Sociology Lecture: Why Democracy in the U.S. Works Better Than You Think

When: Friday, April 27, 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Where: University of Washington Club - Downstairs Conference room - View Map
Contact: Dana Pietromonaco, socpr@u.washington.edu, 206-543-1665
More information:
http://www.soc.washington.edu/

To RSVP, please browse to Sociology Washington Weekend RSVP and use the code word, "democracy".

During the past several decades, Americans have become increasingly cynical about politics. They believe that interest groups spend huge amounts of money on political campaigns; that elected officials do what interest groups want, against the wishes of their constituents; and that the public is often ignored by elected officials who pander to the rich, the powerful, and special interests. None of these beliefs is correct. But if the public thinks it is powerless, it may act in ways that make it powerless--a classic case of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Professor Burstein discusses why democracy in the U.S. works better than you think.

Paul Burstein (Ph.D., Harvard University, 1974) is Professor of Sociology, Chair of the Jewish Studies Program and Pruzan Professor of Jewish Studies, and Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington. He is the author of Discrimination, Jobs, and Politics: The Struggle for Equal Employment Opportunity in the United States since World War II (University of Chicago Press), "The Impact of Public Opinion on Public Policy" (Political Research Quarterly, 2003), "The Impact of Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movement Organizations on Public Policy (with April Linton, Social Forces, 2002), and "Is Congress Really for Sale?" (Contexts, 2003). He has served on the Council of the American Sociological Association and on the editorial boards of many professional journals.

Reception to follow.