Political Science Guest Speaker Maxime Coulombe

Department of Political Science Speaker Series Presents a lecture by

Maxime Coulombe, Affiliate Professor, Institute for Research on Migration and Society, Concordia University

Voting to be right or to be liked? Exploring the mechanism linking social norms and the decision to vote or abstain

Friday, November 14, 2025

12:00-1:30pm

Hall Building, Room H-1220

Maxime Coulombe’s research lies at the intersection of political behaviour and social psychology, with a specific focus on Canada and comparative contexts. He is broadly interested in questions on public opinion, immigration, elections, and political participation.

Maxime’s Ph.D. dissertation examined how social norms shape electoral participation. At Concordia University, he continues his work on voter turnout while developing a research agenda on public opinion toward immigration and on immigrants’ political participation, attitudes, and integration in Canada. 

This lecture examines how social pressure—stemming from the social norm that voting is a civic duty—influences the decision to vote. We will define what social norms are and how they can be measured, highlight the importance of studying voter turnout, and address core questions about social pressure to vote.