Welcome to San Francisco, AAA members!
Tonight is the inaugural Plenary Session:
WHY WE CAN’T ALL JUST GET ALONG: RACE, LANGUAGE, AND MEANING IN THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Panelists include Johnnetta Betsch Cole (National Museum of African Art), H. Samy Alim (Stanford University) and Rogers Smith (University of Pennsylvania)
The 2012 presidential election highlighted the deep political and philosophical divisions within the United States. As the nation faced severe economic difficulties and increasing forms of inequality, once marginal anti-government advocacy gained renewed prominence. In this political and economic climate, voters were faced with the most stark choices in a generation over the regulatory and redistributive powers and duties of the national government. Debates on social issues, including women’s access to reproductive services, immigration, and LBGT rights, displayed similarly profound divides over basic American values. These divisions will be discussed along with a critical assessment of the powerful role of Super-PACs, new media, and ever-present polling in both shaping the elections and distracting the public from substantive issues. Using anthropological and political theory, this inaugural AAA Plenary Panel will explore these cleavages and their impacts on voter sentiment and the outcome of the 2012 elections.
This session will begin at 6:00pm in rooms Continental 4-6 of the Hilton Union Square.
Filed under: Annual Meeting | Tagged: #AAA2012, 2012 Presidential Election, AAA Plenary Session, H. Samy Alim, Johnnetta Betsch Cole, race, Rogers Smith | Comments Off
