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Past Events
Information about events hosted or sponsored by the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies in 2022.
The Crisis in Democracy
May 10, 2022 | 1:00 p.m.- 2:00p.m. ET
Via Zoom
The endangered state of American democracy is the dominant theme of Democracy’s Rebirth: The View From Chicago. Political scientist Dick Simpson argues the problems we face are a complex, multi-faceted, and inter-tangled web of political, social and economic challenges. Panelists offered their perspective on specific crises and challenges including income and racial inequality, money in politics, polarization, nonparticipation, corruption, and structural problems. Panelists also discussed the ways to create a more participatory and deliberative democracy. Along with Dick Simpson, additional panelists included Angelique Power, President & CEO, The Skillman Foundation and Elizabeth C. Matto, Dir., Center for Youth Political Participation, the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. This event was moderated by Scott Simon, National Public Radio, Weekend Edition Host. This event was sponsored by University of Illinois-Chicago's Institute of Government and Public Affairs, American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, The Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University and the American Political Science Association.
3rd Thurber Dialogues: A Conversation with Professors Steven Levitsky & Daniel Ziblatt
May 5, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
The third and final Thurber Dialogue of Democracy took place on Thursday, May 5th at 6:00pm via Zoom and featured Harvard University political scientists Professor Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. They discussed their 2018 New York Times Best Seller, How Democracies Die, and broader themes of their work in recent events. This event was moderated by American University Professor Laura Paler and the recording of the event is available here.
Steven Levitsky is a David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University. He is also Director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard.
Daniel Ziblatt is Eaton Professor of Government at Harvard University and is director of the Transformations of Democracy research unit at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center in Berlin, Germany.
2nd Thurber Dialogues with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
April 19, 2022 | 7 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
The second Thurber Dialogue on Democracy featured Rep. Hakeem Jeffries for a conversation with Professor Liz Suhay on Tuesday, April 19th at 7:00pm. This event, co-hosted by CCPS and KPU, was held via Zoom and the recording is available here.
Hakeem Jeffries represents the diverse Eighth Congressional District of New York, an area that encompasses large parts of Brooklyn and a section of Queens. Serving his fifth term in the United States Congress, Rep. Jeffries is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and House Budget Committee. He is also Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, having been elected to that position by his colleagues in November 2018. In that capacity, he is the fifth highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. He is also the former Whip of the Congressional Black Caucus and previously co-chaired the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee where he helped develop the For The People agenda.
Thurber Dialogues on Democracy with Rep. Adam Schiff
March 31, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
The inaugural Thurber Dialogue on Democracy of 2022 featured Rep. Adam Schiff in a conversation with Professor Emeritus James Thurber on Thursday, March 31st at 7:30pm. This event, co-hosted by CCPS and KPU, was held via Zoom. The recording is available here.
Congressman Adam Schiff represents California’s 28th Congressional District. In his 11th term in the House of Representatives, Schiff currently serves as the Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies. Schiff is on a leave of absence from the House Appropriations Committee, where he remains an ex officio member. He is also the author of Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could.
2021 Events
Fourth Annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture
November 16, 2021 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
This event was the fourth annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture. The American Political Science Association's inaugural Barbara Sinclair Lecture commemorates the life and scholarship of renowned scholar of legislative politics, Barbara Sinclair. Speaker selection recognizes achievement in promoting understanding of the U.S. Congress and legislative politics. The lecture was co-sponsored by the AU School of Public Affairs' Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.
The speaker at this year's lecture was Wendy Schiller at Brown University.
The recording of this event is available here.
Hail to the Chiefs of Staff
October 13, 2021 | 12 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
In this webinar, the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics, AU's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and AU's School of Communication brought together two former Presidential Chiefs of Staff to lead a conversation on consensus building and policy solutions and how each tackled these challenges in their important roles. We explored both Chief of Staff perspectives from their experience inside the oval office and highlight key policy areas for creative consensus and policy solutions for the future. This event featured two former chiefs of staff, Joshua Bolten & Jacob J. Lew, & moderator Tara Palmeri. Watch here if you missed it.
A Conversation with James E. Clyburn: The Decline in Congressional Capacity & Prospects for Reform
April 8, 2021 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
A Conversation with James E. Clyburn, U.S. House Majority Whip (D-SC), was held on April 8, 2021 at 6pm ET. He reflected on his experience and offered his perspective on the Biden administration, the prospects for racial progress, and the state of U.S. democracy.
View the recording of this event here.
James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy with Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett
March 24, 2021 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
To celebrate the illustrious career of Distinguished University Professor James A. Thurber, American University hosted the James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy. In these public conversations, Professor Thurber partnered with leading experts/authorities on democratic vitality to examine the grave dangers that threaten the American Experiment, and examined the precarious-yet-possible pathways to achieving a “more perfect union.”
The third and final conversation on Wednesday, March 24 featured Robert Putnam (renowned political scientist, author of The Upswing and Bowling Alone)and Shaylyn Romney Garrett (co-author with Robert Putnam of The Upswing).
This event series was sponsored by American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, the Kennedy Political Union, and the United States Capitol Historical Society.
View the recording of this event here.
James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy with Anne Applebaum
February 24, 2021 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
To celebrate the illustrious career of Distinguished University Professor James A. Thurber, American University hosted the James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy. In these public conversations, Professor Thurber partnered with leading experts/authorities on democratic vitality to examine the grave dangers that threaten the American Experiment, and examined the precarious-yet-possible pathways to achieving a “more perfect union.”
The second conversation on Wednesday, February 24 featured Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Historian, author of Twilight of Democracy and GULAG: A History.
This event series was sponsored by American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, the Kennedy Political Union, and the United States Capitol Historical Society.
View the recording of this event here.
The Future of the GOP
February 3, 2021 | 4:30 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
Where does the Republican Party go now that Trump has lost? Does it reclaim the mantle of conservatism? Does it continue its populist march? Does it remain in Trump’s grip? CCPS Director David Barker explored these questions with three prominent thought leaders within the GOP:
- Sara Fagen (CEO of Deep Root Analytics, contributor to ABC News and former White House Political Director)
- Henry Olsen (Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and columnist for the Washington Post)
- Tevi Troy (Presidential historian, former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, former Senior White House aide)
Recording of the event is available here or above.
Congress Overwhelmed: The Decline in Congressional Capacity & Prospects for Reform
February 2, 2021 | 12 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
Congress Overwhelmed, an important new book edited by Timothy M. LaPira, Lee Drutman, and Kevin R. Kosar, presents the provocative thesis that a decline in congressional capacity is responsible for much of our contemporary political dysfunction. The book's essays explore topics such as the role of congressional pay in developing expertise and why the efficacy of the legislature has lagged behind other branches of government. Perhaps most importantly, Congress Overwhelmed highlights the many ways in which our political outcomes could be improved by fundamental structural reforms.
Professor Bettina Poirier, Director of AU's Program on Legislative Negotiation and former Congressional staffer sat down with LaPira, Drutman, and Kosar and discussed their ideas for fixing the problems that currently ail Congress.
This event was sponsored by the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, the Program on Legislative Negotiation, the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics, and the R Street Institute.
James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy
January 29, 2021 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
To celebrate the illustrious career of Distinguished University Professor James A. Thurber, American University hosted the James A. Thurber Dialogues on American Democracy. In these public conversations, Professor Thurber partnered with leading experts/authorities on democratic vitality to examine the grave dangers that threaten the American Experiment, and examined the precarious-yet-possible pathways to achieving a “more perfect union.”
The first conversation on Friday, January 29 featured U.S. Senator Cory Booker, who is also the author of United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good. Watch the recording here.
This event series was sponsored by American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, the Kennedy Political Union, and the United States Capitol Historical Society.
2020 Events
Third Annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture
November 17, 2020 | 6 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
This event was the third annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture. The American Political Science Association's inaugural Barbara Sinclair Lecture commemorates the life and scholarship of renowned scholar of legislative politics, Barbara Sinclair. Speaker selection recognizes achievement in promoting understanding of the U.S. Congress and legislative politics. The lecture was co-sponsored by the AU School of Public Affairs' Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.
The speaker at this year's Lecture was Rick Hall from the University of Michigan.
View a recording of this event here.
Presidential Pre-Election Event
November 2, 2020 | 12 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
This event was a partnership between CCPS, the Sine Institute for Policy & Politics, the Women & Politics Institute and the American University Washington College of Law to discuss the 2020 election.
Panelists included:
Bob Bauer, Professor of Practice & Distinguished Scholar in Residence, NYU Law
Ben Ginsberg, Political Law Advocate
Erinn D. Martin, Policy Counsel for the Public Policy Project, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law
This event was moderated by Louis Caldera, Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, WCL.
Perspectives on the U.S. 2020 Presidential Election
Friday, October 30, 2020 | 3 p.m. ET - 5 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
This event was a partnership between CCPS and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship. With only a few days left before the 2020 US election, the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship has invited a group of academic experts to comment and reflect upon the main issues at stake on November 3 based on their current research. The panel centered around five important themes in addition to addressing how close the presidential election and Senate races will be. First, panelists addressed race and ethnicity in the US presidential election, the changing electorate as well as how the protests against police violence and racial injustice related to this election. Second, the gender gap in vote choice and masculinity in the US Presidency also played a role in our panel, as well as the challenges and benefits of the possibility of a female VP, and women's representation as candidates in congressional races. Third, the panel considered how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the state of the race. Fourth, our experts looked at the accelerating political realignment that is taking place around intellectualism and anti-intellectualism in the US. Finally, panelists also considered the US presidential election from a Canadian perspective.
The panel featured:
David Barker (American University)
Marc Hetherington (University of North Carolina)
Jennifer Lawless (University of Virginia)
Valeria Sinclair Chapman (Purdue University)
Debra Thompson (McGill)
The panel was moderated by Dietling Stolle (CSDC, McGill).
The roundtable was followed by a Q&A.
View a recording of this event here.
African American "Swing" Voters: 2020 and Beyond
September 29, 2020 | 12 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
This event featured speakers Prof. David Barker, Sam Fullwood, and Leonard Steinhorn discussing the results of the Black Swing Voter Study, which were released in July 2020.
This event was co-sponsored by the Sine Institute and the AU School of Communication.
View the recording of this event here.
View the American University Black Swing Voter Study Summary report here.
Interpersonal Relationships and Legislative Action in the U.S. Congress
September 21, 2020 | 1 p.m. ET
Via Zoom
Does the nature of interpersonal relationships among and between representatives of senators affect legislative action in the contemporary Congress? Predominant scholarship on Congress largely ignores the interpersonal dimensions of life on Capitol Hill, but research in other fields, including psychology, finds that relationships are crucially important to success within organizations and in the workplace. James Curry (University of Utah) and Jason Roberts (University of North Carolina) present research explaining when, how, and under what circumstances the nature of interpersonal relationships among lawmakers can affect legislative behavior and action. Their work draws on interviews with high-level congressional staff and data on CODEL trips taken by members of Congress.
This event is part of the GOVT Seminar Series and is sponsored by the School of Public Affairs, the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, and the Program on Legislative Negotiation.
View the recording of this event here.
2019 Events
Second Annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture
November 18, 2019 | 6 p.m.
Warren Building, Terrace Level, Room NT01
The American Political Science Association and the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies invite you to the second annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture. Awarded to a prominent congressional scholar, this lecture is given in honor of Dr. Sinclair’s significant and lasting contributions to the study of Congress. Professor Frances Lee of Princeton University delivered this year’s lecture.
Impeachment: The Constitutional Remedy of Last Resort
November 6, 2019 | Lunch Served: 12 p.m. | Panel: 12:15 - 1:30 p.m.
Stephen S. Weinstein Courtroom, Washington College of Law
Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law Louis Caldera and two attorneys — Daniel Freeman and Alan Baron — who worked for the House Judiciary Committee on every impeachment inquiry in the past 40 years discussed the impeachment process including the House’s role in an impeachment investigation and its adoption of articles of impeachment, as well as the Senate’s role in the subsequent trials. They also discussed the philosophy behind the creation of the impeachment remedy contained in the constitution and how effective that philosophy has been. Panel hosted by David Barker.
View the video recording of this event here.
What will Determine the Democratic Presidential Nomination?
October 23, 2019 | Lunch Served: 1 p.m. | Panel: 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Mary Graydon Center, Rooms 3 & 4
Who will capture the Democratic nomination? What are the factors that will determine it? What will it mean for the Democrats’ chances in 2020, the future of the Democratic party, and the most important issues of the day? Our panel of experts discussed and debated these questions.
View the recording of this event here.
Fact-checking in the 'fake news' era
October 22, 2019 | 10 - 11:30 a.m.
AEI, Auditorium | 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW | Washington, DC 20036
Rising political polarization and declining trust have created an American “marketplace of realities,” where politicians feel less constrained by verifiable facts. Media fact-checking has been a way to ensure accountability and provide factual information in this environment. However, increasing polarization and declining trust in news organizations have muddied the waters in which journalists present and verify factual information. Despite fact-checking’s growing ubiquity, many challenges remain: How can fact-checking efforts leverage new technology, respond to shifts in the political and cultural landscape, and prepare us to be well-informed citizens leading up to the 2020 election and beyond?
Please join AEI for a presentation by David Barker, author of “One Nation, Two Realities: Dueling Facts in American Democracy” (Oxford University Press, 2019), followed by a panel discussion on the current state of fact-checking and challenges faced by those working in this industry.
Georgia Governor's Race
Voter Suppression, Electoral Fraud, Voter Intimidation, or Malpractice?
Contested elections decided by narrow margins bring forth the fault lines of election administration and politics. Last November, the Georgia Governor’s race was decided by approximately 50,000 votes out of 3.9 million votes cast. A five-year voter registration report collided with the Georgia election administration political bureaucracy. There are lawsuits and congressional investigations underway to determine if all the citizens of Georgia were treated fairly and if all their votes counted. The campaigns of both Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp turned a Governor’s race into the equivalent of a presidential election. SPA Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Bill Sweeney walked us through the details of registering, voting and counting in Georgia.
2018 Georgia Governor Race Presentation
The Christian Right in the Trump and Post-Trump Eras
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Auditorium
1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Donald Trump was not the first choice of many conservative Christian voters for the 2016 Republican nomination. However, they strongly backed Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and they remain among Trump’s most ardent supporters. Are conservative Christians, in backing Trump, wagering that his policies are worth the baggage? Or have their priorities fundamentally changed? More broadly, the percentage of Republicans who attend church regularly and who identify as Christian traditionalists is dropping, and the issues that animate Trump’s GOP appear different than those of the 1990s and 2000s. At a time of growing secularization, rising religious pluralism, and identity-based political polarization, has the role of Christianity in the Republican Party fundamentally changed?
Polarization and Political Discourse in the U.S.
March 21, 2019
4:00—6:00PM EST
Thomas Jefferson Building, Room LJ-119
David C. Barker, Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Professor of Government at American University as well as the author of One Nation, Two Realities with Morgan Marietta (forthcoming 2019), and Lilliana Mason, Professor of Government at the University of Maryland and author of Uncivil Agreement (2018), are nationally recognized experts on the roots and manifestations of political polarization. They will take part in a discussion moderated by Kluge Center Director John Haskell on how political discourse has become so degraded, and what to look for in the future. A reception with refreshments will follow.
For More Information contact Andrew Breiner(202) 707-9219
Request ADA accommodations 5 days in advance at 202-707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.
EPAAI Information Session
March 7, 2019
5PM EST
Kerwin 237
Are you interested in Lobbying & the EU? The European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute (EPAAI) invites you to learn more!
EPAAI is a week-long course abroad focusing on the strategies & tactics of policy advocacy within the EU. Scholarships available!
Getting Congress Beyond Gridlock
With David Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Sunday, January 27, 2019
6 PM EST
The Bier Baron Tavern
1523 22nd Street NW, Washington DC
2018 Events
Barbara Sinclair Lecture
November 27, 2018
6:00pm EST
Constitution Hall
The American Political Science Association and the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies hosted the first annual Barbara Sinclair Lecture. Awarded to a prominent congressional scholar, this lecture was given in honor of Dr. Sinclair’s significant and lasting contributions to the study of Congress. Professor Sarah Binder of George Washington University and the Brookings Institution delivered this inaugural lecture.
Trade Relations with the European Union
November 20, 2018
6:30pm - 8:30pm EST
2175 K Street NW, Washington DC
Join YPFP and the EU delegation to the US for a discussion about trade relations between the EU and the US. Given the President's announcement of a potential trade deal, come hear European Union experts talk about their perspective of trade relations as they stand and what might be in the future.
Congress and the Separation of Powers
Noontime Lecture
Join Us Monday, November 19, 2018
noon - 1 p.m., Congressional Meeting Room North
Calling It Quits! Voluntary Departures from the U.S. Senate, 1919-2018
Marvin Overby, fellow at the Library of Congress' Kluge Center, explores the rise of the voluntary departures as the primary source of Senate turnover. This talk, which compliments the exhibit, Congress and the Separation of Powers, is presented in partnership with the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.
President Carter: The White House Years\
Friday, November 16, 2018
Presented by Stuart E. Eizenstat
The definitive history of the Carter Administration from the man who participated in its surprising number of accomplishments—drawing on his extensive and never-before-seen notes. Join Stuart Eizenstat as he discusses his book and reflects on his long career in public service, including his time as chief White House domestic policy adviser to President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981). His book has won wide praise from publications from The New York Times and Washington Post to The National Review, National Interest, and Moment Magazine. Lunch included!
C-SPAN Q and A
David Barker and Molly Reynolds on President Trump and a Divided Congress
American University’s David Barker and Brookings' Molly Reynolds talked about how President Trump might work with a divided Congress. They also spoke about the history of presidents who have worked with Congresses of the opposition party.
Post-Midterm Election Panel Discussion
Thursday, November 8th
12:00PM Lunch
12:30PM Panel Discussion
Kerwin Hall, Room 301
Find out What Just Happened? Breaking Down the 2018 Midterm Elections with our panelists Dr. David Barker of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, Amna Mawaz of PBS Newshour , Dr. Jan Leighley of the School of Public Affairs, and Jonathan Martin of The New York Times. Panel discussion moderated by Betsy Fischer Martin of WPI.
The Dynamics of the 2018 Midterm Elections
October 11, 2018
A discussion with leading political and government experts as they discuss the dynamics and repercussions of the 2018 elections.
Webcast
Congress and the Separation of Powers
September 25, 2018
Join us for a discussion at the Capitol Visitor Center that will bring together an ideologically diverse group of academics and experts to take a closer look at the relationship between the three branches of government, and especially Congress’s role in shaping the Executive and Judicial branches over time.
Panel Videos
Three Branches and Separation of Powers
Separation of Powers and Civil Rights
The President, Congress, and Party Polarization
Learn more
The Politics of Truth Conference
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Perceptions of factual reality now come in partisan shades of red and blue, rendering large swaths of the American citizenry stubbornly misinformed and ever more disdainful of inter-partisan cooperation. What are the factors, specifically, that drive such dueling fact perceptions? What are the ensuing consequences? And how effective are the correctives to misinformation that reformers have proposed?
March 28, 2018
American University's Constitution Hall
8:00 am to 7:00 pm
Moderated by
David C. Barker, Director of SPA's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Liz Suhay, American University
Betsy Fischer Martin, American University
Arthur Lupia, University of Michigan
Diana C. Mutz, University of Pennsylvania
Ron Elving, National Public Radio and American University
Progressives, Conservatives, and Bipartisan Cooperation?
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Please join us for a conversation with U.S. Rep. David Brat (R-VA) and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) about their respective political philosophies and opportunities for finding common ground.
February 13, 2018, at American University
AU Constitution Hall
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Featured Speakers
David Brat (R-VA)
Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
Moderated by
Professor Jan Leighley, Department of Government
Foreign Lobbying in Congress
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Please join SPA's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies to celebrate and discuss the publication of Congress and Diaspora Politics: The Influence of Ethnic and Foreign Lobbying by SUNY Press.
January 30, 2018, at American University
SIS Founders Room
12:00 pm to 1:45 pm
Lunch will be provided
Featured Speakers
Colton C. Campbell, National War College
David A. Dulio, Oakland University
Gregory C. McCarthy, Former Congressional Staffer
Eric Lipton, New York Times
Moderated by
James Thurber, American University
2017 Events
David Barker, Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies invites you to:
Trump is (Un)Doing More Than You Think
A Conversation About the Short and Long Term Impacts the Trump Presidency is Having
Wednesday, November 29 at American University
Mary Graydon Center Room 3
12:00 pm to 1:45 pm
(Lunch served at noon. Program starts at 12:15 pm)
Panel Included:
Eric Lipton, The New York Times
Chris Edelson, American University
Moderated by David Barker, American University
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
Why The Senate Is Broken
Monday, October 30 at American University
Mary Graydon Center Room 2
12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
(Lunch served at noon. Program starts at 12:15 pm)
Panel Included:
Molly Reynolds, The Brookings Institution
Jennifer Victor, George Mason University
Donald Wolfensberger, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Bipartisan Policy Center
James A. Thurber, American University
Moderated by David Barker, American University
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
Rivals for Power
Rivals for Power: Presidential Congressional Relations
An Assessment of President Trump's Relationship with Congress
Monday, September 18
American University
Mary Graydon Center
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Room 203-205
Upon the publication of Rivals for Power: Presidential Congressional Relations and President Trump's nine months in office, this forum assessed his accomplishments and failures working with Congress
Panel Included:
Professor James A. Thurber, American University*
Professor Jordan Tama, American University *
Professor Patrick Griffin, American University*
Professor David Karol, University of Maryland
*Contributors to Rivals for Power
The Speeches of President Kennedy
CCPS and the Kennedy Political Union invite you to:
The Speeches of President Kennedy
Wednesday, March 8
6:30-8:30 PM
Ward Circle Building, Room 1
Join author Anders Agner and actor Caspar Phillipson (Jackie) as they share stories of JFK and presents speeches given by the 35th President.
Co-sponsored by Kongressen.com, The Embassy of Denmark, and Real Clear Politics.
Limits on Presidential Power
The Challenge of Setting Limits on Presidential Power Under the Trump Administration
Please join CCPS on February 1 at 12:30 in Mary Graydon Center Room 245.
Panel to include:
Amanda Terkel, Politics Managing Editor/Senior Political Reporter-The Huffington Post
Joe Gaeta, Senior Advisor and Director of Oversight for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Ian Millhiser, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress & Justice Editor, ThinkProgress
Moderated by Chris Edelson, Assistant Professor of Government in American University's School of Public Affairs
Lunch will be served
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
The Transition and the First 100 Days of the Trump Presidency
Join CCPS on Tuesday, January 24th
American University
Mary Graydon Center Room 5
Noon- 1:45pm
Panel to include:
Daniel J. Fiorino, Distinguished Executive in Residence and Director of the Center for Environmental Policy in the School of Public Affairs at American University
Neil Kerwin, President of American University
Martha Joynt Kumar, Director of the White House Transition Project
Janice Lachance, President-elect of ASPA - American Society for Public Administration
Howard McCurdy, Professor of Public Affairs in the Public Administration and Policy Department at American University
Moderated by James A. Thurber, Distinguished Professor, Department of Government and Founding Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Lunch will be served
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
2016 Events
What Happened and Why? AU Experts Analyze the 2016 Election
Thursday, November 10th
American University
Mary Graydon Center, Rooms 3 and 4
12:00pm-2:00pm
Panel to include:
Sam Garrett, Specialist in American National Government, Congressional Research Service, Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, Department of Government
Eric Hershberg, Professor, Department of Government, Director, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies
Jennifer Lawless, Professor, Department of Government , Director, Women & Politics Institute
Jan Leighley, Professor, Department of Government
Betsy Fischer Martin, Executive in Residence, School of Public Affairs
Molly O'Rourke,Executive in Residence, School of Communication
Moderated by Candice Nelson, Professor, Department of Government and Interim Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Lunch will be served
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
Tales from the Trail: AU Alumni Share Their Experiences in the 2016 Elections
Tuesday, November 15th
American University
Mary Graydon Center, Room 5
10:00am-Noon
Panel to include:
Anne Caprara, Executive Director, Priorities USA Action
Rick Davis, CNN Executive Vice President of News Standards and Practices
Scott Goodstein, Founder and CEO of Revolution Messaging, the digital firm of the Sanders for President Campaign
Noah Gray, CNN Producer embedded with the Trump Campaign
Polson Kanneth, Senior Editorial Producer, CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper
Ed O'Keefe, Political Reporter, The Washington Post
Moderated by Candice Nelson, Professor, Department of Government and Interim Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Refreshments will be served
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
SPA Latino Scholars Speakers Series
Professor Francisco Pedraza, University of California, Riverside
"Latinos, Elections, and the Making of Cautious Citizenship"
Friday, November 18
11am-12:45pm
Mary Graydon Center, Room 2
Professor Aileen Cardona-Arroyo, Southern Methodist University
"Persuasive News Coverage: Examining the Role of Media in Shaping Policy Opinions on Immigration"
Monday, November 28
12:00-2:00pm
Mary Graydon Center, Room 5
Moderated by Candice Nelson, Professor, Department of Government and Interim Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Lunch will be served
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
Join WPI and CCPS at our upcoming election forum
Wednesday, September 28th
5:30 PM
Kreeger Lobby
Katzen Arts Center
"Can the 2016 elections get any crazier, more exciting, or more unpredictable?"
Find out from out experts:
Anna Greenberg, Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner
Jim Hobart, Public Opinion Strategies
Hans Noel, Georgetown University
Panel discussion moderated by Jennifer Lawless
Light refreshments will be served.
RSVP by September 22nd to Lauren Reeves at wpi@american.edu or 202.885.2903
What Gridlock and Polarization Mean for American Democracy
WHEN: Friday, May 6, 2016 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: Bipartisan Policy Center, 1225 Eye St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20005
Partisan polarization has deep roots in and a large impact on our political system. As polarization has worsened, Congress and the administration have been less willing and able to confront some of the largest public policy questions facing the country. Is the status quo sustainable?
Join us, along with the National Capital-Area Political Science Association, on May 6 as a panel of contributors to the new book American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization weigh in on polarization in the public, national institutions, states, and media and the implications for the future of functioning American democracy.
Join the discussion on Twitter: @BPC_Bipartisan #BPClive
Featuring:
David Karol, Associate Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland
Jennifer L. Lawless, Professor of Government, American University
James A. Thurber, Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University
Moderated by: John Fortier, Director of the Democracy Project, BPC
Barack Obama and Executive Power: Has the President Exceeded His Bounds?
The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (CCPS) and the National Capital-Area Political Science Association (NCAPSA) invite you to this lunchtime panel:
Wednesday, April 6
American University
Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Panel to Include:
Louis Fisher, Scholar in Residence at The Constitution Project
Shirley Anne Warshaw, Professor of Political Science at Gettysburg College
Jeffrey Crouch, Assistant Professor at American University
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber: Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor
Assessing the Bush and Obama Post 9/11 Presidencies: Continuity, Change and the Future of National Security Power
Thursday, March 3rd
American University
Mary Graydon Center Room 200
12:30pm-2:00pm
Panel to Include:
Chris Edelson, Assistant Professor of Government, School of Public Affairs at American University
Mary B. DeRosa, Distinguished Visitor from Practice Co-Director, Global Law Scholars Program at Georgetown Law School
Scott Roehm, Vice President of Programs and Policy at The Constitution Project
Jordan Tama, Assistant Professor in the School of International Service at American University
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor
Annual Latino Public Affairs Forum
Latinos represent the fastest growing population in the United States, increasing 43% between 2000 and 2010, and they are the leading edge of a demographic change transforming the U.S. into a "majority minority" country. As of 2012, 17% of the U.S. population, or 53 million people, identified as Latino. Their influence upon the direction of national politics, culture, economic trends, and a broad range of other issues, will only increase.
Recognizing the dynamic role of Latinos in U.S. public life, American University's Annual Latino Public Affairs Forum (ALPAF) seeks to convene academics, community advocates, policy experts, journalists, students, and other stakeholders, to address key questions and topics of concern for Latinos. Each year the Forum will focus on a significant public policy domain that is both impacted by and important to Latino communities in the U.S. ALPAF is also intended to better connect the findings of academic research with the efforts of different stakeholders and important policy and political debates around these topics.
CLALS and the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies will jointly sponsor the second Annual Latino Public Affairs Forum, to take place on Monday, February 29, 2016, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the SIS Abramson Family Founders Room. This forum will consider the impact of the Latino vote on the current presidential election cycle.
AU Experts Forecast the 2016 Election
Panel to Include:
Glen Bolger, Partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies and CCPS Research Fellow
Anna Greenberg, Senior Vice President of Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner and CCPS Research Fellow
Jennifer L. Lawless, Professor of Government and Director of the Women & Politics Institute
Allan Lichtman, Distinguished Professor of History and author of The Keys to the White House, (forthcoming early 2016, Rowman & Littlefield)
David N. Wasserman, U.S. House Editor, Cook Political Report
Moderated by James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor at American University
CCPS Sponsored the Election Assistance Commission conference on August 12 and 13 held at the School of Public Affairs at American University.
2015 Events
AU Experts Forecast the 2016 Election
Tuesday, November 17th
11:30 AM Lunch
12:00 PM Discussion begins
SIS Founders Room, American University
Panel to include:
Glen Bolger, Partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies and CCPS Research Fellow
Anna Greenberg, Senior Vice President of Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner and CCPS Research Fellow
Jennifer L. Lawless, Professor of Government and Director of the Women & Politics Institute
Allan Lichtman, Distinguished Professor of History and author of The Keys to the White House, (forthcoming early 2016, Rowman & Littlefield)
David N. Wasserman, U.S. House Editor, Cook Political Report
Moderated by James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor at American University
Lunch will be provided
Please RSVP to wpi@american.edu or 202-885-2901
CCPS Alumni Reception: Your Success is Our Success!
October 8, 2015
6:00 PM
Mary Graydon Center 2-5
You are invited to join the Campaign Management, Public Affairs & Advocacy, and European Public Affairs & Advocacy Institutes in celebration of three decades of success! Mingle with former classmates and hear from CCPS faculty and AU notables. RSVP to ccps@american.edu.
Please click here for parking information, maps, and directions to the University.
The Obama Administration: Legal Issues Involving the Use of Military Force
Thursday, April 23
American University
Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge
12:00pm-2:00pm
Panel to Include:
Chris Edelson, Assistant Professor of Government, School of Public Affairs at American University
Lou Fisher, Scholar in Residence, The Constitution Project
Shoon Murray, Associate Professor, School of International Service at American University
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor.
Please RSVP to ccps@american.edu or 202-885-3491
Keynote Address by Gary King to Honor Distinguished Alumnus Jeff Gill
Professor Gary King, Albert J. Weatherhead III University Professor, Institute for Quantitative Social Sciences at Harvard University presented his research on the Chinese censorship apparatus, at a keynote given on January 30th.