Blue State/Red State: Drawing Insights on Undergraduates’ Perceptions of American Politics

Freehand drawing is a visual representation technique that can bypass cognitive verbal processing pathways, serving as a tool in critical pedagogy. This approach enables students convey their understanding of a topic more clearly, critically, and inclusively, regardless of vocabulary limitations. This paper analyzes freehand drawings created by undergraduate students enrolled in introductory American politics courses at a university in Colorado and a university in Kansas, in response to the question: “What is American Politics?” These institutions are located in states that traditionally vote in the opposite direction in presidential elections. The drawings offer insights into how these students perceived American politics leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Depicting politics visually required them to distill its essence as they perceived it. By employing freehand drawing, we aim to foster a learning environment that encourages critical self-reflection.