WHILE HISTORY IS HAPPENING.
I’LL TAKE YOU BACK TO SCHOOL AT
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY.
ADRIENNE: welcome back.
SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ELECTION
MORE STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN
POLITICAL SCIENCE.
I SAT IN ON A CLASS AT MARQUETTE
UNIVERSITY TO FIND OUT WHY.
>> YOU GUYS HAD A GOOD POINT UP
HERE I LIKED YOUR POINT DO YOU
WANT TO SHARE?
>> answering a question in front
of the entire class can be
uncomfortable, especially when
it’s about politics.
>> there’s a lot of division.
In the final outcome, it’s more
differing opinions on solutions.
>> Most of the students in this
political science class are
premed.
Today, they are talking about
government and the opioid
crisis.
>> it’s a subject that came up
last night in the presidential
debate.
>> PHILIP ROCCO IS AN ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE.
>> For me, politics is in many
ways about problem-solving.
It’s very easy to forget that
with the way politics is
covered.
We cover what is sexist.
We cover what is most caustic.
At the end of the day, what the
role of government is is to try
to solve public problems tha
matter to people.
If we focus on every last tweet,
every hot button talking point
of the moment, it’s easy to lose
sight of the purpose of politics
in our daily lives.
>> ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION
BETWEEN 2016 AND 2017 SCHOOL
YEARS ABOUT 50% OF UNDERGRADUATE
POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS
REPORTED ENROLLMENT INCREASED
EITHER SLIGHTLY OR
SIGNIFICANTLY.
41% OF DEPARTMENTS CREDITED
GREATER POLITICAL INTEREST, THE
2016 ELECTION, AND/OR PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
>> I think in general the level
of interest is a lot higher now.
>> why do you think that is?
>> In part because if you look
at public opinion data, there
are real social and political
tensions that pervade, for good
or ill, everybody’s life.
There is a reason why people a
not allowed to talk about
politics at Thanksgiving.
>> this mechanical engineering
student admits it’s out of his
comfort zone.
>> Before this class, I really
wasn’t interested at all.
I wanted nothing to do with it.
But going through this course I
feel like has opened my eyes to
how people view different topics
and it’s a way to hear different
perspectives.
>> A GOOD PERSPECTIVE DURING AN
IMPORTANT TIME IN THEIR LIVES.
>> We are in college.
We are growing up.
This is the first presidential
election I am going to be voting
in, so it’s important to be
informed and know what you are
voting for.
>> Thank you to those studen
