October 22, 2012

UCSB Faculty Panel to Discuss Key Issues of 2012 Presidential Election

A panel of faculty members from UC Santa Barbara will discuss and analyze key issues of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections on Thursday, October 24, in a forum presented by UCSB's Center for Information Technology and Society (CITS).

Part of the fall 2012 lecture series, "Obama v. Romney: A CITS Forum on the 2012 Presidential and Congressional Elections" will begin at 4 p.m. in the Annenberg Conference Room, 4315, Social Sciences and Media Studies Building. It is free and open to the public.

Among the topics to be addressed are media coverage of the campaigns and debates; the role of the economy and foreign policy in the elections; the relationship between social movements –– such as Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party –– and the elections; the role of ethnic and gender diversity in the campaigns; and social media and campaigning.

"The event will foster an interdisciplinary dialogue about key issues that have come up during the 2012 presidential and congressional campaigns," said Lisa Parks, CITS director and professor of film and media studies. "We invite UCSB and Santa Barbara community members to come together to discuss these key issues two weeks before election-day."

Panelists will first respond to a series of questions posed by moderator Bruce Bimber, professor of political science, and then the audience will be invited to ask questions and participate in the discussion.

Panelists include D. Inés Casillas, assistant professor of Chicana/o Studies; Anna Everett, professor of film and media studies and acting associate vice chancellor of diversity, equity, and academic policy; George Lipsitz, professor of Black Studies; and John Woolley, professor of political science and co-founder of the campus's American Presidency Project.

Questions about the event can be directed to Parks at parks@cits.ucsb.edu.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.