The year 2020 will go down in the books for many reasons. One of them is the political landscape. Much attention is focused on red states and blue states, along with big national races. But what about local politics and how they affect our everyday lives?

Join Dr. Richard Meagher, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of Social Entrepreneurship at Randolph-Macon College for a discussion on this topic as he presents his new book, Local Politics Matters: A Citizen’s Guide to Making a Difference (Lantern, 2020), during a virtual talk.

Mark Your Calendar

Open to the public, the discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2020 from 7:00-8:15 p.m. on EventBrite. The evening will feature a virtual presentation from Meagher as well as an interactive question and answer period with participants.

Topics addressed in Meagher’s book will include the important role city and county governments play in regard to matters of policing, public health and housing. Attendees will also come away with a better understanding of why they should care about what’s happening in their communities and ways to engage to effect constructive and positive change.

Inspiration from the Classroom

According to Meagher, inspiration for the book came in part from his American government classes at RMC.

“I realized that when we teach students about politics, we often focus on the national level. But there’s this whole world of state—and especially city and county—politics that they are almost completely unaware of but that directly and profoundly affect their lives,” says Meagher.

Meagher is often found commenting on politics for local media and sharing knowledge with civic groups.

“A big part of the work I do off-campus is to translate political science knowledge for regular folks, and then to use that knowledge to help explain what’s going on where they live,” says Meagher.

“This book is a culmination of years of blogging and media appearances in which I have tried to clearly explain vital issues of local governance from affordable housing initiatives to big development deals to racial equity programs,” he says.  

Message: Get Involved

Meagher believes that almost everyone can make an impact in local politics. His book explores six issues and steps people can take to get involved.

“Most importantly, I wanted people to feel empowered by this book; that they can actually go out and make a difference,” he says.

Meagher came to Randolph-Macon College in 2009, after teaching for two years at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. Before that, he worked for 10 years in the non-profit world. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy and Ph.D. in Political Science from the City University of New York. Meagher is also the author of Atheists in American Politics.

Local Politics Matters is carried at the RMC Campus Store or online at: https://www.campusstore.rmc.edu/home