April 10 FrankTalks lecture looks into source of country’s political divisions

Franklin Tomorrow’s 2017 FrankTalks Lecture Series will continue Monday, April 10, at Townsend Hall, located upstairs in the Residents’ Club at Westhaven. The start time for this FrankTalks will be 1 p.m.

Vanderbilt University Professor Marc Hetherington will present on the topic of Political Trust and The Origins of Deep Divisions in Our Country. Professor Hetherington’s work focuses on the polarization of public opinion. He has written three scholarly books; his most recent publication is Why Washington Won’t Work. Please join FrankTalks as they tactfully approach this topic.

Beverages and light refreshments will be available for participants to enjoy.

To RSVP, click here.

Hetherington’s areas of expertise include voting, public opinion polls, media coverage during a campaign, anti-government campaign rhetoric and how trust in government affects elections and public policy. In addition, some of Hetherington’s research looks at how one’s preferred parenting style affects one’s political persuasion.

In September, the American Political Science Association awarded Hetherington the Philip E. Converse Book Award for Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics, a book he co-wrote about the causes and effects of political divisiveness.

Franklin Tomorrow partnered with Vanderbilt University’s Office of Neighborhood, Governemnt and Community Relations to expand the frequency of FrankTalks in 2016 to a monthly program. It is free and held at various locations across the city. Special thanks to Westhaven for kindly donating Townsend Hall for this April program.