The Ohio Union is on south campus and is a gathering place for many student organizations. The Undergraduate Student Government will host a “Politics in Perspective” panel there Thursday night.
Credit: Zachary Rilley | Lantern Photo File
Students and professors will come together for an open and civil discussion surrounding politics during a “Politics in Perspective” panel hosted by the Undergraduate Student Government Thursday night.
The panel, which will be held at 8 p.m., in the Ohio Union Maudine Cow Room, aims to foster a respectful conversation between attendees, according to a USG post. Angad Dhillon, a third-year in microbiology and director of governmental relations for the group, said the main focus is to create a space where those on campus can have their opinions heard while listening to others around them and responding in a civil and respectful manner.
“We have a goal in [our committee] and USG to get students to talk about some difficult topics in a civil way, even if you don’t agree with those perspectives,” Dhillon said. “As a community that’s so diverse at OSU, it’s so important to respect everybody’s opinions, especially around these hot-button issues that will be coming up here.”
The event will feature three professors who are experts in their fields and fall at different places on the political spectrum, Dhillon said, including associate professor of journalism practice Nicole Kraft.
“One of the things that I really try to cultivate in my classes is just a respect for everyone’s viewpoints and a respect for the opinions that may differ from your own, and the willingness to listen to each side,” Kraft said.
With higher voting participation rates than ever, Dhillon said it’s important for students to learn how to not only discuss their views with their peers but to also become more aware of politics in general.
“Politics from the local to federal level affect us in our everyday lives,” Dhillon said. “Whether we believe it or not, it’s very important for us to stay engaged.”
Other professors speaking include Christopher Gelpi, a professor in the Department of Political Science, and Amy Schmitz, a full professor at the Ohio State Moritz College of Law.
The event will allow for conversations on several divisive political topics such as abortion, gun control and climate change, with the group’s goal being to prompt productive conversations between individuals of all identities, according to a post by USG.
“The answer is not to ignore what people are saying that we don’t agree with,” Kraft said. “The answer is for us to continue talking and hope that we can help each other understand, and we can come to a space where we all have respect for the state we’re living in, and for democracy as a whole.”
Editor’s Note: This story includes an interview from Nicole Kraft who teaches several classes in the journalism program and often advises The Lantern on varying matters.
