A nationally recognized voting rights scholar will discuss how debates over who is and who is not able to vote reflect broader questions about the democratic principles of the United States in The University of Toledo College of Law’s Cannon Lecture.
Atiba R. Ellis will present “Democracy and Inclusion in the Post-Civil Rights Era” in the McQuade Law Auditorium at noon on Wednesday, March 26.
Atiba R. Ellis is the Laura B. Chisolm Distinguished Research Scholar and Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
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Ellis is the Laura B. Chisolm Distinguished Research Scholar and Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where his research explores how voters on the margins are dissuaded and excluded from casting a ballot. His interdisciplinary work has been published in numerous respected legal journals, including the Boston University Law Review, the Catholic University Law Review, the Chicago-Kent Law Review, the Georgia Law Review and the Howard Law Journal. His current research focuses on how ideologically driven conceptions of “wrongful voters” animate the mechanisms of voter suppression.
In his free, public lecture at UToledo, Ellis will explore how state-to-state differences in voting rights and access reflect a tension within a question that’s fundamental to American democracy: Who is and who isn’t worthy of voting? Drawing on interdisciplinary sources, Ellis will argue that our understanding of voting rights reveals a restrictive conception of worthiness that excludes the most marginalized in our society.
“Voting is the most basic way that we can participate in our democracy,” said Rebecca Zietlow, dean of the College of Law. “Atiba R. Ellis is an expert in this fundamental right, and we’re looking forward to hosting him for an enlightening discussion.”
“Democracy and Inclusion in the Post-Civil Rights Era” continues the Cannon Lecture Series that hosts nationally known scholars who explore both the humanistic dimensions and limitations of our legal system. It was established in 1980 to honor former Toledo attorney Joseph A. Cannon.
For more information, visit the Cannon Lecture Series website.
