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SYMPOSIUM WEB SITE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When and where will the symposium be held?
The Second Annual Symposium on Democracy will be held April 11 and 12 in the Kent Student Center located in Kent, Ohio.
Kent State University's Kent campus is easily accessible from all directions via major interstate highways; Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana turnpikes; Cleveland Hopkins International Airport; and Akron-Canton Regional Airport.
Directions to campus can be found on the university's Maps for and Directions to Kent State University Web page.
Information about overnight accommodations can be found on the Hotels and Motels in and near Kent Web page.
How can I attend? Is there a charge?
There is no charge to attend the symposium, but early registration for keynote addresses and sessions is encouraged. You can register online using the online registration form or by phone at (330) 672-3161 by April 6.
What is the theme of this year's symposium?
The theme of the Second Annual Symposium on Democracy is "Media, Profit and Politics: Competing Priorities in an Open Society."
How was this theme chosen?
If the events that unfolded at Kent State on May 4, 1970, teach us anything, it is that communication of divergent points of view has to take place in an atmosphere of inquiry and trust if difficult social issues are to be resolved in a peaceful manner. The need for reflection encounters fundamental difficulties in the face of economic forces, technological changes and an often apathetic body politic. This symposium will address questions arising from the clash of those societal forces in an attempt to learn from the past some important lessons for the future.
Who are the speakers?
Nancy Hicks Maynard, former co-owner and publisher of The Oakland Tribune and currently president of Maynard Partners Inc., will give the opening keynote address at 12:15 p.m., April 11. The title of her speech is "Mega Media: How Markets Are Changing News."
Hodding Carter III, former White House official and currently president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will speak at 7:30 p.m., April 11. His keynote address is entitled "Whose News Is It?"
Dr. Oscar H. Gandy, Jr., Herbert I. Schiller Information and Society Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, will give the closing keynote address at 12:30 p.m., April 12. He will speak on the topic of "The Irrationality of Rational Choice: Audience Segmentation and the Real Digital Divide."
Who organizes the symposium?
The Symposium Committee consists of faculty, students, administrators and staff. The committee is headed by co-chairs Joseph Harper, professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Thom Yantek, associate professor, Department of Political Science.
How were papers to be presented chosen?
The papers were chosen by a subcommittee of the Symposium Committee, made up mostly of academics and other experts, who carefully reviewed the submissions and chose the top papers in each category.
How can I obtain a copy of the papers and symposium proceedings?
Selected papers, along with discussants' comments, will be published in a Kent State University Press book commemorating the symposium. The book will be available in Fall 2002. For more information, contact the University Press at (800) 247-6553 or visit the University Press Web site.
What is the symposium's relationship to the events of May 4, 1970?
This symposium is the second of a permanent, annual symposium series on democratic values held as part of the University's observance of the events of May 4, 1970, when a confrontation between Ohio National Guard and demonstrators left four Kent State students dead and nine students wounded. For more information about these events, check May4.net Web site.
Is information available on the previous symposium?
The papers from last year's inaugural symposium have been collected into a book, The Boundaries of Freedom of Expression and Order in American Democracy, which will be available this spring from Kent State University Press. The book, edited by Thomas R. Hensley, also includes analysis and commentary by the symposium's keynote speakers, who are leading First Amendment scholars. The book will be $22 and can be ordered from University Press by calling (800) 247-6553 or by visiting the University Press Web site .
What events are planned for May 4, 2001?
For information on events planned by the May 4 Task Force, check the May 4 Web site at www.May4.net.
Has the date for next year's symposium been determined?
The exact date has not been determined, but it is currently being planned for May 2002.
How can I obtain a copy of the press release for the symposium?
The press release is posted on the News Releases Web page of this Web site found at http://dept.kent.edu/democracy-symposium/news-releases.html.
What will be the theme of next year's symposium?
The theme of the Third Annual Symposium on Democracy will be religion and democracy. The symposium will be chaired by David O'Dell-Scott, coordinator of Kent State University's Religious Studies Program.
Symposium Web site created October 2, 2000
Updated April 10, 2001
Web site contact:
Margaret Garmon at mgarmon@kent.edu
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