The world will know who the next U.S. president will be after November 8, but leading up to the election it is unclear what the future of President Obama’s legacy will be under the next administration. Scholars and professionals from around the country are gathering at UMBC October 27-29 for the “Obama Effect 2.0″ conference to examine the current president’s impact on a range of core issues before the next president is elected and that legacy takes on new form and meaning.

The event builds on the first “Obama Effect” conference, held in 2008 at the University of Minnesota, which looked at how the election would impact the process of American presidential politics, issues of civil rights, and global/international relations. The result was the book The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign (SUNY 2010). This collection of essays examined how issues discussed during the 2008 presidential campaign would influence the Obama administration in the years ahead.

Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor of American studies, is the lead organizer of the Obama Effect 2.0 conference, along with colleagues Heather Harris, professor of business communication at Stevenson University, and Catherine Squires, professor of communication studies and director of the Race, Indigeneity, Gender and Sexuality Studies Initiative (RIGS) at the University of Minnesota.

“This conference is not only significant to our understanding of the potential legacy of the first self-identified African-American president of the United States, but it is also timely as we approach one of the most contentious and polarizing presidential elections of our country’s history, largely because of issues related to identity, a sense of belonging, and even race—all such matters of intersectionality grappled with by President Barack Obama during his two terms in office,” shares Moffitt.

Professor, author, and radio host Michael Eric Dyson will present the keynote address on Thursday, October 27 at 5 p.m. at the Albin O. Kuhn Library 7th floor. He will speak about his book The Black Presidency, which explores the role of race in shaping President Obama’s identity and groundbreaking presidency. Dyson will talk about his analysis of the president’s remarks, major speeches, and responses to recent incidents to examine issues of identity, race, and culture through President Obama’s own voice.

Following the keynote address, a series of paper presentations, panel discussions, and roundtables will take place on October 28 and 29. They will examine different aspects of the Obama presidency, including media representations, race and the American police state, party politics, and American and global public opinion, among a range of other issues.

Several UMBC faculty will participate in the conference, including Thomas Schaller, professor and chair of political science; Cedric Herring, professor and director of language, literacy, and culture; Nicole King, associate professor and chair of American studies; and David Hoffman ’13, Ph.D., language, literacy, and culture, and assistant director, student life for civic agency.

For more information, visit the Obama Effect 2.0 website and to view media coverage, see below.

The Obama Effect (WEAA’s The Marc Steiner Show) 

Image: Michael Eric Dyson. Photo courtesy APB Speakers. 

Graduate Student Association - Travel and Grants Research Coordinator Position

You… yes, YOU are invited to attend Fall Visitation weekend at CMU’s Heinz College! 

We want you to participate in our “Advisor Track” during the weekend of November 11-12, 2016. And we can provide a travel subsidy for you if you are able to attend this event!

The Advisor Track has been designed to provide our colleagues with a deeper understanding of the master’s programs offered by our school and what types of careers our alumni pursue. The Advisor Track welcomes a variety of people including:

·         Undergraduate faculty and advisors

·         Staff/ administrators at colleges and universities  

·         Employees at non-profit orgs and government agencies   

·         Mentors

In essence, those who are working with young people and serve as role models and trusted sources of information for individuals who may be considering the next step in their education and professional journey. We want to help you understand what we do as an educational institution and how our graduate programs can benefit your students in their careers.

You may review the Tentative Agenda (pdf) on our website:

http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/visit-heinz-college/fall-visitation/download.aspx?id=9953

Please note- an “Advisor session” will take place from 9:00am – 10:00am on Saturday, November 12 (it is not listed on the tentative agenda). 

To help reduce the expense for you (and/or a colleague) to travel to our campus in Pittsburgh, PA for the weekend, we are happy to extend a $250.00 travel reimbursement. When you RSVP to attend, we will email specific details about the reimbursement process.

RSVP to attend the event as an Advisor: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2VHWBM9

Visit the Event Page for hotel suggestions, maps and other helpful details: http://www.heinz.cmu.edu/visit-heinz-college/fall-visitation/index.aspx 

Regards,

David