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Tomorrow, fourth-year political science major Yash Tasouji will present his research virtually at the Harvard College Undergraduate Research Association���s (HCURA) 2021 . In addition to sharing his research titled, ���Democratic Responses to the Rise in Contentious Politics,��� Yash will listen to presentations from other undergraduates and connect with large research companies and institutions, research leaders, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

Yash has had a long-held interest in political science, particularly political theory and democratic theory.

���I think our times have brought new challenges that require a fresh take,��� says Yash. ���I want to explore and test innovative solutions to our contemporary issues.���

His presentation will do just that by contextualizing the current contentious political climate, with a focus on the West, specifically the United States and parts of Western Europe.

���We have seen a process of disenchantment with democratic systems, which has led to contentious politics characterized by anti-establishment or populist movements, as well as far-right or nativist movements,��� says Yash.

After establishing this, he provides potential, real-world solutions to the issues that arise in a contentious political climate. These include creating:

• A committee of experts who would make policy recommendations to politicians;
• ���A people���s jury������a group of individuals whose purpose would be to critique politicians and their committee of experts during regularly scheduled political briefings;
• A political media platform to digitize political discourse by requiring politicians to publish their campaign promises and policy decisions online. Additionally, it would act as a source of reliable and trustworthy information.

Yash is looking forward to presenting these ideas at the three-day conference.

���I would like to expose my ideas to professional academic critique and would be happy to have holes poked in them, so I can go back and refine them,��� he says. ���I am also looking forward to meeting other like-minded undergraduates from around the world.