Voting in America: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, Where We’re Headed
Austin Sarat is William Nelson Cromwell professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has written, co-written, or edited more than ninety books in the fields of law and political science. Professor Sarat has received the Stan Wheeler Award for his excellence as a teacher and mentor, awarded by the Law and Society Association.
Overview
For as long as America has been a nation we have witnessed conflicts over the right to vote. Originally the vote was restricted to a narrow subset of the population, but throughout our history marginalized and disadvantaged people have struggled for the right to vote. Securing that right is a crucial aspect of citizenship. But today, new questions are being asked about America’s commitment to expanding the opportunity to vote. Partisan gerrymandering, limits on the number of polling stations, voter suppression efforts and controversies around mail in voting echo through our politics. This lecture will offer a unique vantage point from which to understand the past, present, and future of voting.