Mormonism and American Politics Conference at Columbia University


Here's an incredible conference for those of you in the New York City area to consider attending this weekend -- with an all-star lineup presenting. 

Mormonism and American Politics Conference

Click here for bios of the participants and abstracts of the presentations
Friday, February 3rd, 2012 to Saturday, February 4th, 2012, 9am-5pm; 9am-2pm
International Affairs Building, Room 1501
420 W 118th St. New York City
With a Mormon candidate for the presidency and the unprecedented media attention given to Mormons recently, this conference  will take a broad view of the history of Mormon participation in American political life, from Joseph Smith’s 1844 run for the presidency to the Reed Smoot trials of the early 20th century and to the rise of Ezra Taft Benson during the Eisenhower administration, which ushered in a new era of Mormon identification with the Republican Party.
Mormonism and American Politics ConferenceSpeakers include Randall BalmerRichard BushmanClaudia BushmanJoanna Brooks, Matthew Bowman,Sarah Barringer GordonJan Shipps, Trevor Hill, Meredith LeSueur, David Campbell, Russel Arben Fox, Max Perry Mueller, Philip Barlow, and Peggy Fletcher Stack. The Religious Test, a documentary about American voters’ perceptions of Mormons, will also be screened.
Moderated and organized by Randall Balmer and Jana Riess. Sponsored by the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life.
No registration required. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Members of press may contact chriscdtr@gmail.com.
Conference schedule and participant bios and paper abstracts follow:
SCHEDULE
Friday, February 3rd, 2012, 9am-5pm
International Affairs Building, Room 1501
420 W 118th St.
8:45 – 9:00 am: Registration and Introductions
9:00-10:15 am
Richard Lyman Bushman: Joseph Smith’s Presidential Campaign
Sally Barringer Gordon: The Laws of God and the Lawyers
COFFEE
10:45 am -12:00 pm
Jan Shipps: Ezra Taft Benson and the Conservative Turn of “Those Amazing Mormons”
Max Mueller: Twice-told Tale’: Telling Two Histories of Mormon-Black Relations during the 2012 Presidential Election
LUNCH (a list of nearby establishments will be available)
1:00-2:15 pm
Philip Barlow: A Mormon-Inflected Foreign Policy?
David Campbell: A Peculiar People? The Religious, Social, and Political Distinctiveness of Mormons
COFFEE
2:45-4:00 pm
Claudia Bushman: Mormon Women Talk Politics
Joanna Brooks: On the “Underground”:  What the Mormon Yes on 8 campaign reveals about the future of Mormons in American political life
Saturday February 4th, 2012, 9am-12:30 pm
International Affairs Building, Room 1501
420 W 118th St.
9:00-10:00 am
Film screening: The Religious Test
COFFEE
10:30-12:00 am
Russell Arben Fox: Canon, Community, and Civil Religion: Mormonism and Politics in a Post-Establishment America
Peggy Fletcher Stack: Mormonism in the Media: The Inadequacy of Parallels or Why Reporters Can Get it Right and Still Be Wrong
Matthew Bowman: Eternal Progression: Mormonism and American Progressivism
CLOSING REMARKS

Click here for bios of the participants and abstracts of the presentations

Comments

Christopher said…
It's killing me that I'm not in NYC this weekend for this. Every single presenter is top rate. This should really be good.
Anonymous said…
i wonder if someone is live blogging or twittering up a storm from there? maybe joanna brooks.
Christopher said…
A few folks are, Ed. The hastag is #mapconf. Over at the Juvenile Instructor, we should have a post up with a brief summary in the coming days, too.

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