Professor, author Cramer goes 'On the Issues' to discuss resentment among rural Wisconsin voters

September 12, 2016

MILWAUKEE — Professor and author Katherine Cramer will be the featured guest in an upcoming "On the Issues with Mike Gousha," Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. at Marquette University Law School's Eckstein Hall, 1215 W. Michigan St.

Cramer is the director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of "The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker."

In May of 2007, Cramer began a project that would give her a new understanding of the state she loved. A Wisconsin native, Cramer wanted to learn more about how people make sense of politics. So she spent countless hours with 39 groups of citizens in 27 communities around Wisconsin, listening.

What she heard can be found in her book, which was published earlier this year. Cramer discovered that people in rural areas of the state have a deep distrust and resentment of elites, including government, and the state's largest cities, Madison and Milwaukee. Many citizens she spoke with felt ignored and disrespected. In her appearance at the Law School, Cramer will talk about this "rural consciousness," and how the resentment she found is fueling today's politics, both in Wisconsin and nationally.

Gousha, an award-winning television journalist, is the Law School's distinguished fellow in law and public policy. His "On the Issues" series of conversations with newsmakers supports Marquette Law School's commitment to serve as a modern-day public square for the city of Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and beyond.

Through public programming such as the Marquette Law School Poll, debates featuring candidates in significant political races, Gousha's "On the Issues" conversations with newsmakers, public lectures by leading scholars and conferences on significant issues of public importance, the Law School serves as the region's leading venue for serious civil discourse about law and public policy matters.

Seating for the event is complimentary; advance registration is required and is available online. Members of the media who are interested in attending should contact Chris Jenkins in the Office of Marketing and Communication.