Political science experts lecture on presidential election | Politics

Professors Dr. Kenny Whitby and Dr. Lee Walker will speak during Georgia College’s first Alumni Distinguished Lecture Series this fall.

The Georgia College alumni and political science experts will present “Race, Religion and Group-Based Voting in the 2012 Presidential Election” at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Arts and Sciences Auditorium.

“The lecture will focus on the effect of group-membership on turnout in American presidential elections and the implications of these group-based tendencies for the 2012 presidential election,” said Dr. Roger Coate, Paul D. Coverdell Endowed Chair of Policy Studies at Georgia College. “After the lecture, the speakers will create breakout groups with attendees to discuss this year’s election further.”

The event is free and open to the public.

Both alums teach at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.

Whitby, ’75, ’77, is professor of political science, and Walker, ’96, is associate professor of political science.

Whitby earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration from Georgia College. He also earned a master’s degree and doctorate in political science from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Georgia College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Mercer University in Macon. He also earned both a master’s degree in Latin American studies and doctorate of philosophy in political science from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

For more information about this lecture, call 478-445-7396 or email roger.coate@gcsu.edu.