U.S. election experts and SFU Public Square event

As the world watches in anticipation of the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election, American citizens surge to the polls to cast their votes. In the midst of a pandemic and with the country increasingly divided, issues of health and human rights are at stake. 

On Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., SFU Public Square is hosting “What’s at Stake?” a virtual event featuring a panel of experts addressing the key issues and concerns at play in the U.S. election campaign.

The speakers include SFU political scientists and others, joined by moderator and political science professor Steven Weldon. They will address how key groups of voters especially underrepresented voters may influence the outcome, and how the current government’s handling of the global COVID-19 pandemic may affect the country’s future. 

CONTACT:

STEVEN WELDON, professor, political science 
steven_weldon@sfu.ca      

THE FOLLOWING EXPERTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO THE U.S. ELECTION:

POLITICS

ROBERT ADAMSON, lecturer, Beedie School of Business 
radamson@sfu.ca
Topics: political strategy and COVID-19 issues, the impact of vaccines and COVID issues on the US election, legal and constitutional issues about masks and vaccines, new rules in the workplace and other issues that may impact the election.

SAMIR GANDESHA, associate professor, Department of Humanities 
samir_gandesha@sfu.ca
Topics: policing, racial politics, authoritarianism/fascism/populism, crisis of liberal-democracy, identity politics, “cancel culture,” free speech/expression and academic freedom.

ANIL (ANDY) HIRA, professor, political science 
ahira@sfu.ca
Topics: the rise of populist leaders such as President Trump in 2016-17 and how times have changed through social movements and the effects of COVID-19; why the 2020 U.S. election will mark a historic turning point as the majority of Americans have a desire for systemic reform; turnout and voting challenges, senate races, the potential Biden agenda.

STEWART PREST, lecturer, political science
stewart_prest@sfu.ca
Topics: the presidential and congressional races, implications of the election for Canada and Internationally. 

ENVIRONMENT

DEBORAH HARFORD, Executive Director of Adaptation to Climate Change Team (ACT) debbie_harford@sfu.ca
Topics: climate change impacts, risks and strategic solutions for U.S. election.

COMMUNICATION

SUN-HA HONG, assistant professor, communications
sun_ha@sfu.ca
Topics: online disinformation, hate speech, online platform moderation, U.S. election.

MAITE TABOADA, professor, linguistics
mtaboada@sfu.ca
Topics: Gender representation in the coverage of the election, media coverage, fake news and misinformation, online comments.

CONTACT 

MELISSA SHAW, SFU  Communications & Marketing 
236.880.3297 | melissa_shaw@sfu.ca

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