In this episode, Fred Lawrence sits down with UCLA Professor of American Politics and Public Policy Lynn Vavreck to explore the evolving landscape of American elections. Drawing from her childhood experiences and decades of research, Vavreck examines how modern data analytics have transformed the study of political campaigns, why traditional television advertising still matters in a digital age, and how a shrinking "movable middle" continues to decide pivotal races. From pervasive public discontent and declining faith in the “American Dream”, she addresses where she finds hope for political revitalization and the critical role imaginative leadership can play in moving the country forward. 
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Lynn Vavreck

Professor Lynn Vavreck is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at UCLA. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a contributor to The New York Times, a recipient of the Andrew F. Carnegie Award in the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the author of six books, including The Bitter End: The 2020 Presidential Election & the Challenge to American Democracy. Her 2016 book, Identity Crisis, was named the “most ominous” book of 2018 by the Washington Post Book Review, and Nate Silver dubbed her 2012 election book the “definitive account” of that election. From 2019-2021, she helped develop and manage Nationscape, a 500,000-interview election survey, and from 2020-2022, she ran the UCLA Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, a collaboration between medical doctors and social scientists at UCLA and Harvard. At UCLA, she teaches courses on campaigns, elections, public opinion, and the 1960s.  Professor Vavreck holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she remains a loyal Browns fan and is a “known equestrian” – to draw on a phrase from the 2012 presidential campaign.

About Key Conversations 

 

Key Conversations with Phi Beta Kappa is a podcast featuring in-depth conversations between Fred Lawrence, Secretary/CEO of Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars. With a new episode released monthly, each podcast invites listeners to take a seat at the table to learn more about the featured Scholar's background, research, and how they have taken their respective paths to where they are now, and where they are headed. 

Since 1956, the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program has been offering undergraduates the opportunity to spend time with some of America's most distinguished scholars. The purpose of the program is to contribute to the intellectual life of the campus by making possible an exchange of ideas between the Visiting Scholars and the resident faculty and students.​
 

Our Host

Frederick M. Lawrence is the 10th Secretary and CEO of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. An accomplished scholar, teacher and attorney, he is one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights, free expression, and bias crimes. Learn More.

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