Lectures on Tap- "Persuasion: The Politics of Changing Hearts & Minds"

📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email

🧠 Lecture: "Persuasion: The Politics of Changing Hearts & Minds"

🎤 Speaker: Prof. Yamil Velez

Political discussions can feel impossible, and the hope for constructive agreement often seems out of reach. Yet a growing body of research suggests persuasion is still possible. In this talk, Assistant Professor of Political Science Yamil Ricardo Velez shares findings from over half a decade of studies that offer reasons for optimism.

You’ll learn how people’s minds can change when they encounter facts and evidence, challenging the idea that voters are impervious to new information. Prof. Velez will explain why how we disagree matters more than what we disagree about: respectful conversations rarely increase polarization, while hostile ones often cause people to double down. By engaging the core beliefs underlying someone’s position, it is possible to change minds in meaningful and lasting ways.

Prof. Velez’s research focuses on how the quality of political information shapes engagement and representation, including new work using generative AI to better understand public opinion.

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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