Frankenmandering: The confluence and symbiosis of opinion dynamics and gerrymandering

We present a novel model at the intersection of two prominent sub-fields: Opinion Dynamics and Gerrymandering. While both sub-fields are well studied separately, in the real world, gerrymandering and opinion dynamics combine and compound their effects. Yet, this interference of the two interaction modes has been unexplored. Until now. We will present our Frankenmandering framework, which initiates the study of this key gerrymandering-opinion-dynamics intersection. We show how Frankenmandering can occur, its potential to capture significant – both positive and negative – effects on society, and discuss the vast volume of new research questions that arise from this framework.

Joint work with Sahil Agarwal, Svetlana Obraztsova, and Alan Tsang.