American Democracy Project Past Events

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

"Marijuana: Is it Just Weed?" will be the topic for February 29th, and the discussion will be facilitated by Lisa Bates Lester, instructor in the department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.  The article selected for this discussion can be accessed here.

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

"Student Loan Debt" will be the topic for February 15th, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Oliver Schnuesenberg, Professor in the department of Accounting and Finance, and Dr. Mary Borg, Director of the Honors Program.  The article selected for this discussion can be accessed here.

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

"College Athletics" will be the topic for February 1st, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dee Kennnedy and Clifford Harrell, from UNF Athletics Academic Support.  The article selected for this discussion can be accessed here. 

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

"Occupy Wall Street" will be the topic for January 25th, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. David Schwam-Baird, Professor in the department of Political Science and Public Administration .  To read the article for this discussion click here.  A brief video related to the topic can be viewed here.

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

"Going Green: PR vs. Behavior" will be the topic for April 13, and the discussion will be facilitated by Ms. April Moore (Environmental Center) and Ms. Marcia Ladendorff (Communication).  The article selected for the April 13 discussion is accessible by clicking the following link: Going Green Article 

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The March 24 topic will be immigration, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Lisa Bates-Lester (Criminology and Criminal Justice). The article selected for the March 24th discussion is accessible by clicking the following link: Immigration Article.

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The topic for March 9 will be healthcare and the national economy, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Mary Borg (Honors and Scholars Program) and Mr. Donald Hutton (Dept. of Public Health).  The article selected for the March 9 discussion is accessible by clicking the following link:  March 9, 2011 Talk of the Times Article 

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The topic for February 24 is Legalizing Marijuana, and the discussion will be co-facilitated by Dr. Mary Borg (Honors), Dr. Clark Lunberry (English), Dr. Paul Mason (Economics) and Dr. Dan Pontzer (Criminology and Criminal Justice).  The article selected for the February 24 discussion is available by clicking the following link:  February 24, 2011 Talk of the Time Article 

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that have been featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The topic for February 9 is the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Patrick Plumlee (Political Science & Public Administration).  The article selected for the February 9 discussion is available by clicking the following link:  February 9, 2011 Talk of the Times Article 

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that are featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The topic for January 27 is cheating, and the discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Jeff Michelman (Accounting), Dr. Bobby Waldrup (Accounting) and Dr. Leslie Kaplan (Honors Program).  The article selected for the January 12 discussion is available by clicking the following link: January 27, 2011 Talk of the Times Article.  

The Talk of the Times series provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to join together in discussion of issues of national, international and local significance that are featured in the New York Times.  This series is sponsored by the UNF American Democracy Project and the New York Times.

The January 12 topic was relational violence and rape, and the discussion was facilitated by Dr. Paula Horvath-Neimeyer (Communication) and Ms. Sheila Spivey (Women's Center).

The article selected for the January 12 discussion is available by clicking the following link: January 12, 2011 Talk of the Times Article  

T.R.  Reid, author, NPR correspondent and Health Policy Fellow of the Kaiser Family Foundation, will speak on "The Healing of America: the Quest for Better, Cheaper Healthcare."

This event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the World Affairs Council.

New for the Fall 2010 semester, "Talk of the Times" discussions consist of dialogue between UNF faculty members and residence hall students, centered on an article from the New York Times on an issue of the day.

The November 15 discussion topic will be the Nov. 2 mid-term elections, and the conversation will be facilitated by Dr. Henry Thomas (Political Science) and Dr. John Parmelee (Communication).

Check back soon for future "Talk of the Times" discussion dates and topics.

Award-winning correspondent Stephen Kinzer will speak Oct. 12 on the topic, "Turkey Between Two Worlds: Is the World Ready for Islamic Democracy?"

This event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the World Affairs Council.

New for the Fall 2010 semester, "Talk of the Times" discussions consist of dialogue between UNF faculty members and residence hall students, centered on an article from the New York Times on an issue of the day.

The October 7 discussion topic will be plagiarism, and the conversation will be facilitated by Dr. Dan Richard (Psychology) and Ms. Linda Howell (English).

Check back soon for future "Talk of the Times" discussion dates and topics.

The Tea Party movement is notable in part for the number of women in leadership roles, from Sarah Palin to the group "Smart Girl Politics."  Does the fact of female leadership make the Tea Party a feminist movement, or does it take something more?  A panel of professors and political activists will consider this question.

During this event the first few months of Obama's presidency were discussed. Mr. Shannon Ogden, First Coast News, moderated this discussion. Panelists included the Honorable Kevin Hyde, City Councilman; Chris Hand, attorney with Terrell and Hogan; Shannon Hewett, a lobbyist with Southern Strategy Group; and Jonathan Howe, retired Four-Star United States Navy Admiral.

Students, faculty, and staff were invited to engage in a local dialogue sparked by a series of national conversations about the dynamics of race, class and gender in the 2008 Presidential Election. This event was sponsored by the Department of Sociology & Anthropology, the UNF Women’s Center, the Intercultural Center for PEACE, and the American Democracy Project.

This film uncovers death anxiety as a possible root cause of many of our behaviors on a psychological, spiritual, and cultural level. After the film, a presentation was given by producer Greg Bennick, as well as a presentation by Sheldon Solomon, the social psychologist featured in the film.

John Zogby is the president and CEO of Zogby International. He has conducted polls and focus groups around the world, though he has gained the most publicity for his polls of U.S. presidential elections. This event was sponsored by the UNF Foundation and the World Affairs Council. 

This documentary film, produced by Dr. Jillian Smith and her students, features President John Delaney and other members of the UNF campus community answering the question, "What do rights mean to you?"  Students, faculty, and staff were able to stop in to the University Gallery to view this film. 

A pre-show patriotic jamboree was held on the front porch of the Fine Arts Center. The event featured voter registration, food, music, and activities. 

The American Democracy Project Steering Committee is sponsored an election debate, moderated by President John Delaney. Mr. Kevin Hyde, Jacksonville City Council Member, represented Senator John McCain; Mr. Chris Hand, an Attorney with Terrell and Hogan, represented Senator Barack Obama.

Project Vote Smart is a non-partisan, non-profit, voter education organization. They provide information on presidential candidates such as campaign finance records, State and Federal Key Votes, and Speeches. This national bus tour is stopped at UNF to provide students with voter education. 

Students were given the opportunity to learn about local government by meeting with city council members, attending a City Council Meeting, and touring City Hall. 

Students were able to learn about how politicians are covered in the media and tour the Florida Times-Union building in Jacksonville, Florida.

Students sat in on a taping of "Jacksonville Week in Review," a weekly broadcast produced by WJCT on issues of the day in Jacksonville. Students were able to view the television production process as well as discuss challenges facing the Jacksonville community with participants of the show. This program gave students insight into the media as well as how civil discourse is conducted. 

Students in Marcia Ladendorff's Media Literacy: Campaign Edition course traveled to Washington, DC during Spring Break and created short films centered on the questions: What is the impact of media on the political process? Does that impact result in apathy among young people toward politics? 

This panel discussion explored the freedom of information in government. The panelists included Mr. Joe Adams, author of the Florida Public Records Handbook, Ms. Barbara Petersen, President of the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee, and Ms. JoAnn Carrin, Office of Open Government in Tallahassee. 

In this presentation Dr. John Parmelee, Associate Professor of Communication, examined candidate framing in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections and how viewers interpret that framing. 

Students, faculty, staff, and community members joined in on this critical discussion on the role of the individual in our representative democracy. Guest speakers included Duval County Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland, and Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, Dr. Kyle Scott. The UNF Voices Forum was established by students representing various UNF student organizations such as Critical Minds, Project Affect, Americans for Informed Democracy, Students Without Borders, and the Progressive Action Committee. 

Students had the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with former senator Bob Graham (D, Fla.) about the American presidency and the upcoming election. 

Several service activity stations were set up on the UNF Green, and in front of the UNF library including: Hope for the Homeless, Civic Engagement, Elderly Outreach, Food for the Famished, Kids Korner, and Great American Bake Sale. Students were able to learn that in just 5 minutes they could make a difference! 

Faculty members were encouraged to distribute voter registration forms to their students during the first week of the Fall 2008 semester. 

The Sunshine Week Audit Committee was comprised of students, faculty, and staff interested in the open access to information in government. Dr. Berrin Beasley, Associate Professor of Communication, trained the committee on how to request public documents and gave an overview of the Sunshine law and its importance. Committee members then were able to choose an issue of interest to them and request public records related to issue. Students visited public agencies (such as City Hall) and requested the records as a test of agency compliance with Chapter 119 of Florida statutes. 

Ambassador and UNF Visiting Scholar Nancy Soderberg led a group of 22 students on a transformational learning opportunity to Washinton, DC where they had the opportunity to discuss their policy paper with top governmental officials. Click the link above to view an article from the Spinnaker about this trip. 

UNF students participated as delegates and volunteers in this two-day Mock Convention along with students from Duval County High Schools, Edward Waters College, Jacksonville University, and Florida Community College at Jacksonville. Students decided on party platforms and candidates for Democrat and Republican parties. This event was sponsored by Supervisor of Elections Office.

Jacksonville Day at the Florida Capitol took place Thursday, January 24, 2008. UNF students were part of the Jacksonville delegation to the State Capitol along with members of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Students met with state legislators, attended a Higher Education Appropriations Committee meeting, and participated in a private tour of the governor's mansion. 

In this lecture Dr. Paul Harwood examined the impact of our technological usage on democracy.