On October 24, 2016, the Department of Political Science and International Relations of Khazar University hosted Dr. James Thurber, Distinguished Professor of Government at American University, Washington D.C. to discuss the upcoming elections in the United States. Dr. Thurber provided a general overview of the U.S. political process, including the nomination of presidential candidates, the political conventions and the Electoral College. He also spoke about the important issues in domestic politics in the United States that gave rise to each of the current presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Dr. Thurber explained that there is a high likelihood of a Clinton victory due to potential votes in the Electoral College.
Students asked a range of questions about how the U.S. elections will affect its relations with the NAFTA and European countries, human rights and world trade. Dr. Thurber also met with Dr. Mukhtar Hajizada, Department Chair, who thanked him for the gift of his book American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.