Politics

As a professional political scientist (what exactly does that mean, anyway?), I am often asked my thoughts on current events to which I immediately respond that being a political scientist doesn’t mean that I actually have an opinion on specific current events. The fact of the matter is that I studied political science for the “science” inherent in political science. I don’t care about specific political events; I care about the nature of political science itself. While some people care about the horse racing aspects of politics, I care about why and how people think about the way political events take place. I like looking at 1855 and trying to see how things have changed so that if the same events happen tomorrow, how would people think and act on those events today.

But yes, I do care about specific events that are happening today. I have an opinion on whether or not we should be sending non-citizens back to native countries from where they came. Or should we be deporting people to countries they’ve never visited ever in their past. How can you not have opinions about such things?

Part of me is bothered by the lack of concern that most people have about political issues. Or about the lack of knowledge young people have about practically any political issue. Do you know that most people in the United States can’t figure out how to find Canada on a map? Even worse, I suspect the majority of Americans can’t find the United States on a map either. We like to think that’s not possible, but make the challenge (and take away their smart phones) and they will generally…