E29 Professor Donald Green

We had the ultimate privilege of speaking with Professor Donald Green, Burgess Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, and widely considered the father of randomized field experiments in political science. His work has been the backbone for so much of our campaign work, so it was surreal speaking to him directly! Our conversation spanned a wide range of topics: from the structural shift in campaigns from persuasion to mobilization, to strategies for reducing polarization, alongside the paradox of scaling to more voters while still preserving quality and personal warmth. We also had the chance to discuss Get Out the Vote, an area where Professor Green is the leading expert, exploring mobilization tactics with a special focus on youth, before turning to randomized field experiments, their history, and their current place within the discipline of political science. To top it off, we talked about Octi, a renowned board game Professor Green created! We’ve actually just challenged him to a match, so fingers crossed we will at least make it a close game! Check it out!