About Us

Media Literacy and Information Skepticism
Monday, August 26th at 4:30pm

Assessing information quality, including source credibility, is a critical skill for individuals in functioning democracies. Quality information acquisition is necessary for decision-making as well as civic expression. Yet, considerable challenges exist for individuals searching for quality content amid widespread dis/misinformation online and offline. This workshop explores approaches to understanding media literacy, including judging source credibility and organizational authority, how political content can be vetted with an eye toward accuracy, and differentiating fact-based versus opinionated content. 

Political Leadership Communication and Institutional Accountability
Tuesday, August 27th at 4:30pm

Digital and social media platforms deliver various forms of political communication to individuals on a recurring, and sometimes unexpected, basis. Political leaders use such venues to interact with audiences, disseminate messages, and shape impressions. The frequency, form, and content of these messages have all been increasingly scrutinized in the past decade. This workshop examines the challenges of holding political leaders accountable for their public communication, as well as how institutions in a democracy can act as guardrails to check the ways in which elected officials and candidates for public office communicate. Legislative bodies, the judiciary, technology platforms, the press, and everyday individuals are all assessed as mechanisms to check political leaders’ public communication.

The United States in the Middle East
Wednesday, September 11th at 4:30pm

The United States has played an important role in the modern history of the Middle East. However, the Middle East has played an important role in the history the United States. This workshop will explore many of the major themes that define the history of U.S./Middle East relations since 1945. They include colonialism, decolonization, America’s grand strategies, and the significance of local individuals and groups. Furthermore, it will discuss the earliest beginnings of the long road to the Twin Towers attack on September 11, 2001. 

Ideology and the Cold War
Wednesday, September 18th at 4:30pm

Ideology was an important dimension to the Cold War. However, there are many myths associated with both the ideologies of the United States and the Soviet Union. For example, it is commonly believed that the United States supported democracy around the world as a strategy to combat the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This was not really the case. The United States supported capitalist regimes, even if that meant supporting dictatorships. The U.S. government supported dictatorships around the world as much as, if not more than, it did democratic regimes. This workshop will explore the ideas, beliefs, and values that guided the policies and strategies of U.S. officials. On the other hand, it is commonly believed that communism, the guiding ideology of the Soviet Union, is simply an evil system that “just doesn’t work.” In this workshop we will examine the true nature of communism, its theoretical functioning, and how it was applied during the Cold War in various states. 

Economic Discontent and the Ballot Box: The Misery Index’s Influence on Presidential Elections
Thursday, October 3rd at 4:30pm

This lecture will delve into the historical significance of the Misery Index—a simple yet powerful economic indicator that combines unemployment and inflation rates—and its predictive value regarding the outcomes of U.S. Presidential Elections. We will explore case studies from past elections where the Misery Index played a critical role, such as the 1980 election where high inflation and unemployment rates were detrimental to the incumbent. The symposium will also examine instances where the Misery Index’s predictions were less clear-cut, highlighting the complexity of voter behavior and the multitude of factors that can influence election results.

Exploring the Yellow Brick Road: The American Banking System and the Wizard of Oz
Monday, October 28th at 4:30pm

This lecture will incorporate the historical interpretation of The Wizard of Oz as a commentary on the monetary reform debates of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly the use of gold and silver standards, and connects it with the broader discussion of the American Banking System’s evolution and resilience. Dive into the metaphorical journey of Dorothy and her companions as they parallel the historical challenges and reforms in U.S. monetary policy. Discover how the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion embody the agricultural, industrial, and political forces shaping the financial landscape. Uncover the symbolism behind the Silver Slippers and the Emerald City, and how they relate to the bimetallic standard and the illusion of prosperity.  

Virtual Museum Tours and the May Stringer Museum
Monday, November 4th at 4:30pm

This workshop will focus on new ways to teach history through local museums and virtual tours. Virtual museum tours can help museums present hidden primary sources, increase the accessibility of physically inaccessible sites, and provide a new way to engage with museum materials. The example provided in this case will be Brooksville's May Stringer Museum, which had a virtual tour created in 2023 that is now increasing on-site accessibility, but many museums are now offering virtual tour programs that can be applied to different lessons.