Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU’s) College of Law and Public Policy has held a public lecture and discussion titled “The U.S. Elections and the Electoral College” as part of its Majlis Lecture Series. The lecture was timed to coincide with the run-up to the 2016 United States presidential election and offered insights into the foundations and historical development of the U.S. electoral system, its complexities, and the prospects for its reform.
The event featured three speakers – Professor Robert Bennett from HBKU’s College of Law and Public Policy, as well as Professor Clyde Wilcox and Professor Joshua Mitchell, both of whom lecture at Georgetown University in Qatar.
Professor Bennett, who teaches classes in HBKU’s Juris Doctor (JD) graduate law program, focused on the Electoral College, which is the body that ultimately elects the President and Vice President of the United States. He remarked that this process might prove to be interesting to look at in light of the current political situation in the US: “There are many forms that democracy can take and the 2016 American presidential selection process has helped highlight that. Understanding what's going on in that election helps us appreciate the unusual Electoral College system outlined in the American Constitution and also the historical developments that have produced a rather different system than the one envisaged by the constitutional framers.”
“The discussion brought out some of that complexity and change.”
Fatimah Rahim, an attendee and a student in HBKU’s JD program, said: “I loved attending the panel discussion. I found it to be full of insight and unique, diverse perspectives. I had a lot to say and walked away with a much clearer understanding of the legal aspects of the U.S. election process. I also gained insight into why there is a separation of the church and the state in America and learned more about how different parties campaign and nominate their candidates.”
The Majlis Lecture Series events are held on a weekly basis for students studying law at HBKU, but once a month members of the public with an interest in law are invited to join the discussion.
Suhair Tawfiq Al-Salah, HBKU College of Law and Public Policy’s Special Projects & Events Coordinator, said: “The Majlis Lecture Series has been created to develop our students’ skills and to enhance and consolidate their learning. These discussions are supplementary to classroom-based learning and focus on topics and themes that are not part of the curriculum. Inviting the public to participate at one lecture each month adds a welcomed extra dimension to the discussion.”
Elsewhere at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, scientists at the Qatar Computing Research Institute, one of the university’s three national research institutes, have been investigating social media reactions to the election. By looking at and aggregating tweets sent out in September 2016, they were able investigate which of the two main candidates were favored on Twitter. Through their study, the researchers analyzed the tweets and categorized them to see if people were showing support to a candidate, providing positive facts about them, attacking their opponent, or making fun of the opponent or their supporters.
The research, conducted by Dr. Walid Magdy and Dr. Kareem Darwish, showed that 51 percent of re-tweets in September supported Donald Trump, whereas only 43 percent supported Hillary Clinton. The remaining 6 percent showed no clear bias towards or against either of the two main presidential candidates.
Dr. Darwish said: “Trump has been getting a greater share of press coverage in the mainstream media, so we were wondering if this was being reflected on social media. It turns out it was.”