Lander University is one of four South Carolina universities that will present virtual programs as part of the "South Carolina Humanities Electoral Initiative" from October 2020 through April 2021.
This series was funded by the "Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation" initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The "Why It Matters" initiative will provide free humanities programs to engage the public in collaborative, accessible, and thought-provoking dialogues on the importance of electoral and civic participation.
South Carolina Humanities is a not-for-profit organization that provides inspiring, engaging, and enriching programs on literature, history, culture, and heritage for South Carolinians. The electoral initiative series brings together scholars from Clemson University, Francis Marion University, Lander University, the University of South Carolina and political scientists from around the country.
The 11 events in the series are free, open to the public, and accessible online at https://schumanities.org/electoral-initiative/. The live sessions will be recorded and made available to the public via the South Carolina Humanities' website.
The virtual events presented by Lander University are outlined below:
- January 25, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
"Post Inauguration Day analysis: Where do we go from here?"
A live, virtual roundtable with Lander political science faculty Dr. Matthew Malone, Dr. Lucas McMillan, Dr. Kimberly Richburg, and Dr. Ashley Woodiwiss. In addition to election analysis at the national and state levels, panelists will discuss the roles of women in politics, crisis management in a time of polarization, and the view of the United States from abroad. With varying areas of expertise, each will bring their specialized knowledge to this presentation.
- February 8, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
"Lessons from November: Who voted, who didn't, and why does it matter?"
A live, virtual seminar with political scientists Dr. Amy E. Black of Wheaton College and Dr. Quentin Kidd of Christopher Newport University. Black is author of Honoring God in Red or Blue and Beyond Left and Right. Kidd has provided testimony to courts examining states' re-districting plans and is co-author of The Rational Southerner: Black Mobilization, Republican Growth, and the Partisan Transformation of the American South. Topics include voting rights, voter access, and voter suppression as well as re-districting in the past and going forward with Census 2020.
- February 22, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
"The engaged citizen: Stories from activists"
A live, virtual roundtable with Mary Anne Inglis, former manager of Republican congressional campaigns and now co-founder of My Neighbor's Voice, an organization that hosts forums on how to build stronger communities in a time of toxic partnership; and Laurin Manning Gandy, a digital media strategist who has worked on Democratic presidential campaigns. Topics include avenues for civic engagement, ideological polarization, and the rural/urban divide.
- March 8, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
"What is needed to keep a democracy healthy?"
This program features Dr. Steven Levitsky, Professor of Government at Harvard University. He will share insights from his best-selling book How Democracies Die (co-authored with Daniel Ziblatt). He will discuss the challenges that democracies face in the 21st century. A pre-recorded virtual presentation will be available on Mar. 1 before this live, virtual webinar on Mar 8.
Lander University is proud to continue its work to provide programming for its campus community and the public that encourages civic participation and dialogue.
