FSEM 197   Campaigns and Voting Behavior

Faculty Profile for Professor Luttig

How should we explain voting behavior in elections? Why do some people abstain from voting altogether? Are political campaigns "effective" at persuading people to vote for a particular candidate? How do modern political campaigns function, and with what consequences? Students examine these and other pertinent questions about political campaigns in American politics. In doing so, they consider diverse perspectives for thinking about elections. They read and discuss data-driven scholarship about recent campaigns, enduring philosophical essays, and journalistic works by literary authors. By the end of the course, students better understand the nature and origins of voting behavior and be better able to analyze and evaluate political campaigns. Students who successfully complete this seminar will earn credit for a 200-level POSC course and satisfy one half of the social relations, institutions, and agents area of inquiry requirement.

Matthew Luttig is Assistant Professor of Political Science. His research seeks to explain the psychological roots of political beliefs. His recent book argues that polarization in America is driven by individuals who are psychologically closed-minded. He is currently exploring means to make people more open-minded and politically tolerant.