to consider, discuss, and debate the ideas, the trends, and the people that will shape the next era of American politics.
Launched in response to strong interest in our America Decides series of 2020 election events, The Future of American Politics reflects the RAI’s mission of leading discussions about America and its place in the world and doing so in a way that is accessible to all.
All events will be held online using Zoom, and everyone is welcome. The discussions will also be recorded and made available on the RAI’s YouTube channel.
The series will commence on 28 January with The Biden Administration: Priorities and Challenges. Held a week after the Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th President of the United States, the panel of three esteemed political scientists will discuss the governing priorities emphasised in the President’s Inaugural Address. The panel will also weigh the impact of the severe challenges facing the Biden Administration, including a lethal pandemic claiming 4,000 lives a day, an unemployment rate comparable to the Great Recession of 2008, and the displays of sedition and white supremacy vividly on display in the last days of the Trump presidency. This event will mark the first appearance by Robert Lieberman as this year’s John G. Winant Visiting Professor of American Government. We are also pleased to welcome back Professor Lieberman’s predecessor as Winant Visiting Professor, Margaret Weir. The RAI’s Desmond King will serve as Chair and Discussant.
Our two events in February will focus on the future of the two major political parties in the United States. On 8 February, we will discuss The Future of the Republican Party and where it will be headed in the post-Trump Presidency era. For this, we are delighted to welcome three panellists who have had a long association with the Republican Party and conservative politics. Joining us will be 2016 Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin, who polled over 700,000 votes, including at least three sitting Republican Senators, the doyen of conservative history Donald Critchlow, and the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin, who famously rescinded her self-description as a ‘conservative opinion writer’ in late 2020.
A fortnight later, on 22 February, The Future of American Politics will reconvene to discuss The Future of the Democratic Party. It is a future that, in the wake of 2020, appears bright, with the party having unseated an incumbent President for the first time in three decades, regained control of the Senate, and made inroads in traditional Republican territory of Georgia and Arizona. Yet its victories raise challenges, with the party now reflecting an ever more diverse range of views and policy preferences. To discuss these challenges and opportunities, we are delighted to welcome two leading experts on the Democratic Party: Marquette University’s Julia Azari and the University of Denver’s Seth Masket.
More events will be added across both the Hilary and Trinity Terms, so make sure to check our The Future of American Politics webpage: https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/future-of-american-politics
For any questions, please contact the series convenor, RAI Fellow Dr Mitch Robertson (mitchell.robertson@rai.ox.ac.uk).
