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‘Race and Democratic Backsliding’ the topic Oct.1 at URI

Colloquium lecture series seeks to foster community-wide discussion; open to public

Political scientist Andrew Ifedapo Thompson, of the University of Pennsylvania, speaks at the URI Honors Colloquium Oct. 1, discussing “Race and Democratic Backsliding in the U.S.” The series takes place at the Kingston Campus and online.

KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 23, 2024 – Political scientist Andrew Ifedapo Thompson will discuss “Race and Democratic Backsliding in the U.S.” at the 2024 University of Rhode Island Honors Colloquium Tuesday, Oct. 1. A political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Thompson’s work examines the impact of racial demographic changes on American political behavior and democratic stability.

Thompson’s recent work looks at how fears about changing racial demographics can lead to democratic decline in the U.S. He explores how these perceptions shape public attitudes toward democracy and may increase support for political violence.

This year’s colloquium examines threats to democracy at home and abroad. Hosted by the University’s Honors Program, URI’s annual lecture series is examining the challenges democracy faces, while many students at the University, and elsewhere, are voting for the first time this fall.

“The Honors Colloquium represents and celebrates what we do best in Honors,” says Honors Program Director Karen de Bruin, “which is to delve into the timely issues of our times and at timely moments.” She said that the colloquium seeks to foster campus-wide and community-wide discussion while preparing URI students to enact change in a daunting world.

Thompson will speak at 7 p.m. at Edwards Hall on the Kingston Campus, in the fall colloquium series, “Democracy in Peril,” which will also be streamed (livestream links will be available the night of each event on the colloquium website).

His lecture will be followed Oct. 8 by José Cheibub from the University of Pittsburgh, speaking on “Global Cases of Democratic Decline.”

This year’s colloquium has drawn wide interest across the URI campus, and includes a voter registration drive on Sept. 24. During the week of Thompson’s visit, URI will also host Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore on Oct. 2 for a discussion of women’s voting rights and the state of voting in Rhode Island, and unveil an art exhibit on ‘The Politics of Personality’ in Lippitt Hall, depicting hype, reality and how politics impact individuals. Later in the month, faculty are invited to attend a workshop on strategies for embedding civic engagement in curriculum, and the Center for the Humanities hosts historian Alex Keyssar for “Democratic Crises and Structural Change” in the Multicultural Students Services Center. Keyssar’s book, The Right to Vote, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and named a best book in U.S. history by the American Historical Association.

Hosted by the University’s Honors Program, the URI Honors Colloquium is free and open to the public. Lectures are held most Tuesday evenings this fall, through Nov. 12. Visit the Honors Colloquium site to see talks by earlier speakers from this year’s colloquium including Vox’s Zack Beauchamp here.

Visit the Honors Colloquium site for more details and register to get updates and reminders for this fall’s speakers here or by emailing urihonors@etal.uri.edu.