Roderick P. Hart, dean of the College of Communication and professor of government at the University of Texas will visit the University of Central Arkansas as Scholar-in-Residence for Civic Engagement Oct. 10-11.
Hart is a renown scholar with expertise in political communication, said Jim Hikins, chairman of the communication department at UCA.
Hart will give a free public lecture, “Campaign 2012: Political Cynicism When We Need it the Least,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, in the College of Business Auditorium, room 107. He will also be giving speeches Wednesday and Thursday to students that are open to the public, but seating is limited, Hikins said.
Hart specializes in politics and the mass media. He has written 12 books, including his latest — “Political Keywords: Using Language That Uses Us.”
Hart’s visit to UCA is a cooperative enterprise among the College of Fine Arts and Communication, College of Liberal Arts and UCA residence halls, according to a news release.
“We’re attempting to make this an annual cooperative affair among those entities,” Hikins said in the release. “The purpose is to bring someone in who is a scholar whose work transcends one particular discipline.”
As part of the residency, Hart will also visit students and administrators, Hikins said.
On Wednesday, Hart will talk about “Voices of Partisanship in the 2012 Presidential Campaign” at Irby, room 212, Hikins said.
Hart also will be at a political science class to talk about “Rhetoric, Politics and the ‘Sound-bite’ Mentality” at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Bear Hall.
On Thursday, he will give a speech called “Methods of Rhetorical Analysis: Evaluating American Oratory in the Electronic Age” at 9:25 a.m. at Thompson Hall, room 211. He will also have a book signing at 1:40 p.m. Thursday at Edge Residential College in State Hall.
The Artist in Residence program is funded by UCA’s arts fee and is administered by the College of Fine Arts and Communication.
For more information, call the Office of the Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication, at 450-3293 or e-mail jdmiller@uca.edu. For more information about Hart’s visit, contact Hikins at 450-3202 or jhikins@uca.edu.