Updated CFP: "The Obama Effect"

Call for Papers:
"The Obama Effect"
October 23-25, 2008
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Now that he has become the presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic Party ticket, Barack Obama has challenged conventional wisdom about race, politics, media, and generation. In this historic election year, it is imperative for scholars and professionals in a wide variety of disciplines to reflect upon the potential effects of Obama on: American and global public opinion; party politics; voter participation; media representations; international relations; religious discourses; and constructions of racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender identities.

This conference invites papers from scholars and professionals working from different perspectives on the phenomenon of presumptive Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama's political career. Our goal is to create a conference that will showcase various and interdisciplinary approaches to the "Obama Effect" to provide participants with a multi-faceted view of the past year's campaign and its potential effects on a wide range of social arenas.

Essays and research papers from scholars, journalists, political consultants, community activists, and others are desired. Accepted papers will be considered for inclusion in an edited collection. We are particularly interested in receiving papers that address recent developments in the campaign, and seeing papers on the following topics:

• Michelle Obama and/or her marriage to Obama
  
• Obama's family relationships
  
• Young people and the election
  
• Hate-group websites and reactions to Obama
  
• Mixed race identity
  
• International responses to Obama's candidacy
  
• Perspectives from Latina/os, Asian Americans, and Native Americans
  
• Religion
  
• Recent speeches/responses from other candidates

Abstracts must be emailed no later than July 18th.

Contact for abstracts or questions:
Dr. Catherine Squires
Cowles Chair for Journalism, Diversity & Equality
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Murphy Hall 111
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0418
squir050@umn.edu

Experimental College courses

The Experimental College (EXCO) &mdash a student organization at the University of Minnesota (partnered with Macalester College) that organizes and sponsors community education for social change &mdash is now offering two Africana Studies courses:

1. African American Art (meets Tuesdays from 6-8 pm in Blegen 110 for four weeks, starting June 24). This survey of African American Art will look at art and artists from the early 20th century to the late 20th century. Art from the Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement, and artists such as Adrienne Piper, Kara Walker, Horace Pippin, Aaron Douglas, Archibald Motley, Jr. will be included. The instructor (Ava Herring herr0141@gmail.com) is a doctoral student at the U in art education.

2. Black Folk: Culture Defeats Holocaust, facilitated by Ray Tricomo (rtricomo@yahoo.com). Course Description: We will be covering the proverbial water front from African ecology to Pan-Africanism to improvised music and to a future without racism. Location: Oakdale Village, Oakdale, 6276 12th St. North Day/Time: Tuesday 6-8pm Dates: 4 weeks to start June 17. Ray is a longtime community activist, and has been offering this course for the past couple of years.

EXCO provides opportunities to students, faculty, and community members to facilitate or participate in classes together on topics of importance to them, especially those that they would not otherwise have in traditional university education.

television (non)diversity

EW.com has posted an interesting article: "Diversity in Entertainment: Why is TV So White?"

Juneteenth 2008

June 19 is Juneteenth (also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day), a holiday that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas. The 2008 Twin Cities Juneteenth Celebration and Festival will take place on Saturday, June 21, at several sites in Minneapolis.

Obama's historic moment

Many African Americans are pleasantly surprised by Senator Obama's breakthrough as the Democratic nominee for United States President.