Place Your Bets: Election 2012

With the presidential campaign underway, can you keep track of this week’s frontrunner? Race, religion, the economy, and other forces continuously sway voters’ decisions. Examine some surprising issues that influenced President Obama’s 2008 victory and the wild cards at play for voters today.

Program

Lafayette Park Hotel — 3287 Mount Diablo Boulevard

Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door

6–7 p.m. — Light refreshments, a no-host bar, and special recognition of members of The Charter Hill Society

7–8:30 p.m. — Faculty presentation and audience Q&A

Charles Henry is the H. Michael and Jeanne Williams Chair of African American Studies. He served on the National Council on the Humanities for six years under President Clinton and is the author/editor of several books and articles on black politics, public policy, and human rights. He received the Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in 2008.

Gabriel Lenz, an assistant professor of political science, researches what influences citizens’ political decisions and how to improve their choices. His forthcoming book is Judging Politicians: Do Policy and Performance Matter? His articles have appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Behavior, and Political Psychology.