New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie takes interdisciplinary look at election

With an eye on history, law, political science and journalism, USC Gould School of Law Dean Franita Tolson welcomed New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie on Nov. 7 for the law school’s signature Conversation with the Dean series.

Bouie, whose commentary offers historical context for present-day events, engaged in an interdisciplinary retrospective on the presidential race. The discussion between Bouie and Tolson centered around a comparative historical analysis of the election — examining various eras of American history, societal movements, Supreme Court cases, and the evolution of parties and strategies.

“With each Conversation, our goal is to deepen our understanding, by engaging directly with thought leaders who are advancing dialogue on important topics. This week, the most prominent topic at the forefront of national discourse was the election,” said Tolson, an election law scholar.

The Conversation with the Dean series is in its 18^th year at USC Gould.