The Trump Phenomenon, Social and Policy Implications

BMI, in association with the School for Social and Policy Studies, held a workshop in order to understand the social and political aspects of the recent presidential elections in the USA .

Leading scholars and professionals shared their views and insights on the topic.

Agenda

16:15 Gathering

16:30 Greetings: Prof. Raanan Rein, Vice President of Tau Prof. Itai Sened, Chair of the Department of Public Policy, Founding Head, School of Social and Policy Studies

16:40-17:10 Keynote Lecture: William T. Bianco, Department of Political Science, University of Indiana – Bloomington View Presentation

17:10-18:00 Panel #1: Towards a Civil and Substantive Electoral Discourse

Should election procedures and rules evolve to adapt to the new forms of communication which contribute to an angry and negative public discourse?

Moderator: Ophir Pines Paz, Former Minister of Interior and Head of the Institute for Local Government, Department of Public Policy

Participants:

Dr. Daniel Dor, Department of Communication, TAU

MK. Nachman Shai, Head of Knesset Lobby for Israel-U.S. relations

Ms. Allison Kaplan Sommer, Columnist, Haaretz newspaper

18:00-18:50 Panel #2: From Alienation to Involvement

The Brexit referendum and the U.S. elections suggest that increasingly large segments of society feel estranged from the decision makers and the centers of power. Can policies that better engage alienated elements of society be designed?

Moderator: Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, Former Ambassador of Israel to USA and President Emeritus of Tel-Aviv University

Participants:

Prof. Gil Troy, Presidential Historian, McGill University, 2015 fellow, Brookings Institute and political commentator

Dr. Eilon Schwartz, Director of Shaharit, Creating Common Cause

Steven Miller, Professional & Political consultant for the Presidential PAC, 2016

Karen Umansky, Ph.D. Student, TAU Department of Public Policy View Presentation

18:50: Closing Remarks: Prof. Alon Tal, Visiting Professor, Department of Public Policy, TAU