Faculty Advocacy in the Classroom: Continuation of Session 1 (Open Mic)

Session Submission Type: Panel Discussion

Abstract

Ever since 9/11 unfolded before our stunned eyes, Americans of all walks of life have struggled to balance our love of patriotism with the skepticism needed to keep democracy alive, our love of nation with our fear of its war-making capacities, and our yearning for vengeance with our desire for peace. As scholars and teachers, we are confronted by these questions each and every day—for our classes are spaces where these questions are tackled by young people anxious, as are we, the teachers, to make sense of the world. We thus live each day accompanied by a series of pressing questions, including:

• How and what do you teach in the wake of disaster?
• How do you balance scholarly rigor with the passions of war time?
• What is the role of political advocacy in the classroom or on the campus?
• How do we draw the line between taking a strong position and engaging in propaganda?
• What roles can communication scholars play vis-a-vis the national security state?
• Can our classes teach patriotism and critical thinking at the same time?

Sub Unit

• NCA First Vice President

Chair

• Stephen J. Hartnett, Univ of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Respondent

• Dana L. Cloud, Univ of Texas, Austin

• Norman K. Denzin, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

• Eric King Watts, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

• David Zarefsky, Northwestern University

• Ahlam H Muhtaseb, California State Univ, San Bernardino

• Stephen Presser, Northwestern University, School of Law

• Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Univ of Pennsylvania

Session Organizer

• Wren Colker, Univ of South Florida