The relationship between science and politics is inevitably fraught. This is particularly the case in the United States in the 21st century: partisans are more polarized in their trust in scientists than in virtually any other societal institution. James Druckman identifies the origins and consequences of that polarization. Polarized scientific trust disincentivizes partisans from compromising with one another and prompts them to politicize science. It also generates massive discoordination between states, with severe consequences for public goods provision (i.e., public health). Druckman offers a path forward, for building trust in scientists with the goal of reducing polarization and de-politicizing science.

James N. Druckman is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Rochester. He previously was the Payson S. Wild Professor and a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. He is also an Honorary Professor of Political Science at Aarhus University in Denmark. Druckman has published approximately 200 articles and book chapters in political science, communication, economics, science, and psychology journals. He has authored, co-authored, or co-edited seven books. His recent books include Partisan Hostility and American Democracy: Explaining Political Divides (University of Chicago Press, 2024), Equality Unfulfilled: How Title IX's Policy Design Undermines Change to College Sports (Cambridge University Press, 2023), and Experimental Thinking: A Primer on Social Science Experiments (Cambridge University Press, 2022).

The Miller-Converse Lecture is the University of Michigan’s preeminent lecture series on American Electoral Politics. The Series honors the legacy of CPS Founder Warren Miller and former CPS and ISR Director Philip Converse.