Polarized: Partisanship, Social Movements, and the Transformation of American Democracy

Parties and movements have long provided a voice to U.S. citizens and connected them to the government, but these mediating roles are in flux. In their place is a more polarized "red" and "blue" America.

This Democracy 20/20 panel will examine how social movements and changes in the two major political parties are redefining American democracy. Some key changes we'll discuss include:

• Who the parties represent and which social groups they mobilize;
• How organizations—ranging from the Koch network to organized labor, evangelical churches, and gun groups—have reshaped party politics;
• How social movements, including Black Lives Matter, motivate and mobilize key groups of partisan voters—and likely impacts on the 2020 election.

Moderator: Tom Pepinsky, Government, Cornell University

Panelists: Julia Azari, Marquette University; Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Columbia University; Leah Wright Rigueur, Brandeis University

Democracy 20/20: A webinar series sponsored by the American Democracy Collaborative, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, and the Institute of Politics and Global Affairs

Democracy 20/20 brings together historical and comparative experts to promote deeper understanding of the challenges these unsettling times pose for American democracy. Beginning in June 2020, the series continues through the 2020 election. The stakes for American democracy have never been higher—so please join us for these critical conversations.