We are six months out from arguably the most pivotal and fraught US election in living memory. The COVID-19 pandemic is fundamentally altering the terrain on which the 2020 election will be contested. Amid an ongoing health crisis and a potentially catastrophic economic downturn, the Mueller report, the 2018 blue wave, and impeachment seem like ancient history.
To help interpret and analyse this unique election season, the USSC is hosting a serious of events featuring Australia’s leading US election experts who will provide critical insight for these challenging times. The first of our Election Watch events focussed on progressive politics and the pandemic with analysis from panellists Dr Charles Edel, Dr Gorana Grgic and Bruce Wolpe in a conversation moderated by USSC CEO Professor Simon Jackman.
Dr Charles Edel
Australia Chair and Senior Adviser, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Dr Charles Edel is the inaugural Australia Chair and a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was previously a Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Prior to this, he was Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the US Naval War College, and served on the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015-2017. In that role, he advised Secretary of State John Kerry on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Gorana Grgic
Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy, United States Studies Centre (jointly appointed with the Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney)
Dr Gorana Grgic is a jointly appointed Senior Lecturer at the Department of Government and International Relations and the United States Studies Centre. Her research interests include US politics and foreign policy, transatlantic relations, conflict resolution and democratisation. She is the author of Ethnic Conflict in Asymmetric Federations (Routledge 2017).
Bruce Wolpe
Non-Resident Senior Fellow, United States Studies Centre
Bruce Wolpe is a Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the United States Studies Centre. Bruce is a regular contributor on US politics across media platforms in Australia. In recent years, Bruce has worked with the Democrats in Congress during President Barack Obama's first term, and on the staff of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. He has also served as the former PM's chief of staff.
Professor Simon Jackman
Professor Simon Jackman was Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre from April 2016 to May 2022. Between 1996 and 2016, he was a Professor of Political Science and Statistics at Stanford University. Jackman's teaching and research centres on public opinion, election campaigns, political participation, and electoral systems with special emphasis on American and Australian politics.
