NIU prof. Scot Schraufnagel, U.S. rep. Don Bacon to join lecture series

DeKALB – The Northern Illinois University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will host a discussion featuring NIU professor Scot Schraufnagel and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, Nebraska-2, as part of its Rebuilding Democracy Lecture Series.

The free lecture will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 online via Zoom. Registration is required to attend. The registration is due before Sept. 26. To register and request an event link, visit go.niu.edu/Rebuilding-Democracy-RSVP.

The discussion will cover topics such as bipartisanship, the state of democracy, Congress conflict and the 118th Congress’s future. The lecture also includes a moderated question and answer session. The discussion will be moderated by Dean Robert Brinkmann.

Bacon received a political science degree from NIU in 1984. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1985 and served for almost 30. Bacon specialized in electronic warfare and intelligence and earned the rank of Brigadier General. He co-founded and chaired the For Country Caucus in Congress. Bacon currently serves on the Agricultural Committee and Armed Services Committee.

Schraufnagel is an NIU professor of political science and former NIU political science department chair. His research and teaching specialties include elections, U.S. Congress, political parties and state government with a promoting civil, representative and effective United States governing process emphasis. Schraufnagel also is the author of five books including “Conflict in Congress: A Call for Moderation.”

The Rebuilding Democracy Lecture Series showcases how the liberal arts and sciences are at the center of a healthy democracy. The series addresses various aspects of building a stronger democracy and bringing together a fractured society.