Political Machines: Innovations in Campaigns and Elections

Warner Bros. Theater, 1st Floor

National Museum of American, Smithsonian Institution

Washington, DC

November 2-3, 2012

 

Presented by the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation

as part of its annual symposium series, “New Perspectives on Invention and Innovation”

 

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In 2012, the Lemelson Center is marking this election year by presenting Political Machines: Innovations in Campaigns and Elections, a symposium that explores the role of invention and technology in electoral politics.  Through this lens, we temporarily shift the focus away from today’s candidates and issues to examine the critical role that political “machinery” such as campaign advertisements, voting machines, and automated opinion polls play in our democracy.  When these technologies work well, they often go unnoticed; when they fail (e.g. hanging chads, “Dewey Beats Truman!”), the consequences can be momentous.  

 

Political Machines brings together scholars, government policymakers, campaign strategists, and members of the news media to focus on the historic and contemporary role of technology in the electoral process.  Our sessions will employ formats typically seen on the campaign trail, including a keynote address, stump speeches, and interactive, “town hall” Q&A sessions with our speakers.  And an audience response system will give you a vote on various questions posed during the symposium!

 

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

David Schwartz, Chief Curator, Museum of the Moving Image

Darrell West, Director, Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution

Jon Grinspan, PhD candidate, Corcoran Dept. of History, University of Virginia

Zephyr Teachout, Associate Professor, Fordham Law School, and formerly Dean for America (2004)

Sarah Igo, Associate Professor of History, Vanderbilt University

Jon Cohen, Director of Polling, The Washington Post

David Becker, Director of Election Initiatives, Pew Center on the States

Thad E. Hall, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Utah

 

We will also present book signings by selected symposium speakers and display historical campaign materials from the Museum’s archives.

 

All events are free and open to the public - first come, first seated.  For full event details, see

http://invention.smithsonian.org/political-machines

 

Directions to the National Museum of American History:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/visit/gettinghere

 

 

Contact:

Eric S. Hintz, PhD

Coordinator, Political Machines symposium

Lemelson Center, National Museum of American History

+1 202-633-3734

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