Politics

The Ford School is proud to co-sponsor an event with Wallace House Presents, featuring New York Times columnists Bret Stephens and Lydia Polgreen, alongside ABC News’s María Elena Salinas, in conversation with Stephen Henderson of Detroit PBS.  

This panel will discuss a diverse range of priorities and voting patterns of Asian American & Pacific Islander voters and communities.

Dive into the key forces shaping the 2024 election and explore reforms that could strengthen democratic engagement for the future.

A panel looking at the diverse range of voices, priorities, and voting patterns of Latinx voters and communities.

In a time of profound division, embracing diverse perspectives becomes a catalyst for meaningful change. How do we transcend boundaries to cultivate an environment committed to fostering honest, caring, and courageous conversations?

Please join us for a special film screening and post-film conversation on the 2024 documentary War Game. 

Join Jonathan Van Ness for a live recording of his "Getting Curious" podcast, themed on Getting Out the Vote, which will feature U-M scholars and students. 

Have a question for our panel? Submit your question at: https://myumi.ch/4rPZ4Two high-profile advocates from opposite ends of the political spectrum seek ways to connect and communicate about the most important issues facing the country. 

The Ford School community will have access to tickets of the UMS production of Fight Night, an interactive drama experience that gives a new perspective about the democratic process. An exclusive discussion with the show's director and cast members will follow the performance.  On the brink of a presidential election that people on both sides have called the most consequential in history, Belgium’s extraordinary Ontroerend Goed offers a fun and thought-provoking, examination of free will and politics that puts electronic voting devices — and the candidates’ fates — directly into the hands of audience members.

Join us for an inside look at how the FBI is tackling the evolving threats to U.S. elections, from cyberattacks to terrorism. Deputy Director Abbate will discuss the FBI's latest strategies and hard-earned lessons in defending democracy.

Registration required. Photo ID required for entry. At the Ford Library, state and county election officials from six battleground states will convene for a first-of-its-kind forum on safeguards in the election process. The “Ballots and Battlegrounds” town hall will be an excellent opportunity in this historic election year to learn directly from election officials as they gather together. Secretaries, chief election officials, and county leaders will go through each stage of the election process and describe in detail the systems’ safeguards.

An examination of single-payer healthcare policy 

A day-long "Conference on Electoral Mechanics, Processes, and Expectations for Fair and Credible Elections" presented by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, the Ford School of Public Policy, the Carter Center, and More Perfect.

In recent years, the process for securing elections has been called into question. So how do elections really work? What systems are in place to ensure open, fair voting for all?

Join the Ford School's Center for Racial Justice for a panelist discussion about the current immigration policy landscape and the implications for the upcoming election.

An exhibition of political cartoons and caricatures by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant relating to the Ford years.

Please see the following resources to find out about voting in Michigan.

The State of Michigan allows for nine (9) days of in-person early voting.

Join Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Ford School alumna, Stacy Dean, as she discusses her career and the challenges to improve nutrition for all Americans.

Fordies, we welcome you to join us for a gathering on faith, spirituality, and public policy. Led by our very own Ford School professor Dr. Ann Lin.

Join us for a fireside chat with Charles Luftig, Deputy Director for National Intelligence Policy and Capabilities, as we commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA). Moderated by Javed Ali, this conversation will explore current intelligence and envision a future shaped by advances in technology like open source intelligence, social media, artificial intelligence, and language learning models.

Join the Center for Racial Justice for an inspiring night of conversation with our '23-'24 Visiting Fellows. 

Former United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), will join us to discuss the intricate relationship between health equity and economic resilience in Africa. Dr. Songwe's insights will highlight Africa's role in global power dynamics and strategies for asserting its agency amid evolving economic landscapes.

Join the Center for Racial Justice in welcoming Dr. Clarence Wardell III, Senior Program Officer on the Economic Mobility and Opportunity team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for a virtual workshop on the importance of service design in ensuring equitable access to key government programs. 

This discussion, hosted by the Ford School Student Affairs Committee (SAC) will focus on how to create more inclusive communities and the politics around identity. 

The Michigan Presidential Primary is February 27th which is during Spring Break. But don’t worry: Michigan now has nine days of early voting! Please join our amazing student-led organization Turn Up the Turnout (TUT) for an all-community lunch and Walk to the Polls on February 20, 2024, 11:30-1:00.

Meet Mark Jacobson, a seasoned veteran who has made significant contributions to NATO, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and held key roles at the Department of Defense. Mark's journey spans academia and military service.

Our Food for Thought series is returning this Wednesday, January 31 from 11:30-12:50 in the Annenberg Auditorium. Our discussion topic will be “The Vital Role of Students in the Presidential Election,” and we will be joined by a panel that includes Abdul El-Sayed, Rusty Hills, Landon Myers, Erica Reilly, and Naomi Garcia. Food for thought attendance is limited to Ford School students, faculty, and staff. Pizza will be provided on a first-come first-serve basis.

Join Washington Post journalists and editors as they discuss their investigative series, "The gun that divides a nation," which examines the devastation caused by AR-15 assault rifles as well as the weapon's allure in segments of American society. Presented in collaboration with Wallace House Center for Journalists.