Martin Gilens, professor of politics at Princeton and a member of the executive committee of the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP), discussed his new book, "Affluence and Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America," on October 8, 2012, as part of the Wilson School's "Talk of 2012: The Upcoming Presidential Election" thematic lecture series. The discussion was co-sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson School, the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP), and the Department of Politics. Gilens was introduced to the audience by Markus Prior, co-director of CSDP.

As noted by Princeton University Press, the book “explores how political inequality in the United States has evolved over the last several decades and how this growing disparity has been shaped by interest groups, political parties, and elections. At a time when economic and political inequality in the United States only continues to rise, ‘Affluence and Influence,’ raises important questions about whether American democracy is truly responding to the needs of all its citizens.”

Watch the October 8 discussion on our webmedia page.