John Callahan, literary executor of Ralph Ellison’s estate, will be giving a talk on Ellison’s letters and his relevance to today’s political scene.
Issues of Criminal Justice: Race- or Poverty-Based?
Justice and Inequality Roundtable
The United States criminal justice system has been under severe criticism. The perception that the system is unfair and discriminatory is held by a number of persons. To what extent does this perception mirror reality? What is the number of non-whites in the US and MD prison systems? What disparities in the system can be explained by discrimination based on race? What disparities may be caused by other factors, such as poverty? At what stages of the criminal justice process are racial, ethnic and economic disparities most apparent?
At the Center for the Study of Democracy’s “Issues of Criminal Justice: Race or Poverty Based?,” The Honorable Peter J. Messitte, Senior United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, will give the keynote address on these issues. His presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion with comments by Hon. Paul B. DeWolfe, Jr., Public Defender of the State of Maryland, Baltimore; Hon. James Kenney III, Judge of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (retired); and Hon. Karen H. Abrams, Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County.
The Center for the Study of Democracy, sponsor of the program, will hold an invitation-only reception before the event, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Reconstructed State House of 1776 on the SMCM campus. Inquiries should be directed to Adrienne Dozier (amdozier@smcm.edu or 240-895-6432).
This free event is open to the public. It will take place the Auerbach Auditorium located at 47458 Trinity Church Road, St. Mary’s City, MD 20686.
Madison, Montpelier, and the Constitution
During his own lifetime James Madison was dubbed “Father of the Constitution,” a title he humbly dismissed. Madison, though, would have a larger hand than any other individual of the founding era in shaping the American political system of government. Kyle M. Stetz, Manager of Student and Family Programs at James Madison’s Montpelier will explore the work Madison completed, before, during, and after the Constitutional Convention of 1787. What exactly did Madison do? What prepared him for such significant work in government-building?
Kyle Stetz began his career as an Interpretive Park Ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park, and also worked as a Historical Interpreter at Historic Halifax State Historic Site in Halifax (NC) known for “Halifax Resolves,” the first official action by an entire colony recommending independence from England. Currently he manages student and family programs at the home of James Madison, Montpelier.
This is the Annual Judge William O.E. Sterling Constitution Day Lecture organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy in cooperation with SMCM’s Political Science Department.
Picking a President in 2016: Lessons Learned (or not) from Previous Campaigns, Elections, and Their Aftermaths
The Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Harold W. Stanley.
Focusing on the 2016 presidential election provides an opportunity to sharpen our understanding of the presidential selection process and the state of our national politics. Current political dynamics from the 2016 campaign can reinforce or call into question lessons learned from the scholarly literature on previous campaigns, elections, and their aftermaths.
This event is co-sponsored by the Dept. of Political Science and the Center for the Study of Democracy.
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Harold Stanley has recently been named SMU’s Vice President for Executive Affairs, after having served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost ad interim since June 1, 2015. Prior to that, Dr. Stanley had served as Associate Provost since 2010. In his role as Associate Provost, Dr. Stanley oversaw the International Center, SMU-in-Taos, the Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center, the Center for the Academic Development of Student Athletes, and the President’s Scholars. Dr. Stanley is the Geurin-Pettus Distinguished Chair in American Politics and Political Economy at SMU, a faculty position he has held since fall 2003 upon his arrival to the University. Prior to his tenure at SMU, he served as Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Rochester, where he began his teaching career. In 1991 he received Rochester’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award.
Dr. Stanley also taught at Yale University as the Prize Teaching Fellow (1978-1979), and served as a Visiting Research Professor at the University of Alabama (1987–1988) and at SMU (2000-2001). During the 2000-2001 academic year he served as President of the Southern Political Science Association.
Dr. Stanley’s research focuses on American government, particularly on Southern and Latino politics as well as presidential elections. He is the author of numerous books and articles; coedits Vital Statistics on American Politics, now in its 15th edition; and has testified often as an expert witness in federal court on voting rights and redistricting.
He has recently been honored with the Outstanding Teaching in Political Science Award of Pi Sigma Alpha/American Political Science Association, and during his tenure at SMU he has received the Outstanding Administrator Award (2013), as well as SMU’s prestigious “M” Award (2010), the most highly prized recognition bestowed upon students, faculty, staff and administrations
Degrees: B.A. Yale University, 1972 Phi Beta Kappa
M.Phil. Oxford University, 1975
Ph.D. Yale University, 1981
Perspectives on Immigration: From Central America to Maryland
Join us for a round table about the realities of immigration between Central America and Mexico and Maryland. Six participants will share their experience and expertise on the causes of immigration, the journey to the United States from Central America and Mexico, and immigrant communities in Maryland.
Co-sponsored by the Department of International Languages and Cultures, the Department of Political Science, and Mellon Civic Engagement funding, in conjunction with the exhibition “Destino” (on view in Boyden Gallery, October 20-November 22).
Resurrecting Apartheid: From Ferguson to the Voting Booth to the Border – Combating Racism in the Post-Obama Era
In this talk, Tim Wise examines the ways in which racism in the U.S.—even blatant forms thought to be long buried—are rearing their ugly heads again and threatening the future of American democracy. Heightened police brutality, racial profiling, attempts to limit voting access by people of color, and blatantly racialized anti-immigrant backlash are among the issues explored (and tied together) in this especially timely speech.
As Wise notes, what all of these issues have in common is the white racial anxiety that propels each forward. Aggressive policing of communities of color stems from the racially-paranoid white fear of black and brown crime; restrictions on voting stem from a fear that too many voters of color will elect candidates hostile to conservative white political interests; and anti-immigrant hysteria stems from white fears that “too many” brown folks will spell the end of the “traditional America” that conservative whites have long preferred. Herein, Wise not only demonstrates the ways in which racial apartheid is being resurrected (albeit in a 2.0 form), but explains how believers in multiracial democracy can fight back.
Reception & Book Signing: To follow in the State House