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Polis Student Committee x Patman Fellow’s Trip to Washington, DC

“Polis was the proud host for the 2nd annual Healing Politics Campaign School. Healing Politics serves to inspire and train nurses and midwives from across the country to run for elected office. The Campaign School consisted of four days of workshops and lectures focused on campaign development, communications and media strategy, and finance and fundraising fundamentals…”

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Combating Hate and Bias Recap: The Unifiers

“The final panel of the Combating Hate and Bias Conference centered on “fostering transformative conversation across differences.” The panel consisted of a cross-disciplinary group of researchers and leaders who have incorporated disparate or oft-overlooked groups into critical political conversations. The Panel included Professor Jed Atkins, Professor…”

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Congressman David Price Appointed to the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges

Polis Distinguished Fellow Congressman David Price was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.  His appointment coincides with the passing of…

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Professor Kristin Goss on Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, The Washington Post

Sanford Professor Kristin Goss was quoted in the Washington Post on gun reform and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an organization advocating for stricture gun laws founded by Shannon Watts. Approximately 140 volunteers of the organization were elected to office this past midterm election. Professor Goss, citing the work and successes of Watt’s organization, says “Nothing drives me crazier than when people say 20 [children] were killed and nothing changed. That is not true.” She argues that although Congress did not pass any sweeping gun legislation, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America have been a pivotal force in the movement. Still, Watt’s is hoping for more change. When Congress did little after Sandy Hook, she realized she needed gun-sense candidates to run for office. Goss states that the organization “knew a real key to success would not just be policy change, but a change in personnel; you needed to change who was making the decision about gun policy.”

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Professor Nick Carnes, The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

December 23rd is the release date for Sanford Professor Nick Carnes and co-author Carrol University Professor Lilly J. Goren’s book, The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They argue that the MCU is “a deeply political universe,” touching on all realms of government, public policy, and society. 25 leading scholars help explore various modern day political issues including civil-military relations, racial injustice, environmental catastrophe, political misinformation, and themes of diversity and representation. This is the first book to take a deep dive into the political messages within the MCU and ask the question, “What lessons are this entertainment juggernaut teaching audiences about politics, society, power, gender, and inequality?”

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Polis Recap: Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt

“Described as a “rising star” in politics, Mayor David Holt (R) is the youngest mayor that Oklahoma City has had in nearly a century and the first Native American to serve in the position. He joined POLIS for a conversation about his pathway to public service, his strategies for governing a “purple” city in a highly partisan age, and his conviction that elected officials can and should tell voters difficult truths…”

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Rural Conference Recap: The Politics of Rural Identity

“Rural Communities and the Politics of Identity featured Pastor Danny Ellis, North Carolina Representative James Gailliard, Executive Director of Tyrrell County CDC Mavis Hill, Duke Professor Jay Pearson, Duke Master of Public Policy Candidate Jaquell Sneed-Adams, and North Carolina Senator Mike Woodard on diversity and political identity in rural communities…”

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Rural Conference Recap: Contrasts and Connections

“Contrasts and Connections included panelists Kevin Austin, Chair of Yadkin County Commissioners; Linda Brown, President of Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce; and Patrick Woodie, President of the NC Rural Center. They discussed economic opportunities that have been unfolding in rural and urban communities, workforce development, and the role new businesses play in shaping economic development, particularly focusing on providing opportunities for young residents…”

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“From Presidential Campaigns to Corporate Public Relations Strategizing, How Do You Use Polling to Win Over People’s Hearts and Minds?,” by Chloe Nguyen ’24

This was the question American pollster and political strategist Joel Benenson attempted to answer during an hour-long talk with Polis Distinguished Fellow Ambassador Miriam Sapiro…

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National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Speaks to Duke Students about Biden Administration’s Priorities, Challenges

“National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Duke students about the Biden administration’s current national security challenges and priorities for the year over Zoom Thursday evening…”

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The Democrats’ Countrypolitan Problem in North Carolina: Progressive Challenge and Opportunity by Mac McCorkle and Rachel Salzberg

The Democrats’ Countrypolitan Problem in North Carolina: Progressive Challenge and Opportunity Mac McCorkle and Rachel Salzberg Jan 25, 2022 Share on Facebook 𝕏 Share on…

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Can Comedy Reconcile Political Difference? A ‘Daily Show’ Writer Weighs In

Becoming a lawyer was not a proactive choice for Zhubin Parang, but rather a default option after graduating from college. “Law was possibly the most safe profession that I could think of at the time that did not require knowing math,” he said. That might help explain why after practicing corporate law for four years, Parang decided to quit his job and pursue a career in comedy. But, as he said in a talk this month to POLIS and Sanford School of Public Policy students, it also explains why he’s comfortable doing comedy with a political edge.

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When Democracy Declines: Panel Explores the Challenges to Sustaining Freedom

Mike Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, and Sanford School Dean Judith Kelley shared a timely message in a Feb. 25 panel discussion: Democracy is “not a one-way street,” and democratic nations can fall back into authoritarianism.

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U.S. Rep. Scott Peters on Whether the New Democratic Majority Can Unify the Country

Duke University boasts seven alums currently serving in the U.S. Congress. On February 18, Duke University welcomed its third of the 2018-2019 academic year: Scott Peters ’80, who spoke to Duke students at the Sanford School of Public Policy.

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Ex-Clinton Spokesman Issues Caution: “We As a People Don’t Like One Another”

Mo Elleithee, former spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign and later for the Democratic National Committee, has no interest in partisan politics. During a talk last week at Duke, Elleithee explained why.

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Different Perspectives, Similar Messages on Gun Violence and Regulation

After the 2018 mass shooting in his Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill at the Tree of Life synagogue, where his parents were married and his closest friends regularly attended services, junior David Frisch began planning a campus panel discussion on how to reduce gun violence.

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Duke Women Campaign Workshop on 11/10 — Sign Up Now!

On Saturday, November 10 from noon to 2:00pm in McClendon Tower (5th floor), Running Start instructor Krysta Nicole Jones — who led an introductory on-campus training in McClendon back in January — will lead a newly conceived workshop titled “Charting Your Course to Elected Office: Developing a Personalized Calendar for Your Future Run.”

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They Work Across the Political Spectrum, But These Activists Share the Same Passion

Three local activists from across the political spectrum described the joys and challenges of citizen activism at an April 17 panel in the Sanford School’s Rhodes Conference Room, sponsored by Duke’s Center for Political Leadership, Innovation, and Service (POLIS).

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Profiles in Political and Civic Engagement: Colin Duffy

Leading up to the election, Colin Duffy, at the time the president of Duke College Republicans (DCR) and a junior computer science and economics major, faced a difficult challenge: half of the club wanted to endorse the Republican nominee Donald Trump, while the other half wanted to avidly disavow him and endorse a third-party candidate.

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Voices from Egypt: Panel Takes a Crash Course on a Presidential Election

Nearly 40 students, faculty, and community members took a crash course on Egyptian politics on March 1 at the Sanford School of Public Policy, exploring Egypt’s complex history and how the growing power of the country’s president and his muzzling of civil society is affecting one of the most important countries in the Middle East.

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Congressman Seth Moulton Calls Students to Public Service

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) practices what he preaches. On Thursday, the U.S. Marine Corps veteran sat down with Duke POLIS Director Fritz Mayer and nearly 200 members of the Duke community to discuss topics ranging from bipartisanship to guns. Throughout the event, Moulton brought it back to having the courage to serve.

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Pollster Neil Newhouse on the Data Underlying America’s Stark Political Divide

On January 30, Neil Newhouse, Republican pollster and Duke Alum (BA’74), spent half a day with Duke students to share perspectives on polling, contemporary politics, and Washington, DC careers. His visit was sponsored by POLIS: Duke’s Center for Political Leadership, Innovation, and Service.

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During a Day with Students, Journalist Michael Kruse Draws Connections Between Political Reporting and Citizenship

On January 29, Politico senior reporter Michael Kruse spent half a day on campus with Duke students to share insights on political reporting and our current state of politics. His visit was sponsored by POLIS: Duke’s Center for Political Leadership, Innovation, and Service and was cosponsored by the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy.

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Leaders for Political Dialogue Tackles Polarization

A student-led initiative on college campuses  in North Carolina is tackling one of the most important issue of our time – political polarization. The project, called Leaders for Political Dialogue, convenes students from Duke, N.C. State, UNC and N.C. Central. Students spend a weekend learning how to communicate better with those whose political opinions may differ from their own. In this episode of the Policy 360 podcast, Kelly Brownell talks with the founder of the project, as well as three participants.

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