The Future of Gerrymandering Teach-Out

One of the biggest challenges facing our democracy today occurs when congressional district lines that are drawn by elected officials to give one political party an unfair advantage over another. This is called "gerrymandering.” This Teach-Out explores the topic of gerrymandering, considering everything from its history of the original gerrymander, to past, present and future United States Supreme Court cases. You will hear from leading experts on gerrymandering as well as citizen groups who are on the front lines of redistricting debate.

This Teach-Out originally ran in June of 2018, before the United States Supreme Court decided on the Gill v. Whitford case coming out of Wisconsin and while various ballot initiatives around redistricting reform were evolving.

What’s new?
This updated version contains all original content, plus updates from returning faculty instructors Nancy Wang and John Chamberlin, who examine the current status of the Gill v. Whitford case as well as other redistricting reform efforts (i.e. ballot initiatives, congressional action) from across the United States. If you previously participated in this Teach-Out, feel free to skip directly to the new update segment.

The fundamental driving questions from the original Teach-Out remain the same for this updated version, have a look here:

What is gerrymandering?
What is happening now? Why is this such an important issue today and what does it mean for you?
Why did the United States Supreme Court take up the gerrymandering case (Gill v. Whitford)?
How has technology impacted the gerrymandering debate?
What are states doing to address the issue?
How can you implement change?

A Teach-Out is:

-an event – it takes place over a fixed, short period of time

-an opportunity – it is open for free participation to everyone around the world

-a community – it will be joined by a large number of diverse individuals

-a conversation – an opportunity to give and take ideas and information from people

The University of Michigan Teach-Out Series provides just-in-time community learning events for participants around the world to come together in conversation with the U-M campus community, including faculty experts. The U-M Teach-Out Series is part of our deep commitment to engage the public in exploring and understanding the problems, events, and phenomena most important to society.

Teach-Outs are short learning experiences, each focused on a specific current issue. Attendees will come together over a few days not only to learn about a subject or event but also to gain skills. Teach-Outs are open to the world and are designed to bring together individuals with wide-ranging perspectives in respectful and deep conversation. These events are an opportunity for diverse learners and a multitude of experts to come together to ask questions of one another and explore new solutions to the pressing concerns of our global community. Come, join the conversation!

Find new opportunities at Teach-Out.org.