Julian Zelizer to present 2020 Phi Beta Kappa lecture on the crises of American democracy, 3/5

February 28, 2020

Julian E. Zelizer, the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University will present a discussion of the historical context to the challenges facing our democratic institutions at the 2020 Phi Beta Kappa lecture, “The Crises of American Democracy” at the Bloustein School on Thursday, March 5, 2020 beginning at 5:00 p.m. It will be held at the Gov. James J. Florio Special Events Forum, Civic Square Building, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ.

The event is organized by Phi Beta Kappa, Rutgers University and the Rutgers Office of Undergraduate Education with support provided by the Bloustein School. It is free and open to the public. Guests are invited to join us for a networking reception with Dr. Zelizer beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the lobby area outside of the Florio Special Events Forum.

During the Trump presidency, the challenges facing our democratic institutions become clear. Voting restrictions, disinformation, and rampant partisanship pose immense threats to the long-term health of our politics. In his talk, Professor Zelizer will provide historical context to these issues and offer a path forward after 2020.

Julian E. Zelizer is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University and has been one of the pioneers in the revival of American political history. He is the author and editor of 19 books on American political history, including most recently Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party (Penguin Press). Zelizer is also a frequent commentator in the media. He has published over nine hundred op-eds, including his weekly column on CNN.Com and serves as co-host of Politics and Polls, http://politicspolls.princeton.edu. He has received fellowships from the Brookings Institution, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, New America, and the New York Historical Society.

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