Friday, November 15, 2019 - 1:30pm
402 Cohen Hall
Thomas J. Freaney, Jr. Professor of Political Science
Temple University
Title: How Group Identities Can Undermine Democratic Accountability and What To Do About It
Abstract: In modern democracies, effective self-governance requires people to vote for candidates who share their values and against those who fail to live up to their expectations. Unfortunately, decades of research suggests that people are often more motivated to reinforce and validate their identities with social and political groups than they are in holding elected officials accountable. This project considers how people can be nudged toward having a more open mind.