'Chaos at the Capitol' virtual panel discussion

JOHNSON CITY (Jan. 12, 2021) – In the wake of last week’s riots at the Capitol, ETSU Votes will host a panel discussion titled “Chaos at the Capitol: American Democracy at a Crossroads” on Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. via a Zoom webinar.

The discussion, moderated by Jeff Keeling, digital reporter with WJHL NewsChannel 11, will include several East Tennessee State University faculty members who will focus on the impact of the events of Jan. 6, the historical precedent, the media’s role in covering the events, and the future of American democracy.

Participants include Dr. Daryl A. Carter, a professor in the Department of History and interim director of Africana Studies; Dr. Frederick Gordon, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, International Affairs and Public Administration and director of the Master’s in Public Administration Program; and Dr. Mimi Perreault, an assistant professor in the Department of Media and Communication.

Carter’s area of expertise is 20th and 21st century American political history, including the intersections of race, class and gender and how they impact American political history. His scholarship is diverse and wide-ranging. He is the author of Brother Bill: President Clinton and the Politics of Race and Class, which was published by the University of Arkansas Press in 2016.

Gordon teaches a variety of graduate and public administration classes and is the author of several publications as well as the lead editor for “International Environmental Justice: Competing Claims and Perspectives.” His latest book is “The Damming of the Presidency: How Environmental Factors Impact a Political Campaign.”

Perreault has researched local journalists, public relations practitioners and citizen scientists as both stakeholders and crisis and disaster communicators. After working as a journalist and public relations professional in both Washington, D.C., and Florida, she sees the role of the local journalist during a natural disaster as one that can engage community response and build community resilience. Perreault’s research examines the complex web of professions involved in the maintenance and development of natural disaster information and community resilience.

Go to http://bit.ly/3qjZhud to register and receive the Zoom link to view the webinar.

For more information, contact Joy Fulkerson, ETSU director of Leadership and Civic Engagement, at 423-439-6633 or fulkersj@etsu.edu.