NCA 95th Annual Convention: NCA Forum

News from the NCA Forum (NCA-F): 2009 Convention to Address Democracy, the Politics of NCA, and Deliberative Research and Practice
Lisa Keränen, Ph.D., Director, NCA-F

Democracy and deliberation comprise two buzzwords that sometime fall unreflectively off the tongue; yet their stakes could not be higher, as witnessed this summer when Iranian post-election protests filled our television screens with images of throbbing crowds, angry leaders, and bloody corpses. Meanwhile, in a globalized context, questions about China’s internet censorship, North Korea’s nuclear project, and the U.S.’s foreign and economic policy flooded our mediated public sphere. Each of these examples reminds us of the tight coupling of communication and forms of governance. Since its inception, the NCA Forum has sought to use NCA conventions as a platform for showcasing, developing, and testing innovative forms of public discussion, deliberation, and debate about pressing issues of the day. We are pleased to bring you this slate of 2009 convention programming, featuring Dr. Benjamin Barber, a Town Hall on the Politics of NCA, and a preconference devoted to promoting deliberation research and practitioner partnerships—and we hope to see many of you there.

Benjamin R. Barber, Author of Jihad Vs. McWorld, To Speak at NCA
November 13 ● 11:00am – 12:15pm ● Hilton Chicago International Ballroom South

The relationship between communication and democracy will be among the subjects of a Decade of Behavior Lecture and Conversation with the internationally-renowned political theorist Dr. Benjamin R. Barber, whose 17 books include Strong Democracy, Jihad vs. McWorld, and Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole. Dr. Barber, who is currently a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization, Demos, will discuss his abiding concern with democracy, citizenship, and global interdependence at this year’s NCA convention. “Interdependence is not a noble aspiration but our brute reality,” Barber has explained on his Web site, “There’s no such thing as exclusively domestic politics, no such thing as exclusively international relations . . . just about everything from politics to pop culture is interdependent.” Following Barber’s talk, NCA scholars John Gastil, Jill McMillan, and Karen Tracy will initiate a conversation with Barber about the communication implications of his work, and will facilitate audience Q&A. Dr. Barber's presence at NCA is made possible by a grant from the APA’s Decade of Behavior Program, the First Vice President, and NCA-F.

NCA Forum Presents: A Town Hall on the Politics of NCA
Saturday November 14 ● 11:00am - 1:45pm ● Hilton Chicago International Ballroom North

Addressing issues that are no less interdependent but somewhat closer to home will be NCA Forum’s Town Hall concerning the politics of NCA. Over the years, our members have had repeated conversations concerning the nature of NCA and its role in contemporary political affairs. While some of these conversations are recent, like the Manchester Hyatt controversy and the resolution against torture, others date back decades, such as the conversation about boycotting states that did not support the ERA This year, we will tackle questions such as: When should NCA take a stand on political issues? What does it mean to take a stand? How should a stand be made? Whose interests should be represented? Our 2009 town hall will include a historical overview of the political controversies that have confronted NCA members, caucuses designed to generate arguments for and against NCA’s taking-a-stand, and larger group discussion. Our goal is to ventilate and clarify the various positions concerning if, when, and how NCA should take a stand, and to produce a rousing and meaningful discussion. NCA member communities will be invited to send representatives; All NCA members are invited to attend. The event will be moderated by Professor Greg Dickinson of Colorado State University and is made possible with support of the First Vice-President.

Deliberative Research and Practice: Crafting the NCA Forum Conference Series (SS07)
November 11 ● 1:00pm - 4:45pm ● Hilton Chicago ● Private Dining Room 5

Finally, NCA Forum will convene a seminar dedicated to creating and planning a conference series on deliberative research and practice. In the spirit of NCA Forum’s mission, the conference series is being created to bridge communication researchers and practitioners in the area of public deliberation, discussion, and debate. Participants of this half-day seminar will assist in planning a conference series we anticipate will take place at University/community sites in 2010, 2012 & 2014. The vision is for each conference to focus on a collaborative project(s) between a local organization/community and communication researchers. In addition to intellectual exchange, these conferences are designed to enable the development and assessment of innovative deliberative practices created jointly by communication scholars and local practitioners. For more information, visit www.natcom.org/seminars

NCA-F’s mission is to improve the quality of public exchange on salient issues by utilizing NCA conventions and other venues as vehicles for displaying best practices and recent innovations in public debate, dialogue, and deliberation. NCA-F will pursue this mission by: