UPCOMING PROGRAMS
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FALL 2026
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, UI DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND HAWK THE VOTE
Political scientist Caroline Tolbert examines one of the central questions facing modern democracies: Who votes, who does not, and why? Drawing on research from the United States and other democracies, she explores how electoral rules, voting laws, demographic factors, and political trust, partisanship, and other factors shape participation and representation.
How does the United States' two-party system influence whether voters feel they have meaningful choices at the ballot box? How do closed primary elections affect the nearly 30 million Americans who identify as independents in states that restrict their participation? Which election laws strengthen voter participation, election administration, and confidence in election outcomes—and which may create barriers to voting?
The talk examines major election policies and proposed reforms, including no-excuse absentee voting, early in-person voting, automatic voter registration (AVR), online registration, same-day registration (SDR), voter identification requirements, documentary proof of citizenship, redistricting, campaign finance, and reforms to primary elections. Attendees will also learn how public trust in elections influences participation and confidence in democratic institutions.
The presentation provides an evidence-based overview of why voter participation varies across groups and countries, how election rules shape participation, and the tradeoffs policymakers face in balancing election integrity and ballot access. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the policies that influence who participates in elections and how those choices affect our democracy.
Who Votes, Who Does Not, and Why?
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30PM
Iowa City Public Library
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: > CLICK THIS LINK <
Hosted by ICFRC board member Christine Shea
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE UI INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM
Please join us for a special Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration event co-hosted by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, the University of Iowa Press, and the International Writing Program. A multidisciplinary conversation with authors and teachers, the panel will address how indigeneity features in their work and lives, and the ways that lived experiences and storytelling are both rich and vibrant personally and sources of resistance and of a reclamation of spiritual, political and cultural identities.
Amber Esau is the author of Hungus, her debut poetry collection published earlier this year, and co-editor of a queer poetry anthology, Spoiled Fruit (2023). She has performed her poetry extensively, and her work has been published in various journals and anthologies in Aotearoa-New Zealand. She is working on a mixed media speculative fantasy novel set in the South Pacific. Her participation is made possible by a grant from Creative New Zealand.
Monique Malcher is a writer, journalist, and visual artist born in Santarém, in western Pará, Brazil. She holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology (UFPA) and an Interdisciplinary PhD in Human Sciences with a focus on gender studies (UFSC). She currently resides in São Paulo. Her first book, Flor de Gume (Moinhos Publishing), won the Jabuti Literature Prize in 2021 in the short story category. Malcher is the second woman from northern Brazil to win a Jabuti in the literature category. Flor de Gume was also published under the title Flor de Filo by Fondo de Cultura Económica in Mexico (2025). Her first novel, Degola (2025), was released by Companhia das Letras (1st edition) and is already in its second reprint. Her participation is made possible by the generous support of Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. and other donations made to the International Writing Program.
William Green is the author of This is the Route of my Fathers: The 1837 Ioway Map and served as archaeologist at the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office, state archaeologist at the University of Iowa, and director of the Logan Museum of Anthropology and chair of the museum studies program at Beloit College. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Joy of Indigeneity: Storytelling as Resistance
Monday, October 12, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30PM
Iowa City Public Library
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: > CLICK THIS LINK <
Hosted by ICFRC board member Kristy Nabhan-Warren
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UI POLITICAL SCIENCE, JOHNSON COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, CITY OF IOWA CITY, AND UI HAWK THE VOTE
In the final program of the fall series, Professor Barry Burden paints a picture of the U.S. election system and discusses ways to implement a hopeful vision for securing the integrity of its elections, building trust in the nationwide, decentralized elections system, and ensuring accessibility for all people eligible to vote. Sharing case studies and the work of scholars, pro-democracy civil society organizations, and political actors committed to a fair and robust electoral process, he explores the practical importance of increasing civic engagement, representation, and political accountability. Following Burden's presentation and his discussion with Professor Caroline Tolbert and Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons, attendees will see how a clear-eyed, actionable, and optimistic approach can lead to stronger political norms and greater voter confidence—and how it takes a large tent coalition from all political and ideological persuasions to realize such a system.
Barry C. Burden is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also Director of the Elections Research Center and is the Lyons Family Chair in Electoral Politics. His research and teaching are based in American politics, with an emphasis on electoral politics and representation. He is co-editor of The Measure of American Elections, author of Personal Roots of Representation, and co-author of Why Americans Split Their Tickets: Campaigns, Competition, and Divided Government. Burden has also published articles in the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Science Quarterly, and Electoral Studies. Burden is affiliated with the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Center for Demography of Health and Aging, the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership, and the Election Administration Project.
Caroline Tolbert is a Distinguished University Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa, where she regularly teaches American government, campaigns and elections, public policy, and social media and politics. She was named a 2021 Andrew Carnegie Fellow for her research on voting and elections. She is a coauthor of The Problem with Primary Voters: Participation, Representation, and Consistency (2026, UPenn). She is also a coauthor of Accessible Elections: How the States Can Help Americans Vote and Choosing the Future: Technology and Opportunity in Communities, both with Oxford University Press. Other books on technology and politics include Digital Cities, Digital Citizenship, and Virtual Inequality: Beyond the Digital Divide, ranked one of 20 best-selling titles in the social sciences by the American Library Association. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and many nonprofits. She recently served as Vice President for the American Political Science Association. Her work is driven by an interest in strengthening American democracy, increasing political participation, and improving representation. Tolbert was named a Collegiate Scholar at the University of Iowa for outstanding research and teaching in 2009. The award is given annually to the top professor standing for promotion to full professor throughout the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is the recipient of a 2024 Career Achievement Award from the State Politics section of APSA. She received her PhD from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Julie Persons is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she double majored in Religious Studies and Dance. After college she worked in retail management for many years before ending up at Transamerica in Cedar Rapids. For over 10 years, she was in the retirement department specializing in pension plans. Due to an interesting turn of events, Julie was appointed as the mayor of Swisher in December 2023. This appointment made her the first female mayor of Swisher. With the unexpected vacancy of the County Auditor seat in 2024, Julie was recruited by the Johnson County Sheriff to run for office. She won the party nomination through a special convention and was on the 2024 ballot. As the Auditor, Julie is not only responsible for the elections department for the county, but she also oversees the county payables, real estate, and minutes departments. Outside of work, Julie has stayed involved with Swisher on their Parks and Recreation Board and volunteers as the Communications Advisor for Alpha Xi Delta sorority at the University of Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts.
Futureproofing Democracy
Towards Hopeful and Achievable Elections in the US
Friday, October 23, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30PM
UI Old Capitol - Senate Chambers
Reception with Refreshments 5-6:00 P.M.
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: > CLICK THIS LINK <
Hosted by ICFRC Executive Director Peter Gerlach
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, UI INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND UI INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION MONTH COMMITTEE
To celebrate International Education Month, this program features students speaking about their most meaningful "glocal" (where/how the global and the local intersect) experiences while at the University of Iowa.
Using the unique presentation style of Pecha Kucha, meaning “chit-chat” in Japanese, presenters will have six minutes to share 20 timed slides. Their stories and images focus on culture and curiosity from diverse perspectives–and the lessons they’ve learned about life as students in a wide world. A panel discussion with Q&A will follow the presentations.
Nhelia Alemo is a third-year university of Iowa student pursuing a bachelor's in political science and master's in public affairs. She is a Congolese American born in Kinshasa and raised in the Midwest. Her global experiences have been grounded on my identity and navigating cultural differences from her upbringing and the outside world. She has taken initiative through policy writing and college extracurriculars to continue expanding her global competency, including being part of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council intern program.
Ellie Godsoe is a fourth year student from Buffalo, New York, studying English and Creative Writing and Screenwriting with a minor in International Studies. She participated in the Irish Writing Program in Dublin, Ireland, in the summer of 2024. This past summer, she returned to Dublin to complete an internship with Fishamble, an internationally acclaimed Irish theatre company. After graduating, Ellie intends to pursue an MFA in writing to continue interacting and connecting with unique perspectives from across the world.
Sean Keene is a fourth-year student from Columbia, Missouri, majoring in political science, journalism, and Spanish, with a focus on Latin American politics. Sean has participated in four unique programs during his time at Iowa, studying in Spain, Chile, and Paris, and interning in Rome. After graduating, he plans to attend grad school to earn a Ph.D. in political science and international relations. As of this moment Sean has been to 25 countries and wants to try and get to 30 before graduating in May.
Andrés Restrepo-Sánchez is a PhD candidate in Sociocultural Anthropology, whose research explores the connections between reproductive justice, obstetric violence, and birth reform in Medellín, Colombia. He earned a BS in Nursing and an MA in Cultural Studies in Bogotá, Colombia, and then moved to Iowa in 2021 to pursue his PhD with the support of a Fulbright scholarship. Andrés is also a birth doula, tarot reader, crochet and puzzle enthusiast, and RPG and fantasy fan.
Harry Siraj is a first-year law student at the University of Iowa College of Law and a recent University of Iowa graduate, where he studied Political Science and graduated with high distinction and Phi Beta Kappa honors. Originally from Kerala, India, Harry is passionate about exploring the different facets of the legal field as he begins his law school journey. Outside the classroom, his interests include art and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Glocal at Iowa
Me - Iowa - the World
Friday, November 6, 2026
11:30 AM - 1:00PM
Iowa City Public Library
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: > CLICK THIS LINK <
Hosted by Yifan Wu
