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It’s finally here. The campaigns are on their final push and as of Tuesday night – the results will start rolling in. This has been one of the most unique elections in modern history. A divisive and bitter campaign fought during a global health crisis. Texas, which has 38 electoral college votes, second only to California in number – may be in play. Though Texas has not swung blue since 1976, Tuesday night a lot of eyes will be watching Texas to see what role it takes in deciding the outcome of the election. If you are a reporter covering the election in Texas, the key issues in the state and what motivates it to vote for either candidate – then let our experts help. Jim Riddlesperger is professor of Political Science at TCU and focuses on American politics, with emphasis in the presidency, Congress, and Texas politics. Professor Adam Schiffer writes and speaks on media bias, presidential nomination contests, political news, elections, and public opinion. Both are available to speak with media – simply click on either expert’s icon to book an interview today.
Is this the biggest election since 1860? Let our expert explain why
The upcoming U.S. presidential election is happening in unprecedented times and during what could be the most divisive era in more than a century and a half. This week, one of the University of Connecticut’s historical experts, Manisha Sinha, was featured by CNN to explain her point that America is indeed facing its biggest election in 160 years. “The 2020 presidential election is certainly as consequential as that of 1860. It is, as Biden is fond of saying, a battle for the 'soul of America.' The fate of the American republic once again hangs in the balance. Like the slaveholders of the 1850s, Trump, his followers and enablers are in a position to pose an existential threat to American democracy. Like many slaveholders, Trump refuses to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses. "If history appears first as tragedy, then as farce, the counterparts of southern secessionists and proslavery theorists today are QAnon conspiracy theorists, neo Confederates, and the right-wing Boogaloo boys. Much of the contemporary Republican Party that refuses to repudiate Trump is like those southern Whites who may not have had a direct stake in slavery but went with their states, who ultimately chose slavery before the republic. The choice -- as the Republicans of the Lincoln Project, who have broken with their party, put it -- is between America and Trump.” Dr. Sinha’s full op-ed is available on CNN.com and is a must-read for anyone looking to put this year’s election into historical context. And, if you are a journalist looking to cover this topic, let our experts help with your coverage. Manisha Sinha is the Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut and the author of "The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition." She is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
October is Disability Awareness Month - contact a UMW expert if you are covering
One in four Americans lives with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the University of Mary Washington, it’s one in eight. “With those sorts of numbers, it’s mind-boggling [that] disability doesn’t have more automatic inclusion when people think about diversity,” said UMW Professor of English Chris Foss. As the Americans with Disabilities Act’s 30th year and October’s Disability Awareness Month shine a light on one of the country’s most underrepresented groups, so does a new UMW course. Offered for the first time this fall, Intro to Disability Studies (IDS) delves into the 21st-century experience of a diverse population, exploring cognitive, sensory, mobility and other differences as just as essential to the human condition as gender and race. The 16-week course fans out across disciplines, examining disability throughout the lifespan in historical, political, social and other contexts. Years in the making, the class is team-taught by faculty and staff – from art history, education, English, historic preservation, psychology and the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) – who’ve poured their time and passion into the topic in hopes it gains traction. “It took a lot of meetings, discussion and work on Google Docs to pull this together,” said Professor of Art History Julia DeLancey, who borrows from her first-year seminar, “The Beauty Difference Gives Us,” to deliver an IDS session on how disabilities affect artists’ work. If you are a journalist looking to cover Disability Awareness Month and the Americans with Disabilities Act’s 30th year, then let the experts from the University of Mary Washington help with your story. Dr. Julia DeLancey and Dr. Chris Foss are available to speak with media about this important topic – simply click on either icon to arrange an interview today.
With America less than two weeks away from one of its most unique and divisive elections in the country’s history – and as the polls tighten and the outcome seems to be coming a little more clear from the fog of a long campaign, some might be getting a little worried. The November 3rd outcome is far from determined, especially if anyone wants to think back four years when President Trump was a candidate that was expected to be routed by Hillary Clinton. But as Joe Biden’s campaign is showing strength in traditional Republican strongholds, the idea of voting down the ballot and the ripple effects of voter change has representatives from both the Senate and House of Representatives concerned. If the presidency is to be lost, holding power and keeping a strong presence in both houses is still a priority. Getting re-elected and staying employed is also an important factor for members of Congress and sitting Senators. The following few days may be a crucial time for a lot of candidates seeking election in traditional ‘red’ states to start thinking for themselves and even distancing their platforms and profiles away from the campaign for the White House. It’s not as easy as it may seem. And that’s where a political expert can assist when examining a few of the important angles: What consequences and risks are there for candidates who abandon the party line? Where is it happening now and who is most vulnerable? Is down-the-ballot voting really an issue or just more of a myth made up for media covering an already long election? If you are a journalist looking to cover this election trend or any other topic leading up to Election Day – then let our experts help. Dr. Rosalyn Cooperman, associate professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington and member of Gender Watch 2018, is an expert on women in politics. She is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.
Continuing to Learn and Explore American History
In the United States, students take several American history courses throughout their K-12 experience. So, why should students bother to continue taking American history courses in college? For Southern Utah University's Dr. Mark Miller, the answer is simple. “When I teach a history course, I am always looking for ways to point out how an issue or event in the past is relevant to something going on in today's world,” said Dr. Miller. “With this year's presidential election going on there have been plenty of examples to tie into regarding past politics and past political crises we have lived through as Americans.” Dr. Miller has conducted some exciting research that will be published in 2021. His upcoming articles includes: “Polygamy under the Red Cliffs: Women’s Voices and Historical Memory at Centennial Park” in Utah Historical Quarterly, “A River Again: Fossil Creek, Desert Fishes, and Dam Removal in the American Southwest” in Pacific Historical Review, and “‘One Territory, Many Peoples:” Racial and Ethnic Groups and the Development of Arizona Territory” in The Smoke Signal. “I think my work on plural marriage and environmental history shows that history is never dead,” said Dr. Miller. “It reveals that in current debates history is quite important. What happened in the past still informs the present. Since both of these topics are quite controversial today, I think historians provide a valuable service by exposing the history behind debates over allowing polygamy in modern America or whether we should make trade offs in development and water use to preserve unique species. Knowledge of people who practice plural marriage and their religious history as well as the history of preservation efforts toward endangered species is vital to all participants in the debates.” Dr. Mark Miller is a professor of history and the department chair of History, Sociology, & Anthropology at Southern Utah University. His research and teaching specialties include United States History, American West, Borderlands, Indigenous Culture and History, World Civilization, and Latin America. He has published articles and books on modern American Indian History, most recently Forgotten Tribes (2006) and Claiming Tribal Identity (2013). He has published articles on race and ethnicity, on indigenous identity and politics in several journals. Dr. Miller is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit his profile.
Impact of Masks on Social Interaction
In the midst of the current pandemic, wearing masks in public has become the norm. However, masks present challenges for in-person social interaction. The deaf community, in particular, has had to adapt to losing the ability to lipread and cues from facial expressions. According to Heidi Rose, PhD, professor and chair of Villanova University's Communication Department, "Most people take communication for granted." Simple things, such as seeing facial expressions, are crucial to fully understanding each other. "We get a lot of cues from voice (tone) [and] inflection, but the face communicates so much," said Dr. Rose. For instance, new relationships through face coverings may become difficult to develop. "If you don't know them, you miss a lot; in a classroom or work situation, until you know them well, it creates a big barrier." Not being able to see the face is a major barrier in understanding speech in the deaf community. Dr. Rose, who has written and researched communication in the deaf community, sees clear masks as a solution. "Now there's a market for them; they help facilitate facial expression; it helps you feel closer to someone," Dr. Rose said. These masks, which have clear plastic windows, allow for more understanding. The key, Dr. Rose emphasizes, is to positively adapt to new communication challenges. Clear masks could be a step toward shaping the future of communication. "Instead of lamenting the losses, focus more on adaptability—what we recognize as essential to good communication and how we overcome these barriers," she added. As history has proven, the way we communicate is constantly changing. "We always evolve in interesting ways," said Dr. Rose. "The invention of the telephone didn't stop neighbors from talking to each other."
It's on - Are Biden and Harris a dream ticket for voters?
For some it is a dream come true. For Donald Trump – there appears to be a nightmare on the horizon. When Joe Biden chose Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, it seemed like the ultimate trump card was played on the president himself. The announcement dominated newscasts across the globe. Harris is a strong candidate with a political resume that few can rival. Her young age off-sets that of Biden and the fact that she is a woman of color – and the chance for America to make history once again – makes the path to the White House seem unstoppable. However – no campaign is perfect, nor easy in America these days. And voters should expect lots of political punches and mudslinging in the party conventions and debates, all the way up to Election Day. What can Americans expect as the campaigns kick off? Will Harris’s past policies and record as Attorney General dull her shine? She clashed last summer with Biden over issues of race – has all been forgiven and forgotten? And is America finally ready to elect a woman of color into the highest halls of government? It is going to be a long and winding road until the November election – and if you are a journalist covering this topic, the University of Mary Washington has one of the foremost political experts in the country who can help with your stories. Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on presidential politics. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune, and MSNBC.
What does Kamala Harris' candidacy for vice president mean for women of color in America?
It wasn’t necessarily a surprise to insiders, but Joe Biden’s announcement that Sen. Kamala Harris will be his running mate in the 2020 presidential election took America by storm. News outlets, pundits and posters to social media all took to different mediums to discuss the historical significance of a female woman of color being on the ballot and what this means for America. Harris has obviously broken through the glass ceiling that still existed for those seeking the office of the vice president in Washington, but she is refreshingly just one of several strong females from minority communities who are starting to make a difference and have an impact on the makeup of modern American politics. In many recent elections, black women voters have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, and had the highest turnout rate among all racial, ethnic and gender groups between 2008 and 2012, according to The New York Times. Women of color are an emerging force in politics, but is America ready to elect a woman of color to vice presidency? It will be an interesting campaign. With Biden and Harris in fact facing President Donald Trump and amid a global pandemic, this will be one of the most hotly followed and unconventional quests for the White House in history. If you are a journalist covering this topic – then let an expert from Augusta University help with your story. Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political behavior and the implications of gender differences in public opinion, including society’s views of female candidates of color. She is available to talk about the upcoming election and all aspects surrounding each campaign. Click on her name to schedule an interview.
It has been the talk of the political town for months now – just who will Joe Biden pick to be his running mate and potentially the vice president of America after this November’s election? Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump is far from guaranteed, and odds are Democrats are a little wiser from 2016, when the polls showed Hillary Clinton had the race all but sewed up in October only to be shocked once all the votes were counted. But the polls are favorable for Biden and who he chooses to join him on the ballot could help drive his victory a lot closer to home. Biden has signaled his running mate will be female, which narrows the fields, but there are other factors to consider. Here are just a few: Race: Black voters represent almost one of four members of the Democratic base and getting those voters to show up like they did for former President Barack Obama will be essential. Appeal: Biden did well with older voters in the primaries but had dismal support of younger voters. Age: At 77, Biden will be the oldest candidate in history. He may need a substantially younger partner to balance the ticket. A lot of names are being thrown around and time is ticking. If you are a journalist covering the election, that is where our media-ready experts can help. Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political behavior and the implications of gender differences in public opinion, including society’s views of female candidates of color. She is available to talk about the upcoming election and all aspects surrounding each campaign. Click on her name to schedule an interview.
This presidential election will undoubtedly be the most contentious, controversial, and probably extraordinary in American history. If you thought 2016 was a spectacle, now Joe Biden and Donald Trump are facing off during a global pandemic, which will inevitably force the traditional styles of campaigning like whistle stops and rallies to pivot toward digital town halls and online chats. Despite polling, both parties know they cannot take anything for granted. And there are a lot of factors at play: Has anyone done an almost exclusively online campaign before? What will a lack of massive rallies mean for Donald Trump? What can Joe Biden learn from the Clinton campaign? What are the key states at play and why do they matter so much? Can either candidate bridge the divide between a very divisive America? The next 99 days will be a long and drawn out marathon of drama, policies, and political punches. And if you are covering, let Dr. Stephen Farnsworth be your go-to for everything you need to know during this election. Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on presidential politics. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune, and MSNBC. He is author or co-author of six books on presidential communication. Dr. Farnsworth is available to speak with media and help with your coverage – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.