Dialogue about Democratic Engagement

“BUT I LIKED YOUR POST?!”: SHALLOW POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE ERA OF TRANSITORY COMMUNICATION AND A DIALOGUE ABOUT DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT

Dr. Richard Pineda

With Dr. Richard Pineda (Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Texas at El Paso and the director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies)

and

The WSU Center for Civic Engagement’s Ben Calabretta, CCE Associate Director and Kassi Rolin, Student Engagement Coordinator

Ben Calabretta (top) and Kassi Rolin McNeilly (bottom)

“But I Liked Your Post?!”: Shallow Political Engagement in the Era of Transitory Communication

Political engagement in the United States seems to be nose diving in terms of voting, but protest over politics seems to be on the increase, particularly in digital space. Building on his research and teaching, Dr. Richard Pineda, Director of the Sam Donaldson Center for Communication Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso, offers insight into what has created the intersection of shallow political engagement with visceral public reaction and a growing gap in citizens’ understanding of civic responsibility and social capital.

Harnessing Your Passion to Create Change through Democratic Engagement

During the 2016 presidential election, WSU graduate students voted at a 53.3% rate, nearly a 7% increase over the 2012 election! While 2018 is not a presidential election year, it is vital for WSU graduate students to stay engaged in the democratic process and turn out to vote this fall. Following their passions and values, participants will explore and discuss social issues, while learning practical ways to be democratically engaged throughout their lives.

Dr. Richard Pineda

Dr. Pineda’s research and teaching interests focus on politics, leadership, media, popular culture and Latinidad. Dr. Pineda holds a BA in Political Science from Baylor University, an MA in Communication from The University of El Paso at Texas, and a PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. His research has appeared in a number of communication journals including Text and Performance Quarterly, Argumentation and Advocacy, and The Free Speech Yearbook. Dr. Pineda serves on the editorial boards for the journals Argumentation and Advocacy and Contemporary Argumentation and Debate, the two preeminent argumentation journals in the country.