Charisma in the Age of Digital Reproduction Lipitz Lecture Raphael Falco, 2012-13 Lipitz Professor and Department of English, UMBC Charismatic authority, the most fluid form of leadership, should thrive in the new media environment of digital reproduction, emerging amid swiftly forming groups and capitalizing on unrestricted, private access to the bearers of charisma. Yet, the status quo of charismatic groups dependent on digital reproduction is systematically undermined by reproducibility itself—the driving force of new media. My talk explores how this inescapable conflict destroys charismatic authority and abandons logged-on group members to isolation. Sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences with support from the Dresher Center for the Humanities Wednesday, May 8, 4:00 p.m. Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery