Podcast
So, Is It Fascism?
Jonathan Rauch joins the podcast to discuss why he now believes “fascism” accurately describes Trump’s governing style.
Policy Brief
Celebrities Strengthening Our Culture of Democracy
This study provides an analysis and evaluation of how celebrity engagement impacts civic participation in the United States. When and why do celebrities decide to use their influence to encourage civic engagement? What difference do their actions make?
A healthy democracy can be measured in many ways, with a core marker being the level of engagement in the process of electing public representatives. Unfortunately, despite record-breaking voter participation levels in recent elections, the United States still ranks 31st out of 50 developed nations in terms of eligible voter participation. Lagging voter engagement and rising distrust of political institutions weaken our democracy.
Today, many celebrities are involved in efforts to help boost civic interest, engagement, and participation while building goodwill with their fans. Celebrities, defined broadly as famous people, are distinctively positioned to tackle this critical issue because of their ability to garner media coverage, attract large crowds, reach their fans, and influence society.
This study focuses specifically on what celebrities are doing and can do, to promote voter participation, including voter education and mobilization efforts. However imperfectly, the impact of these efforts can be measured by examining whether they lead people to take actions related to voting, such as registering to vote, requesting a ballot, and casting a ballot.
More from this Program
Podcast
Beyond MAGA: What Trump’s Coalition Really Looks Like
Drawing on new data from more than 10,000 Trump voters, this episode of Terms of Engagement unpacks the diverse constituencies behind the MAGA label.
Podcast
Can Venezuela Still Reclaim Democracy?
As Venezuela grapples with authoritarian collapse and a controversial U.S. operation that removed Nicolás Maduro, Freddy Guevara joins the podcast to discuss what Venezuelans are feeling and what democratic renewal might actually look like.
Podcast
So, Is It Fascism?
Jonathan Rauch joins the podcast to discuss why he now believes “fascism” accurately describes Trump’s governing style.
Podcast
Beyond MAGA: What Trump’s Coalition Really Looks Like
Drawing on new data from more than 10,000 Trump voters, this episode of Terms of Engagement unpacks the diverse constituencies behind the MAGA label.
Podcast
Can Venezuela Still Reclaim Democracy?
As Venezuela grapples with authoritarian collapse and a controversial U.S. operation that removed Nicolás Maduro, Freddy Guevara joins the podcast to discuss what Venezuelans are feeling and what democratic renewal might actually look like.