Heath Brown: Immigrants, Democracy, and Elections

Over
the 20th century, immigrants arrived in the US in large numbers, but faced
large formal and informal barriers to full integration. This has been
particularly the case for political integration: immigrants — even today — vote
at much lower levels than other citizen groups. The talk places the recent
struggles for immigrants to gain political representation into a century-long
struggle for rights and recognition. Drawing on historic and quantitative
research, the talk argues that civic and advocacy groups that represent
immigrants have a major role to play during elections, but they too face new
barriers in the form of voter suppression policies.

Dr.
Heath Brown is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Seton Hall
University where he studies American politics, public administration, and
interest group politics. Brown’s first book, Lobbying the New President: Interests in Transition, a study of how
interest groups influence an incoming Presidential administration, was
published in May, 2012 by Routledge. His current agenda focuses on the
intersection of immigration, advocacy, and the Presidency, and a new social
media project called New Books in Political Science, www.newbooksinpoliticalscience.com,
and ways to integrate research into the undergraduate political science
curriculum.

The
Ethical Culture Society of Essex County is a progressive non-theist religion
dedicated to living ethically in a complex world. Founded in l876 and
established in Maplewood in l945, over the years the ethical culture movement
(known as The American Ethical Union) has been instrumental in launching
Planned Parenthood, the NAACP, Visiting Nurses, New York Settlement House,
Fieldston School, and National Ethical Service at the UN. The Society began a
long-running Ethics for Children program and most recently, Essex Time Exchange
(a time bank facilitating the exchange of services) among other initiatives.
The Maplewood Society was the first peace site in the country. Its motto is: to
act so as to bring out the best in ourselves by bringing out the best in
others.  

Contact
information: 973-763-1905; www.essexethical.org. Join us for weekly programs,
discussions, and fellowship Sundays at 11 am. All are welcome.