Resource person: Audra Bullard

Description:

This presentation will focus on the rhetorical evolution of the American
conservative movement, contrasting the top-down “fusionism” of the Cold War era with the decentralized populism of the digital age. Although the construction of political identity has always relied on defining a common enemy, contemporary actors utilize powerful communication platforms and
social media to bypass traditional intellectual gatekeepers and generate a more participatory model of ideology. This presentation will examine the role of algorithmic amplification in reshaping the conservative canon, the historical divergence between institutional orthodoxy and the modern base especially in light of Trumpism, and the transformation of conservative political discourse in a post-broadcast era.

 

Michael J. Lee is the director of the Civility Initiative and a professor of communication at the College of Charleston. The Civility Initiative teaches healthy disagreement and dialogue across differences through workshops, speakers, book talks, panels, debates, film screenings, and more. He hosts “When We Disagree,” a podcast about the role of conflict in all of our lives. His research focuses on political identity in American politics. His research has earned over a dozen awards including five national book awards for his first
book, “Creating Conservatism: Postwar Words that Made an American Movement.” His latest book, co-written by Dr. R. Jarrod Atchison, is “We Are Not One People: Separatism and Secession in American Politics Since 1776.”

Notes: Cancellation Policy (Please Read) Please let us know immediately if you are unable to attend a class. There is no refund for cancellations within two (2) weeks prior to a scheduled class. Programs that include food, beverage or art materials must be canceled within three (3) weeks prior in order to receive a refund. CLE reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment has not been met or for circumstances beyond our control, and participants will be notified, a complete refund will be issued. All classes are held in the CLE Lecture Hall at the Peggy Crosby Center unless otherwise noted. In the event information has changed from the published brochure, it will be posted on our website and in our e-blasts. Addresses for “private home” venues will be provided to registrants within 2 days of the program date.

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