2018 Conference

Workshop

Title: Protecting Academic Voice, Intellectual Freedom, and Diversity in an Era of
Media Intimidation

Length: Half day

Theme: This Workshop concerns the growing media attacks, carefully planned and
coordinated, upon academic faculty publishing or speaking publicly on
environmental issues objectionable among some political conservatives. The
Workshop will include personal statements by victims of these attacks, a
description of common attack strategies, discussion of resources available to
individuals subject to these assaults and AESS’ contribution to these resources.

Goals:

1. To alert conference participants to the magnitude and scope of increasing media
harassment organized by individuals and organizations against academic publication
and voice.
2. To encourage academic faculty to identify resources available on their own
campus to combat media harassment and, if needed, to promote such resources.
3. To provide a list of organizations and individuals active in protecting academic
freedom of speech from current attack.
4. To identify resources and activities which AESS can initiate to assist members
concerned about contemporary media harassment. These will be proposed by the
panel organizers to the AESS Board.

Leaders:

1. Teresa Lloro-Bidart, PhD., Assistant Professor, Liberal Studies Department,
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, tllorobidart@cpp.edu​. Teresa
will discuss her personal experience with media harassment and strategies she
adopted in dealing with the experience.

2. Walter Rosenbaum, PhD., Editor-in- Chief, Journal for Environmental Studies
and Sciences, Director Emeritus, Bob Graham Center for Public Service, and
Professor of Political Science, University of Florida, tonyros@ufl.edu. He will create a Symposium on academic freedom for the Journal based upon ideas and resources developed in the Workshop.

Several additional panel members who have recent experience with media
harassment will also discuss their response and the resources they found helpful in
confronting media attacks:

 Jennifer Bernstein, PhD., Instructor, Spatial Sciences Institute, University of
Southern California, (jennifer.bernstein@gmail.com.)
 Anne DeLessio-Parson, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar, Department of International and
Global Studies and Adjunct Instructor, Department of Sociology, Honors College
Portland State University, (adelessioparson@pdx.edu.)

Topics Three one-hour sessions:

 First Hour - Presentation of personal experience with media intimidation by
panel members.
 Second Hour - Discussion of strategies available to individuals and institutions
experiencing media harassment; distribution of literature describing helpful
organizations and individuals.
 Third Hour - Exploration of how AESS can provide resources and support for
members in an era of embattled academic voice and freedom.

Summary The Workshop will describe the magnitude of increasing media harassment
organized by individuals and organizations against academic publication
and voice. Several faculty, including AESS members, will discuss their recent
experience with targeted media attacks and describe strategies they found
useful in responding to this harassment. A description of resources available to
faculty experiencing targeted attacks will be followed by an exploration of how AESS
can assist members to confront media harrassment constructively.