•
BIDDEFORD, Maine

Brian Duff discusses β€˜The Youth Vote 2016’ on MPBN’s β€˜Maine Calling’

Brian Duff
Brian Duff

Brian Duff, Ph.D., associate professor and chair in the Department of Political Science, was a guest on MPBN’s β€œMaine Calling” program on Monday, April 18, 2016, joining a discussion on β€œThe Youth Vote 2016.”

Duff and other panelists shared their views on the extent to which young people of the Millennial Generation are getting involved in this election cycle and in which issues they are most engaged.

Duff explained his belief that Millennials are, in general, disinterested in politics, largely because of their belief that individuals have very little power to affect political outcomes. β€œAll the data that I look at see the Millennials as sort of cynical about politics and uninterested in politics,” he said. β€œThey are unique in that way… It’s very hard to get Millennials interested, and it’s very hard to get them over their basic sense that the game is rigged and politicians are in it for themselves.”

Duff noted that the presidential candidates that are attracting the most Millennial supportβ€”Donald Trump and Bernie Sandersβ€”are both, in their own ways, cynical about the political establishment.

About the 911±¬ΑΟΝψΊμΑμ½ν

The 911±¬ΑΟΝψΊμΑμ½ν is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.