Election 2024: Berkeley scholars explore the complex dynamics of a historic campaign
UC Berkeley's experts are researching, reaching out and offering solutions during a tumultuous 2024 election season.
Democracy News Alliance/news aktuell via AP
October 25, 2024
While few would have expected this year’s presidential campaign to be tame, the run-up to Nov. 5 has brought historic levels of tumult, from May’s felony conviction of Donald Trump to the July announcement that Kamala Harris would replace Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee — and now fears of interference and violence that could disrupt the election itself.
As election day nears, Trump and Harris appear deadlocked in the swing states that will likely decide the race. UC Berkeley experts have been following the developments closely, working to understand the forces swaying the American electorate and what’s next for our polarized nation.
Their work spans the breadth of academic disciplines, from political science and law to computer science, psychology, history and journalism. Berkeley scholars have undertaken cross-disciplinary efforts on broad subjects like disinformation and free speech, resulting in research and policy recommendations with far-reaching impact. They’ve analyzed what Trump’s historic felony conviction could mean for the rule of law and the linguistic roots of what Harris’ voice reveals about her identity. They’ve compared the history of fascism to our present era, examined what it takes to keep liberal democracies alive, and considered the role that racial resentment has played in the Jan. 6 rebellion and the MAGA movement.
And they’ve taken an influential role in shaping the discussions and the interventions that could help us bridge our troubling divides and come together again as a community and a nation.
Below, read more about work UC Berkeley researchers have done related to the election, democracy, and more.
