In September of 2024 the Department of Politics gathered for a panel discussion titled (Mis)representation in Politics and celebration in honor of the department's 100th anniversary. Professors Helen Milner, Tanushree Goyal, Leonard Wantchekon, Frances Lee, Paul Frymer, and Jan-Werner Müller spoke about representation and misrepresentation as seen from their various subfields. Joe Stephens from the Program in Journalism and Humanities Council acted as moderator.

The idea of representation is ubiquitous in politics. Most often we think of representation by elected officials, such as legislators and executive officers. We also speak of representation by the media and by unelected officials and interest groups. And we observe representation in nondemocratic states—representation without accountability. At the transnational level, citizens’ interests are represented by states, and sometimes by NGOs as well. Across all these spheres, representation can be more or less effective. It can go well or badly, so that misrepresentation also occurs.

A panel drawn from our faculty will consider political (mis)representation in the context of their particular research interests, and in political science more broadly. What is representation? What is the difference between representation that goes well or goes badly? What are the trends in the quality of representation in different areas of political life?

 

 

 

After the discussion, members of the department, accompanied by University President Chris Eisgruber and Dean of the Faculty Gene Jarrett, continued the celebration with a reception in the Louis A. Simpson Atrium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography and video by David Kelly Crow.