Trust in Government and Science during the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2020 Presidential Election

Trust in Government and Science during the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2020 Presidential Election

Presenter(s)

Benjamin Joseph Crawford, Gillian R. Leone

Comments

Presentation: 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., Kennedy Union 331

Description

This panel includes two presentations and a moderated discussion:Paper 1 - “Political Passion, Engagement, and Trust—and Trump” by Ben CrawfordPaper 2 - “’My Body, My Choice’: Abortion Rights, Public Health, and Trust during the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Gillian LeoneThe period since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has been unique in terms of trust (or mistrust) in government, science, and public health experts. The pandemic arrived during a particularly contentious time in our history, with a tumultuous and contested presidential election occurring in its midst. These two papers use 2020 American National Election Study data to explore topics related to trust in government and science, including the determinants of political trust, passion, and engagement; voting behavior; and attitudes on abortion rights, public health mandates, and vaccines. Ben’s paper began as an undergraduate Capstone project and continued as a graduate independent study, while Gillian’s paper began as a collective in-class project during POL 300 Religion and Politics in Fall 2021. Ultimately, the papers reinforce the democratic values of public trust, engagement, and respectful dialogue in society to weather political and medical crises (and crises of conscience).

Publication Date

4-20-2022

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Joshua D. Ambrosius

Primary Advisor's Department

Political Science

Keywords

Stander Symposium project, College of Arts and Sciences

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Trust in Government and Science during the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2020 Presidential Election

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