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Through May 31, 2012, Oregon nonprofits may apply to host Conversation Project programs taking place between July 1, 2012 and October 31,... More
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Race and change in Oregon. Life after war. Censorship in literature. Rethinking downtown. These are just a few of topics available during... More
The Conversation Project offers Oregon nonprofits free programs that engage community members in thoughtful, challenging conversations about ideas critical to our daily lives and our state's future. Conversations are facilitated by some of Oregon's most respected humanities scholars.
Oregonians participate in the political ritual of voting on citizen initiatives with more frequency and, at times, more enthusiasm than any other group of citizens in the U.S. Over the past century, Oregon has had more statewide citizen-generated ballot measures than any other state, and, as a result, “direct democracy” has dramatically transformed the state’s political and social landscape. Linfield College associate professor Jackson Miller will lead a conversation about the role of persuasion and communication in the political process, focusing on issues raised by Oregon ballot measures over the past ten to fifteen years, which include abortion, education, gay rights, land use, marijuana, medical liability, obscenity, physician-assisted suicide, taxes, and timber. In order to tailor the conversation to the specific interests of the community, hosts may select up to three issues to serve as focal points.
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Equipment required: digital projector; screen
Program available in Spanish.
Program available through October 2013
Jackson B. Miller is an associate professor of communication arts and the director of forensics (speech and debate) at Linfield College. Miller’s research interests include political rhetoric, performance theory, persuasive communication, and intercultural communication. As a certified trainer for the International Debate Education Association, Miller has conducted debate-training seminars in Guatemala and Turkey. He also provided critical analysis of the 2008 presidential debates for the International Debate Education Association. Miller has conducted extensive research on the ballot initiative process in Oregon, including campaigns on such diverse issues as physician-assisted suicide, gay rights, medical marijuana, logging practices, and land use regulations. In 2008, he wrote and directed the play 82,769 Signatures, which focuses on five controversial ballot initiatives. Miller holds BS and MA degrees from Ohio University, and a PhD in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
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