Mini-conference on Race and Place: Polarization in the United States

This one-day mini-CONFERENCE WILL EXAMINE THE POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF RACIAL AND GEOGRAPHIC POLARIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES.  By exploring both the existing scholarship on polarization and the efforts of practitioners to navigate the changing political terrain, we intend to delve into the myriad challenges that social and political distance creates for various groups in this country.THIS CONFERENCE IS PART OF A YEAR-long project on political POLARIZATION CONDUCTED BY THE HARRIS SCHOOL’s _Project on Political Reform_, with the support of a grant from the _Democracy Fund_. This conference is also supported by the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, UChicago Grad, and the Center for Identity + Inclusion. The following distinguished scholars, practitioners, and speakers will take part in the day’s events: 9:00 AM: Opening Remarks and Welcome SCOTT COOLEY and JENN M. JACKSON, Event Co-Organizers, Co-Coordinators of the American Politics Workshop ------------------------- _THE POLARIZATION OF PLACE_ 9:15 AM - 10:10 AM: _The Space Between Us: Social Geography and Politics_ SPEAKER: RYAN ENOS, Assistant Professor of Government at Harvard University DISCUSSANT: NICHOLAS STEPHANOPOULOS, Professor of Law, Herbert and Marjorie Fried Research Scholar, University of Chicago 10:10 AM - 10:20 AM: BREAK 10:20 AM - 11:15 AM: _Red Fighting Blue: How Geography and Electoral Rules Polarize American Politics_ SPEAKER: DAVE HOPKINS, Associate Professor of Political Science at Boston College. DISCUSSANT: CALVIN TERBEEK, Doctoral Student, Department of Political Science, University of Chicago 11:15 PM - 12:10 PM: _The Road to Inequality: How the American Highway System Divides Communities and Polarizes Politics_ SPEAKER: CLAYTON NALL, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University DISCUSSANT: ANTHONY FOWLER, Associate Professor, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago ------------------------- 12:10 - 1:10 PM: Lunch Break ------------------------- _THE POLITICS OF RACIAL POLARIZATION_ 1:10 PM - 2:05 PM: _The Politics of Common Sense: How Social Movements Use Political Discourse to Change Politics and Win Acceptance_ SPEAKER: DEVA WOODLY, Assistant Professor, Politics, The New School for Social Research DISCUSSANT: JORDIE DAVIES, Doctoral Student, Department of Political Science, University of Chicago 2:05 PM - 3:00 PM: _Anger and Racial Politics: The Emotional Foundation of Racial Attitudes in America_ SPEAKER: ANTOINE BANKS, Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland DISCUSSANT: DAVID KNIGHT, Doctoral Student, Department of Political Science, University of Chicago 3:00 PM - 3:10 PM: BREAK 3:10 PM - 4:05 PM: _Anxious Politics: Democratic Citizenship in a Threatening World_ SPEAKERS: BETHANY ALBERTSON, Associate Professor Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin, SHANA GADARIAN, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. DISCUSSANT: GENEVA COLE, Doctoral Student, Department of Political Science, University of Chicago ------------------------- _PRACTITIONERS AND THE IMPACTS OF POLARIZATION_ 4:05PM - 5:15PM: Roundtable Discussion BLAKE HURST, President of the Missouri Farm Bureau LEON ROCKINGHAM, Mayor of North Chicago, IL  JOHN OSTENBURG, Mayor of Park Forest, IL and co-chair of the National League of Cities (NLC) Race, Equity and Leadership (REAL) Council MODERATOR: WILLIAM HOWELL, Chair, Political Science Department, University of CHICAGO and Director of the Project on Political Reform at the Harris School CONCLUDING REMARKS: WILLIAM HOWELL, Chair, Political Science Department, University of Chicago and Director of the Project on Political Reform at the Harris School ------------------------- SPECIAL THANKS:  We would like to thank all those who volunteered to help put the CONFERENCE TOGETHER INCLUDING All of our brilliant panelists, guests, and discussants.  William Howell, Chair, Political Science Department, University of Chicago and Director of the Project on Political Reform at the Harris School Marc Farinella Political Communications Specialist and the Executive Director of The Project on Political Reform at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy Celina Chatman Nelson, Director, GRAD Development & Diversity at the University of Chicago Ravi Randhava, Senior Director for the Center for Identity + Inclusion at the University of Chicago Tracye Matthews, Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture Alyssa Rodriguez, Media Support, Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture Support staff and students at the Department of Political Science, University of Chicago