Senior editor Shaila Fogarty joined the Vanderbilt Political Review in this episode to discuss her article relating the increase in popularity of country music to the relative increase in conservatism among young Americans. The fundamental question in making such a relation, of course, is whether correlation or causation is being observed, and, if causation is observed, in what direction it flows. Shaila and podcast director Noah Jenkins sought to untangle this conundrum in today’s episode.
Shaila Fogarty on the Relationship between Country Music and Youth Conservatism /// VPRP Ep. 014
April 4, 2026
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About the Contributors
Shaila Fogarty, Senior Editor
Shaila is a Sophomore from Portland, Oregon. She is currently majoring in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics. Shaila is passionate about campaigns and elections, Supreme Court proceedings, and public policy. In her free time she enjoys skiing, playing guitar, and spending time with family.
Noah Jenkins, Podcast Director
Noah Jenkins is a senior from Kissimmee, Florida studying economics and history. He works for Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) reelection campaign and leads both the Vanderbilt and Tennessee College Republicans. He also was a Summer Honors Scholar with the American Enterprise Institute and has had opinion pieces published in Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report. Besides politics, he is active in Vanderbilt Moot Court, qualifying for the pre-national tournament last season.