Bryce Peake, a new assistant professor of media and communication studies, recently published an ethnographic study he conducted with a colleague at Central Washington University on the September pro-Confederate flag rally in Washington, D.C. The article “Viral Landscapes in the Public Square: the Confederate Flag visits the U.S. Capitol,” was published on the Centre for Imaginative Ethnography’s website.

As part of the study, Peake and his colleague Mark Auslander spent time interviewing participants on both sides of the protests and edited the audio interviews down to a five minute sequence of overlapping voices: “Reviewing the audio, we noted that it is often difficult to tease out which side is being represented in speeches or interviews, without access to the visual framing devices of flags and protest signs. For all their deep political divides, the competing participants share a deep distrust of the state, and are all profoundly critical of mainstream representations of American history,” they wrote.

Further analyzing the audio they collected, the authors noted that “the pro-Confederate demonstrators understand themselves as coming to the nation’s capital and its house of government to petition for redress. In contrast, the anti-flag forces aren’t framing things in national terms as such. For them, they are defending their city against outsiders. ‘Leave our city. Take that flag and run! Take your evil hatred and go home!'”

Peake hopes the audioscape will be a resource for classroom discussions about readings on political theory and democratic dialog. Peake specializes in international communication, research methodologies, gender politics, and science and technology studies. Read more about his work on the media and communication studies department website.

Following John Boehner’s retirement announcement on September 25, Thomas Schaller, professor and chair of political science, wrote that the House Speaker’s time in office will be more defined by the political environment he inherited than some of the decisions he made while in office. Schaller’s column, “House of Shards,” was published in The American Prospect soon after Boehner’s announcement.

“To appreciate Boehner’s fraught tenure, it’s important to recall the years preceding Boehner’s 2011 ascension,” Schaller wrote, before describing the Wall Street bailout vote in 2008 and the rise of the Tea Party movement in 2010.

“So it was that in January 2011 Boehner became the first Republican speaker in GOP history to lead without the benefit of a companion Senate Republican majority. By his second term as speaker, his caucus was comprised two-thirds of members elected in 2006 or later, with half of the caucus elected in 2010 and 2012 elections alone. Forget his barkeeper father’s Republican Party: This wasn’t even his own Republican Party,” Schaller added.

Schaller also mentioned that the 2011 debt ceiling negotiations and the 2013 government shutdown when Boehner was heavily involved should be taken into account when reflecting on his tenure as House Speaker, but they should be balanced with his successes, including helping to avert two recent government shutdowns.

“No matter how many deal-with-the-devil accommodations Boehner made with members of his unruly House coalition to hang onto power, remember the shining moments when he pushed back.”

31st Annual MCA Conference | November 13-14, 2015
"Talking Through Conflict: Exploring Communication Strategies"
Bowie State University, Bowie, MD

Greetings Everyone,

O’Malley for President is currently seeking unpaid interns at the campaign’s headquarters in Baltimore, MD to work in the finance, political, communications, operations, research, and scheduling departments. The fall internship program will run through the end of 2015. 

This internship opportunity is perfect for students who are interested in getting a career started in politics and developing experience in the exciting world of political campaigns and organizations.

It's a blast being in the mosh pit of democracy, watching the campaign play out from the inside: contacting reporters, brainstorming policy proposals, talking with voters, attending young professional events and meeting other forward-thinking individuals!

This is an experience students will remember for their entire lives, and it's an easy way to get college credit.

The ideal intern would be able to work a minimum of 20 hours a week, but we are flexible. Applicants should be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and interested in the political process.

 Requirements:

- Laptop to use at campaign headquarters

- Access to reliable transportation (we are located close to public transit in Baltimore)

- Belief in democratic ideals

- Complete minimum hours required (flexible scheduling available)

- No previous campaign experience required

Please send your resume and a cover letter indicating availability as well as which departments you are interested in to fall-interns@martinomalley.com with the subject line “Fall Intern” to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, handicap or sexual orientation.

Best

Hi Everyone,

Delegate Clarence Lam (D - District 12, Howard and Baltimore Counties) is looking for part-time unpaid interns for the 2016 legislative session. Interns will gain valuable experience and knowledge of the legislative process in the Maryland General Assembly. Intern responsibilities include answering constituent phone calls, drafting responses to constituent emails and letters, assisting with the mail program, and assisting with administrative tasks. Interns will also have the opportunity to attend legislative hearings and perform legislative research.

Ideal candidates will have a strong work ethic, positive attitude, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and a willingness to learn. Interns must be able to work 2-3 days per week in Delegate Lam's Annapolis office from Wednesday, January 13th through Monday, April 11th, 2016. Free parking will be available.

Interested applicants should send their cover letter, resume, and one brief writing sample to Clarence.Lam@house.state.md.us by October 31st.

Best,

Political Science

Greetings Everyone,

The Democratic National Committee is currently accepting applications for Fall and Spring internships. These internships include opportunities to work with the DNC Department of Technology, a team that is at the forefront of technology for voter engagement and mobilization. They have opportunities for interns to do meaningful work in data analysis, data science, data management and engineering, and web development. They are especially interested in current students and recent graduates with backgrounds in applied statistics, computer science, or mathematics and experience with coding languages such as R, Python, SQL, Ruby, Java, or C++. This department is committed to providing interns with real, meaningful work experience that will expand their skills, build their resumes, and help them find good jobs. They also place an important emphasis on mentorship and professional development. 

 

A more thorough description of the internship is attached. All interested students should apply at the website below.

Best,

Political Science