π§ Seminar Overview
While party affiliation often drives how elected representatives vote, itβs not the whole story.
In this seminar, Dr. Abel Rodriguez introduces a data-driven approach to uncovering ideological preferences using statistical models and voting data.
Youβll learn how social scientists and statisticians use tools like: - Latent Factor Models - Item Response Theory (IRT) - Ideological scaling
to map out where legislators and judges fall on the political spectrum β including identifying centrists, extremists, and outliers across both parties.
π Key Topics Covered
- How to rank legislators/judges on an ideological scale
- How latent variables reveal hidden policy stances
- Insights from U.S. Congressional and Supreme Court data
π
Date: May 9, 2025
π Location: Holt Hall 291
π€ Speaker: Dr. Abel Rodriguez β Learn more
