How Political Scientists Can Create Effective Public Engagement

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Session Description

In the panel we discuss the process of writing for a general audience and the utility and appropriateness of using political science research as a lens to analyze relevant questions related to current events.

As Americans enter a period where the legitimacy of some political institutions, norms, and procedures are disrupted, political blogs provide a venue for social scientists to bring empirical, theoretical, or normative information to the public sphere in a way that journalists and popular writers may not. Social scientists tend to write primarily for an academic audience in a style that may not translate well to the broader public. However, political scientists have useful and relevant insights to offer, and there’s no need for us to wait for reporters to call us. Political blogs provide an appropriate venue for this type of communication.

We provide direct advice for blogging in terms of style, getting started, writing for other blogs, or starting one’s own blog. We discuss our experiences and what the challenges we think political bloggers face in effective public engagement.

Also, editors from The Monkey Cage will describe its mission, outline submission guidelines, provide advice for writing for this medium, and present evidence of the impact that public engagement can provide to scholars.

Sub Unit

• Theme Panel

Chair

• Jennifer Nicoll Victor George Mason University

Presenters

• Jennifer Nicoll Victor George Mason University

• Julia Rezazadeh Azari Marquette University

• Gregory Koger University of Miami

• Seth E. Masket University of Denver

• Jonathan M. Ladd Georgetown University

• John W. Patty University of Chicago

• John M. Sides George Washington University

• Laura Seay Colby College

• Joshua A. Tucker New York University