Clarkson University Political Science Professor Dr. Stephen Bird will present “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Polarization & Energy in Canada and the U.S.” on Wednesday, February 5 at 4 p.m. in Snell 213. Dr. Bird is the 2020 speaker for the ISE Clarkson Keynote Lecture Series. His original invited keynote lecture was delivered at the Positive Energy Conference, Ottawa, Canada, April 23, 2018.
There are growing concerns for polarization and a polarized public (divided political extremes) in the U.S., Canada, and democracies globally. Disagreement in democratic systems is expected but a public that is highly polarized (with sharply contrasting sets of beliefs) reduces stability and creates potentially dysfunctional governance. Energy and environmental issues are one of the lightning rods of polarized opinion in North America. This research demonstrates some of the factors driving polarization and considers how it functions in the realm of energy and the environment. The implications for the global energy transition are extensive. The talk will focus on the hows and whys of polarization, and demonstrate that polarized opinion is a mix: fragmented (split with moderate views), polarized (split and concentrated at extremes), and areas of agreement.
Dr. Stephen Bird is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Adirondack Semester at Clarkson University. He is jointly appointed with Humanities and Social Science and the Institute for a Sustainable Environment. He is Research Faculty Affiliate with the Positive Energy Project at the University of Ottawa where he was also the Fulbright Scholar Visiting Research Chair in Governance and Public Administration in fall 2016. His current and past research focuses on split incentives & smart housing, energy conflict, microgrid governance, factors in energy acceptance (fracking, solar, wind), green data centers, energy poverty, and environmental activism.
The ISE Clarkson Keynote Lecture Series celebrates the achievements of the Clarkson faculty. Our faculty are invited to deliver keynote and plenary lectures at conferences across the world. The ISE Clarkson Keynote Lecture Series honorees deliver these lectures to us at home, with modifications for a broader audience. The topics for the ISE Clarkson Keynote Lecture Series are in the broad area of sustainability and the environment.
If you are interested in nominating someone, including yourself, for the ISE Clarkson Keynote Lecture Series, please send an email to ise@clarkson.edu.
