Are we as polarized as the media tell us we are? What do we really think of our neighbors and community? Recent research shows that multiple things influence our politics and perceptions of others, and that engaging in cross-partisan discussions can change those perceptions.
Undergrad Aidan Lyde worked on the Community Networks in Fire-Environment Resilience (CoNIFER) Project to improve the understanding of wildfire risk mitigation planning based on wildfire protection plans in Colorado during a CSU Extension summer internship.
Julia Choolwe Munsaka’s interest in international relations stems from her Zambian roots. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at CSU to focus on environmental policy, particularly how climate change is considered in diplomatic discussions in the developing world.
Because both the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers’ headwaters begin in the U.S. and flow across the border, both sides depend on the other for the water. Since the 1990s, getting enough of that water has been a problem compounded by a booming population and climate change.The common problem has forced the two countries to find common ground, says Stephen Mumme.
In the Department of Political Science, together we discover, protect, advocate, and understand. From learning abroad to advocating at home, from environmental justice to state politics, our students and faculty expand their boundaries to better understand the challenges and opportunities for cultures and countries.