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Second Annual American Political Science
Association Pre-Conference On Political Communication
An international collection of over 80 communication and
political science scholars gathered at the Annenberg School
for Communication, University of Pennsylvania on August 27th
for the second annual American Political Science Association
Pre-Conference on Political Communication.
| Focused around the theme "Mass Communication
and Civic Engagement," the event was sponsored jointly
by the Annenberg School, hosted by Vincent Price (ASC),
and the APSA Political Communication Section, chaired
by Holli Semetko (Emory University). Diana Owen (Georgetown
University) organized the pre-conference program, while
ASC’s Danna Goldthwaite Young, Lilach Nir, and Kate
Kenski served as coordinators. Funding for the event was
also generously contributed by the Annenberg Public Policy
Center. |
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Michael X. Delli Carpini, Dean of the
Annenberg School, gave the keynote address, entitled
Mediating Political Engagement: The Impact of Communication
on Citizens’ Involvement in Political and Civic
Life. In his address, Delli Carpini emphasized the need
to expand and clarify our notions of what constitutes
both “civic engagement” and “politically
relevant media.”
The program featured panels on topics including, "Civics
at Annenberg," "Deliberative Practice and
Political Science," "Civic Engagement Online,"
"Communications and Electoral Engagement,"
"Comparative Studies of Communication and Civic
Engagement," and "Mass Media and Youth Political
Engagement." In all, nearly two dozen research
papers, summarizing results from projects conducted
in the U.S., Canada and Europe, were presented and discussed
by conference participants. |
"This was a lively and productive exchange among leading
scholars who have been grappling with ways of using communication
more effectively to enhance civic life,” said Price, “and
with Annenberg’s many ongoing research projects in the
area, it was only natural that the APSA, the School and the
Policy Center should collaborate in making it happen.”
Delli Carpini concurred, adding that the pre-conference was
“an invigorating and enlightening way to start my new
tenure as Dean of the Annenberg School.” Annenberg researchers
reported on the School’s Student Voices project, Electronic
Dialogue project, and the National Annenberg Election Survey.
More photos
from the event | Pre-conference papers
(pdf) | Pre-conference site
(Georgetown)
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