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Images: 1. Ronald Reagan, courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA (Image E13-3) 2. "The Footprint of the Chicken," political cartoon by Don James, Boulder Daily Camera (5/27/71). 3. Political Cartoon from the DeGolyer Collection at the DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas. 4. Image of Everett DeGolyer for the DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas. 5.Allen Ginsberg, Open Head, Melbourne: Sun Books, 1972 6. Image of Henry B. Gonzales from website of The Library of Congress www.loc.gov 7. Billy James Hargis, The Far Left, Tulsa: Christian Crusade, 1964. 8. Carey McWilliams, California: The Great Exception, New York: Current Books, 1959. 9. Ping Yuen Political Cartoon, San Francisco Daily Chronicle (June 10, 1963). 10. Society of California Pioneers, The Huntington Library (RB 70775) 11. United and Strong Farmers Union Logo from Nebraska Farmers Union. |
As recent elections have shown, the politics of the American West defy easy categorization. The essayists in The Political Culture of the New West, edited by Jeff Roche, move far beyond simple Red and Blue categorizations to show a diverse, complex, and often contradictory political culture. From the demography of the American voter, to the issues that get them to the polls and to the language our national politicians use to get their message across, the West has come to stand for the larger nation. The contributors to The Political Culture consider a variety of topics including: Native American activism, the globalization of resource extraction, urban racial coalitions, modern enviromentalism, plain folk evangelicalism, the evolution of farmers' political ideology, the evolution of Latino political culture, the relationship between western myth and modern conservatism, counterculture libertarianism, micropolitan spaces and hip capitalism, regionalism and liberalism, and the role of memory in regional political culture.
THE POLITICAL LEGACIES OF THE AMERICAN WEST A Public Symposium held February 26, 2005 on the campus of Southern Methodist University One cannot understand American politics without understanding western politics. Western politicians, trends, organizations, and movements have driven the American political agenda for much of the century. Historians will offer original work on key issues, personalities, and themes, offering both stimulating questions and provocative answers about the nature of the political west and its relationship with national politics. “Anyone interested in the politics of our time should attend this event. There is much to learn from the research of these historians.” Texas Governor William P. Clements, Jr. (1979-83, 1987-91) Introductions by Jeff Roche, organizer, College of Wooster First Session: Region, Identity, & Progressive Politics
Second Session: Western Myth & Political Reality
Third Session: Authenticity & the Politics of Place
Fourth Session: The West as America
Sponsored by the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies For more information, please contact (214) 768-3684 or swcenter@smu.edu To learn more about the participants, click here. Directions and maps to sites frequently used for Clements Center events at SMU. Visitor Parking at SMU.
Last updated March 24, 2008. |
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