The Future of Gerrymandering Teach-Out
What Progress has been made? / Lesson 3 of 7
Technology Has Made it Easier, But is it the Solution? and Guest Bio: Ben Blum-Smith
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Ben Blum-Smith worked for a decade as a classroom teacher and teacher trainer before becoming a research mathematician. Much of his professional career has been about democratizing access to mathematics. Recently, he has taken a burning interest in all aspects of the relationship between mathematics and democracy: how math can help address challenges in doing democracy well, and what mathematical empowerment and citizenship have to do with each other. Ben received his PhD from NYU in Spring 2017. He is also a Ted Resident 2018 with a focus on exploring the interface between math and democracy.
In this segment Ben will discuss just that, the interface between math and democracy in the context of gerrymandering. He will talk about how math impacts the gerrymandering process and will discuss the range of implications this has for the ideological and political debate on redistricting reform.
Reflection Questions
While watching, think about your answers to the following questions:
- How do you think these changes will impact the way districts are drawn in the future?
- Will technology solve the problem of gerrymandering? Or will it make it worse?
- How do you think the rise of generative AI will contribute to this?