Institute for Mathematics and Democracy

Institute for Mathematics and Democracy The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD)1 was created to help cast light on the important role that mathematics plays in our political systems. Founded in 2019, it is housed at Wellesley College, a liberal arts institution with a strong interest in interdisciplinary work. The mission of IMD is to promote a deeper understanding of the mathematics that underlies many socioeconomic forces and political processes so that citizens can make informed political decisions and effect meaningful change. It supports research, teaching, and outreach in mathematics and democracy, and brings together educators and activists who recognize the importance of political quantitative literacy. It acts as a facilitator, a repository, and nexus to bring research and pedagogy of disparate individuals who synthesize mathematics and democracy in their research and teaching. The timeliness of these efforts is apparent as IMD is finding a wide and growing audience among students, researchers, educators, activists, and the public at large. Over thirty mathematicians now serve as scholars and affiliates for IMD, many of whom have pursued or supervised research, run summer programs, or created curricula at the intersection of politics and mathematics. The institute has also supported over twenty student researchers, almost half of them from underrepresented groups. The activities of IMD are rooted and motivated by mathematics, but they lie at the unique interdisciplinary interface of mathematics, statistics, political science, economics, and history. Not only do they fill an evident educational and research gap, but they serve a social purpose: political