Brown campus to host wide array of public events on 2024 elections, issues

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - With Election Day quickly approaching, an expanding lineup of open-to-the-public events at Brown University is featuring expert analysis and discussion by Brown scholars and invited guests.

From an Oct. 8 forum on election security to a post-election conversation on Nov. 6, the events will explore what's at stake in the 2024 elections, factors that might influence election outcomes and what citizens might expect from government in 2025.

Organized by departments and institutes across the University, the discussions are also focusing on voter rights and suppression, the intersection of climate and politics, and how the election may affect reproductive rights.

"The 2024 election will be transformational for the next decade of American politics and the democracy itself," said Wendy Schiller, interim director of Brown's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. "Bringing together scholars, practitioners and policymakers is a key function of a university, and Brown continues to lead the way in engaging students and the public on these core issues of democracy."

The following events include just a sampling of confirmed upcoming election-related discussions at Brown, while even more remain in the planning stage. Full information on these and other events is available on the University events calendar, which is updated by event planners across campus on a daily basis.

Climate Action and the 2024 Election: Science, Policy and Disinformation

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 12 p.m.

Brown faculty experts will discuss the election's potential impact on the climate. Panelists Kim Cobb, director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society; Stefanie Friedhoff, co-founder of the Information Futures Lab at Brown's School of Public Health; and Chris Rae, an assistant professor of sociology and public and international affairs, will delve into pressing topics including environmental disinformation and the politization of climate science. This is the first of a two-part series that continues on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The 2024 John Hazen White Sr. Lecture: A Forum on Election Security with Ken Block and John Marion

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 5 p.m.

The Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy will host a conversation about election security, the integrity of election administration and the future of voting rights with Ken Block, who investigated claims of voter fraud for Donald Trump's campaign in 2020, and John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island. Block, the author of "Disproven: My Unbiased Search for Voter Fraud for the Trump Campaign, the Data that Shows Why He Lost, and How We Can Improve Our Elections," will remark on fraud and offer suggestions on how to improve election processes. Marion will speak about voting rights and election administration.

Let the People Vote: A Conversation on Voter Rights and Suppression

Monday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m.

The Sarah Doyle Center for Women and Gender's annual Masha Dexter Lecture on Gender, Sexuality and Public Policy will focus on voter rights, suppression and mobilization. The conversation will feature Juliet Hooker, a Brown University professor of political science and the author of "Black Grief/White Grievance: The Politics of Loss;" and Gilda R. Daniels, a professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and the author of "Uncounted: The Crisis of Voter Suppression in America." The scholars are also expected to discuss current efforts to advocate for voter access at the local and national levels.

Reproductive Justice and Women's Health at the Supreme Court in 2023-2024: What Lies Ahead

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 12 p.m.

This talk by Liz Tobin-Tyler, an associate professor of health services, policy and practice at Brown's School of Public Health and of family medicine and medical science at Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School, will describe the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions in the cases Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which prompted multiple legal issues related to access to reproductive health care, and United States v. Rahimi, which upheld a federal law prohibiting domestic abusers from possessing firearms. Tobin-Tyler will also discuss the likelihood of future litigation related to access to reproductive health care and what the outcome of the 2024 election could mean for women's health and safety.

Climate Action and the 2024 Election: Brown Alumni Innovating at Local, State and Federal Levels

Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.

Brown University alumni working in local, state and federal levels of government will return to campus to discuss the stakes for climate action in the 2024 U.S. presidential and other elections. They will share their professional experiences working on climate and sustainability issues and reflect on what the election could mean for the future. The panel discussion, moderated by "Possibly" podcast host Megan Hall, is part of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society's Family Weekend Open House and will feature Zanagee Artis, a fossil fuels policy advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council; Michelle Diane Hernandez, states director at Climate Power; Andrew Posner, founder and CEO of Capital Good Fund; and Ari Matusiak, founder and CEO of Rewiring America.

Paolino Speaker Series: Olivia Beavers, Congressional Reporter for Politico

Monday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m.

As part of the Taubman Center's Paolino Speaker Series, Olivia Beavers, a congressional reporter for Politico with extensive experience covering the House Republican leadership and the GOP caucus, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate workings of the Republican Party in Congress. She will share stories from Capitol Hill, including her experience being trapped in the House chamber during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and offer insights into the personalities and power struggles that define the House GOP. Beavers will be joined by Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller for a conversation on the potential impact of the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Congress and the broader Republican agenda. Together, they will explore how the election could reshape the dynamics within the House GOP and influence legislative priorities in the years ahead.

What Happens Next? Unpacking the 2024 Presidential Election

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 5 p.m.

Brown's political scientists will break down the election results and what they mean for the future of the country. The scholars will discuss shifts in voter behavior, the influence of Latino and other key demographic groups, and how political alignments may have shifted at both the state and national levels.

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