Football fans are invited to learn more about the ongoing political strife in Venezuela during the Pregame Showcase prior to the UT vs. Georgia matchup on Saturday, October 10.
The Pregame Showcase begins at 1:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture.
Jana Morgan, associate professor of political science and chair of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program, will present “Venezuela in Crisis: The Deterioration and Polarization of Party Politics,” which will examine the shift in Venezuela from a stable democracy to an unstable conflict-ridden regime, as well as the possible paths of Venezuelan politics in the future.
Now in its twenty-sixth year, the Pregame Showcase gives fans an opportunity to hear from some of UT’s exceptional faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences prior to each gridiron matchup. It is sponsored by the college with support from UT Athletics, the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, the Office of Alumni Affairs, and WUOT 91.9 FM.
Free and open to the public, each showcase features a thirty-minute presentation followed by a fifteen-minute question-and-answer session. A brief reception will follow each program. Door prizes will be awarded.
Morgan’s research explores issues of inequality, exclusion, and political representation in Latin America, particularly how gaps in the representation and participation of economically and socially marginalized groups undermine democratic institutions and outcomes.
Morgan is the recipient of the Van Cott Outstanding Book award given by the Latin American Studies Association for Bankrupt Representation and Party System Collapse, which shows how party systems’ inability to provide adequate linkages between society and the state precipitates system collapse, specifically in Venezuela and other countries in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Her work regarding political parties, representation, and exclusion has also been published in numerous journals including the American Political Science Review, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Politics, Politics and Gender, Latin American Research Review, and Latin American Politics and Society, and has appeared in blogs published by the Washington Post and the London School of Economics.
Future Pregame Showcase presentations are:
November 7—”Recent Developments in Southeastern Archaeology.” David Anderson, professor of anthropology, will discuss discoveries in southeastern archaeology in recent years and tools such as remote sensing equipment that have revolutionized data collecting.
November 14—”Searching for Extraterrestrial Rocks in Antarctica.” Devon Burr, associate professor of earth and planetary sciences, will discuss her recent participation in the research expedition searching for meteorites on the East Antarctica Plateau.
November 28—”The Brain Basis of Sleep Health.” Ralph Lydic, professor of psychology, will focus on sleep disorders and ongoing research related to sleep health.
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CONTACT:
Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)
Jeremy Hughes (865-974-0963, jhughe19@utk.edu)