Multimedia Resources

Sub-Section Title

CONFERENCE GROUP ON POLITICS AND FILM
Affiliated with the American Political Science Association
NEWSLETTER No. 1-1997

Welcome to the first newsletter of the Conference Group on Politics and Film, affiliated with the American Political Science Association. We were formally recognized by the APSA last summer (1996), under the guidance of Ernest Giglio (giglio@lycoming.edu), who serves as the chair. Ernest and Michael Haas (Mikehass@aol.com) were instrumental in developing this idea. Mike is the founder and chair of the Political Film Society, based in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Membership is an amorphous concept. Right now, anyone who wants to call herself or himself a member is granted membership. Quite egalitarian. Ernest has a list of approximately 70 people interested in a formalized organization affiliated with APSA. Approximately, two-thirds of the list have e-mail addresses, hence the attractiveness of an electronic newsletter. We will mail copies of this message to the twenty to twenty-five other folks and encourage them to join the the Net. We are also putting this first edition on h-teach pol thanks to the kindness of Bill Ball at the College of New Jersey. While not formal, this process is quicker and cheaper than hard-copy, postage stamps and envelopes. Ernie's dream has been to grow us into a Division of APSA. So, feel free, to circulate, transmit, reproduce and share this and all future editions of this newsletter with others.

The primary activity of the Conference Group has been active participation in the APSA annual meeting. At last year's meeting in San Francisco, the Group sponsored three panels, a brown-bag lunch-business meeting, and a gathering with members of the Art & Politics network ( more about this group in an upcoming newsletter). The content of the programs was great. The attendance was, well, "two thumbs down!" APSA rewards good attendance with panel slots at the next annual meeting. Ouch! We lost one! But Ernest ( being trained as a political operative) started negotiating with other divisions and groups. One objective was to co-sponsor panels or sessions, thus splitting one of our panels and sharing each half with some other group, effectively, getting two programs.

Without details of battle, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL. We are very grateful to the Undergraduate Education Division (APSA Division 42) under the leadership of Donna Schlagheck (DACHLAGHECK@nova.wright.edu) for co-sponsoring one of our panels.

We have an exciting program shaping up for the August-in-Washington,DC, annual meeting of APSA. The centerpiece is a showing of the video-documentary "Taking on the Kennedys" which is part of the PBS POV series and PBS Documentary Project. Even more exciting, Ernest has arranged for filmmaker, Josuah Seftel to join us. USA Today said," Taking on the Kennedy's" is a "film that would be mistaken foe a Robert Altman political satire if it weren't absolutely and horribly true." With cinema verite style, this film examines the Rhode Island congressional race between Patrick Kennedy (Yes, Ted's youngest son) and Kevin Vigilante. Dave Whiteman (whiteman@sc.edu), our Associate or Deputy Chair, will co-host the event with Ernest.

As our second feature, Ernest has organized a panel of papers on "Washington on Film," chaired by Barbara Allen of Carleton College (BALLEN@Carleton.edu) Unless his facts are wrong, Ernest has scheduled Bill Jones (wmjones@vwc.edu) with "Monumental Disasters: From Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to Independence day," Mike Canning (mpcanning@aol.com) with "The Hill on Film," Ron Briley with "Hollywood and the American Presidency," and Robert Robins (Robins@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu) and Jerrold Post on "Political Paranoia as Cinematic Motif: Stone's JFK." Christa Slaton (slatocd@mail.auburn.edu) will serve as discussant.

As the final climatic part of our triple feature, we are co-sponsoring a roundtable with Undergraduate Education on the "Teaching the Discipline: Film as Methodology." David Paletz (paletz@acpub.duke.edu), Dick Strada (strada@pilot.njin.net) and Jay Parker (jj7823@exmail.usma.army.mil) from the Conference Group and Donna Schlagheck and Tony Snipes of the Undergrad Division will be participating. I suspect we will have lots of great video clips and a rich discussion on teaching with film. John Williams (jww@prin.edu) will hold the remote control.

Yes ! There will be a business meeting too.

And yes, you can help! Join us at APSA and join us at each of the Conference Group's activities. Share this newsletter and encourage others to write Ernest Giglio (giglio@lycoming.edu), David Whiteman (whiteman@sc.edu) or myself, John Williams (jww@prin.edu) to get on our mailing list. Or just keep reading the later editions of the newsletter on H-TeachPol.

Expect the next newsletter in early or mid summer with more news and details.

{ Top of Page }

Teaching Politics is published by William J. Ball (ball@tcnj.edu)