UNDERGRADUATE COMMUNICATION CONFERENCE

2008 UCC Call for Papers: Here (pdf).

Media Update: Dr. Robert Powell discusses the importance of the conference at Fresno State News.

The 2008 UCC will be held April 18 and 19. This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Thomas Hollihan from the USC Annenberg School of Communication.

Thomas Hollihan is a professor of commuication and associate dean for academic and faculty affairs in the Annenberg School. He publishes in the areas of argumentation, political campaign communication, contemporary rhetorical criticism, and the impact of globalization on public deliberation. He is the author of several books including Uncivil Wars: Political Campaigns in a Media Age, Arguments and Arguing: The Products and Process of Human Decision Making (with Kevin Baaske), now in its second editino, and Argument at Century's End: Reflecting on the Past and Envisioning the Future. In addition, he has published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Argumentation and Advocacy, Communication Quarterly, Western Journal of Communication, Southern Speech Communication Journal, Speaker and Gavel, and Debate Issues. He has served as the chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Debate Tournament. He has also served as President of the American Forensic Association and also of the Western Forensic Assoiation. He is a former chairperson of the National Communication Association's Doctoral Education Committee and of the Committee on International Discussion and Debate. Finally, he also served as the chairperson of the National Debate Tournament Committee. In addition to his teaching and academic publishing, he has served as a consultant to many different political candidates, elected officials, business leaders, and also to the appearances of non-profit organizations. He makes frequent appearances in the media to discuss political issues and campaign strategies.

Dr. Hollihan will give two presentations as a part of this conference. His university-wide presentation on Friday, April 18, 2008 will be entitled: "Angry, Disinterested, and Cynical: Public Attitudes Toward the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election." A synopsis of the presentation is:

The United States has long declared its commitment toward developing democracies around th world, yet our people have shown little interest in preserving our own democractic system. The audience for political news is shrinking; candidates must raise vast sums of money to reach disinterested voters through paid ads, only about half of eligible citizens cast ballots, and polls suggest that many of our citizens are angry, disinterested, and feel powerless. This talk examines how these attitudes and behaviors will likely impact political campaign practices in the 2000 presidential election.

His keynote address to conference attendees will be delivered on Saturday April 19, 2008 and is titled, "Globalization, Democracy, and Citizen Deliberation: A Call for Progressive Social Action." A brief synopsis of this address is:

Globalization has fundamentally altered modern life changing not just our economies but also how we work, socialize, and communicate. Many celebrate the fact that globalization has improved living standards around the world, while others lament the growing income disparaties and fret about those left behind. Regardless of which position one takes, however, globalization is a fact of life and will not be reversed. One consequence of globalization is the declining authority of nation-states as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and multi-national corporations have acquired great power. The problem, of course, is that it is the nation-state that has been the primary site for democratic deliberation. Neither NGOs nor corporations create many opportunities for citizens to come together to address issues of common concern. This talk will address these issues and will offer a call for organized and networked communications to address income disparaties and to create a shared notion of the public good.

For more information, please contact the Director of the Communication Conference, Dr. Kathy Adams.