On Thursday, November 7th, the Department of Political Science partnered with the Office of Student Involvement and Engagement, the Department of History, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication to host “’Now What?’ After Elections Debrief.” About 90 students, faculty, and staff attended the event, which was organized to “encourage students to reflect on the impact of the election, evaluate their own beliefs and values, and analyze how the election will influence students’ participation in future democratic processes.”
The panel was moderated by Dr. Jeffrey Helgeson, Chair of the Department of History. Panelists included Drs. Ken Ward (Political Science), Scott Bowman (Criminal Justice), Vaughn Baltzly (Philosophy), and Professor Jillian Ament (Journalism). The panelists discussed what they felt were the most important results of the election up to this point, what they viewed as the next steps for the political process, and what lessons they would draw regarding the implications of the election. The panel was followed by a question-and-answer session.
Dr. Helgeson opened the evening by emphasizing the importance of civility, compassion, and the free exchange of ideas. He continued by stating, “This conversation is intended to be open to a wide range of people, substantive arguments, and subjects. We hope that the discord and aggression that all too often accompany debates will recede and we will invest that energy instead in exploring what we might learn from our fellow community members.” Among other topics, the discussion covered how, although Donald Trump’s win was decisive, it was similar to the margins of victory in recent elections (including 2020). One panelist emphasized that the impact of state and local elections in Texas is also important and should not be neglected. The 6-year-old daughter of one professor was present for the event and, when asked for her take on the discussion, she said “The thing I remember is they talked about Donald Trumpf!”
This event was the final part of a larger series on civic engagement, all of which supported civil student participation in the 2024 election cycle. This series was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Office of Student Involvement and Engagement, the Department of Political Science, the Department of History, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
