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"Changing the Conversation," with Carole Simpson
Panel discussions to be scheduled throughout
the academic year
"Changing the Conversation, with Carole Simpson" is a program of small panel discussions that will showcase political leaders, media experts, and journalists who are seeking to bring reasoned debate and fruitful dialogue to the public sphere. "Changing the Conversation" will extend the CRVE experience to the entire Emerson student body and Boston community by focusing on the role of free expression and ethical communication in creating informed and involved citizens. Carole Simpson, former ABC News senior correspondent and ABC Weekend News anchor, three-time Emmy award winning journalist, and current Leader-In-Residence at Emerson, was moderator of the 1992 second Presidential debate and is the winner of numerous journalism awards. In her role as moderator of "Changing the Conversation" she brings her commitment to free, open, and reasoned discussion in pursuit of solutions to society's problems.
Common Ground, Common Good
Panel discussions to be scheduled throughout
the academic year
"Changing the Conversation" is a key component of "Common Ground, Common Good," an initiative of the School of Communication at Emerson College. The activities of "Common Ground, Common Good" will capture and contribute to the increasing intellectual ferment and public discussion about the way citizens communicate in our democractic society and how this communication affects our ability to solve local, national, and global challenges. For the 2007-2008 academic year, with the Presidential campaign as a backdrop, this program of individual speakers will explore the ideas expressed in recent publications. Scholars, journalists and public figures will be be invited to participate in the program. In 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 "Common Ground, Common Good" will focus on the Presidential campaign and incoming Administration. In subsequent years the speaker series will focus on relevant and current issues and campaigns at the local, state, and global levels.
What Price Freedom? What the Hollywood Blacklist and the Patriot Act Have in Common
Monday, November 5
Dr. Maureen Shea, Director for Special Projects for the School of the Arts, will organize a symposium in 2007-2008 entitled "What Price Freedom? What the Hollywood Blacklist and the Patriot Act Have in Common." Scheduled for Monday, November 5, this symposium acknowledges the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Hollywood Blacklist. On November 25, 1947, Hollywood studio executives, led by by Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, issued The Waldorf Statement. This two-page press release was issued following a closed-door meeting by forty-eight motion picture company executives at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The Statement was a response to the contempt of Congress charges against the so-called "Hollywood Ten" and marks the over three hundred employees in the motion picture and related industries as Communists or Communist sympathizers (past or present). The Statement vowed to "eliminate any subversives: to protect the innocent; and to safeguard free speech and a free screen wherever threatened."
This symposium will focus on free speech issues and include two daytime panel discussions and a staged reading in the evening of The Waldorf Conference, a play about the meeting that began the blacklist (written by Nat Segaloff, Daniel M. Kimmel and Arnie Reisman). Faculty, staff and alumni will participate in the reading. Nat Segaloff will visit Emerson College and participate in a talkback session with the audience following the reading of his play.