Monday, May 6, 2024

1:00 to 3:00 PM ET

[Zoom Link]

Join us for an introductory session led by Elise Blasingame, a political scientist and community advocate from Atlanta, Georgia. This session is tailored for those new to the complexities of US democracy, providing essential insights into America's Founding principles, the structure of its government branches, the dynamics of the Dual-Party System, and the practical mechanics of elections and voting. It's a perfect opportunity to brush up on foundational knowledge before delving deeper into how US politics shapes the Canada-US relationship throughout the Fellowship.

In this session, we will discuss:

• America's Founding and Constitutional Context

• The Branches of U.S. Government

• The Dual-Party System - Democrats vs Republicans

• Conditions Impacting Politics in the U.S.

• How elections and voting works in practice

AGENDA

1:00 pm - 1:05 pm: Intro to the program and Elise Blasingame by Camara Chambers

1:05 pm - 2:55 pm: Facilitated workshop taught by Elise Blasingame

2:55 pm - 3:00 pm: Concluding remarks and feedback

READING MATERIALS

There are no mandatory pre-session reading materials, but as this session will specifically focus on America's democractic system, if you are curious to learn more about the comparison between America and Canada's democracies, these resources will provide a succint overview:

• Article: Federal Elections Comparison Table, Elections Canada

• Report: Canadian and American Governance: A Comparative Look, International, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations, Alberta

• Article: The Branches of Government, Parliament of Canada - a simple overview of Canada's democratic system