This fall, the University of California, Santa Cruz will host the 2024 U.S. Elections Forum Series: Power, Politics, and Our Democracy, a six-part event series designed to foster open dialogue and engage students and the public in critical conversations about democracy, media, and voter participation. The series will provide tools for participants to navigate today’s rapidly shifting political landscape and empower them to take part in shaping the future of the country.
A significant focus of the forum is to encourage critical thinking around the role of media, power, and identity in the political process. The kick-off session organized by Merrill College on Oct. 2, called Navigating the Media Landscape: Critical Media Literacy in the 2024 Elections, will bring together renowned scholars and experts to discuss how to identify misinformation, bias, and propaganda. Other sessions throughout the month will focus on topics including polarization, identity politics, and how philanthropy shapes political power. Overall, the series will support UC Santa Cruz’s commitment to fostering informed democratic engagement.
As part of UC Santa Cruz’s broader mission to empower student voters, the campus was recently recognized with a Silver Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for its impressive 2022 campus voting rate, as reported by the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) from Tufts University. This award underscores the university’s ongoing efforts to increase voter turnout and prepare students to be active participants in the democratic process.
The Silver Seal recognizes campuses with a voting rate of 30-39 percent during the 2022 midterm elections, an achievement that places UC Santa Cruz among the nation’s leaders in promoting student participation in democracy.
With the upcoming 2024 U.S. Elections Forum Series, UC Santa Cruz is reaffirming its commitment to educating and empowering its students and the community to actively engage in political discourse and the democratic process. All events are free, open to the public, and available online. You can find more information and register for events on the Institute for Social Transformation’s website.
Event Lineup:
- Wednesday, October 2, 2024 | 7:00–8:30 PM
Navigating the Media Landscape: Critical Media Literacy in the 2024 Elections
Explore how media shapes public perception, and learn strategies for identifying misinformation and bias in election coverage. (online event) - Wednesday, October 9, 2024 | 7:00–8:30 PM
Identity in Focus: Media Representations and the 2024 Presidential Election
Examine how media portrayals of race, gender, and class influence political narratives and voter behavior. (online event) - Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 7:00–8:30 PM
U.S. Elections and Democracy in Deeply Polarized Times: What are the Stakes and Opportunities?
A roundtable with UC Santa Cruz Politics Department faculty exploring the broader stakes of the 2024 elections and their implications for U.S. democracy. (in-person or online event) - Tuesday, October 15, 2024 | 5:30–7:00 PM
Moving Money and Moving Power: Philanthropy Isn’t Neutral
A conversation with Dr. Carmen Rojas of the Marguerite Casey Foundation on the role of philanthropy in shaping political and social power. (in-person or online event) - Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 7:00–8:30 PM
Engaging Digital Democracy: Tools for Addressing Political Dis- and Misinformation
Learn from experts about how to navigate the challenges of misinformation in digital spaces and foster a healthier democratic discourse. (in-person or online event) - Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | 7:00–8:30 PM
Decoding the Headlines: Top News Stories, Misinformation, and the 2024 Presidential Campaign
Analyze top news stories from the 2024 campaign and understand how misinformation influences public opinion and democratic processes. (online event)
The series is co-sponsored by: Institute for Social Transformation, Merrill College, The Humanities Institute, Science and Justice Research Center, Politics Department Democratic Discourse and Engagement Initiative, Kresge College, John R. Lewis College, and College Nine.
