Rutgers-Newark Experts Can Comment on Election Issues from Religion and Politics to Media Spin

(Newark, N.J., Jan. 8, 2008) Now that the primary season is officially underway, the following Rutgers-Newark experts are available to comment on a variety of issues that affect the 2008 presidential campaign and New Jerseys own Feb. 5 primary.

ISSUES: RELIGION AND POLITICS IN PUBLIC DEBATE AND IN THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Expert: MARY SEGERS, professor, political science, can comment extensively on virtually all aspects of American politics, with special emphasis on the often volatile collision of religion and politics, such as political endorsements by churches during election campaigns; Gov. Romney and the Mormon Church; inappropriate clergy intervention into political campaigns; Catholic bishops and Mayor Giuliani's position on abortion policy; issues of special importance to women such as abortion rights; and the efforts by presidential candidates to reach out to religious voters. Segers has written widely about religious and ethical values underlying public policy.

Contact: office 973/353-1324 (direct) or leave message with Department Administrator Beth Freda at 973/353-5105; home, 908/522-1573, or e-mail msegers88@hotmail.com

ISSUES: ELECTION LAW, BALANCING CIVIL LIBERTIES AND NATIONAL SECURITY, CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Expert: PROFESSOR FRANK ASKIN is founder and director of the Constitutional Litigation Clinic, which under his almost four-decade leadership has established numerous important legal precedents in civil rights and international human rights cases. He also teaches Election Law. He can comment on balancing civil liberties in responding to terrorism, executive branch obstruction of Congressional oversight, campaign finance, legal remedies that address public corruption, and election law issues.

Contact: 973/353-3239 (office), or 973/519-0235 (cell).

ISSUES: ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES, CIVIL RIGHTS, PROTECTIONS FOR IMMIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM

Expert: CLINICAL PROFESSOR PENNY VENETIS is co-director of the Constitutional Litigation Clinic. She has recently been lauded for a successful clinic lawsuit that resulted in new international human rights law and another suit that won protections for voters against unreliable and insecure electronic voting machines. She can comment on issues regarding civil rights, protections for immigrants seeking asylum, and the use of electronic voting machines.

Contact: 973/353-3240 (office) or 917-617-3524 (cell).

ISSUES: CURRENT AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON NJ ELECTIONS AND NJ POLITICS; POLITICS OF RACE AND CIVIL LIBERTIES IN NJ; NATIONAL POLITICS; AND THE 2008 ELECTION

Expert: LISA HULL, professor and chair, political science, can speak on most aspects of elections and politics, especially issues involving race and civil liberties. She can also comment on national politics, and in particular, the presidential election. She teaches courses in American government and public law.

Contact: office, 973/353-1548, home, 973/376-6648, or e-mail, eahull@andromeda.rutgers.edu, or eahull47@hotmail.com

ISSUES: THE IMPACT OF INTELLIGENCE REPORTS ON NATIONAL SECURITY; FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES, PARTICULARLY U.S.-EUROPEAN RELATIONS; AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC-LED CONGRESS

Expert: FRANK FISCHER, professor, political science, also can address issues ranging from presidential politics, party politics and environmental issues. He teaches courses on the American political and policy-making processes.

Contact: Fischer is available for commentary after Jan. 11. Office, 973/353-5105, ext. 5171, home, 212/674-5078, or e-mail ffischer@andromeda.rutgers.edu, or frankfischer24@aol.com

ISSUES: URBAN POLITICS, URBAN EDUCATION, HOUSING POLICIES, AND RACIAL INEQUITIES IN HOUSING

Expert: MARA SIDNEY, Associate Professor of Political Science, can discuss public policy, race and ethnicity, and urban politics, housing discrimination, affordable housing, and urban education. Sidney also studies political struggles to advance racial equality, and the political role that nonprofit and community-based advocacy organizations play in them.

Contact: Professor Sidney is available for commentary after Feb. 1. Office, 973/353-5787; home 201/341-7741, or e-mail msidney@andromeda.rutgers.edu

ISSUES: IMPACT OF THE MEDIA, SPIN

Expert: ROBERT SNYDER is an associate professor of journalism and media studies at Rutgers-Newark and can provide sharp insight into media and spin. Snyder has an extensive record as both a working journalist and a media analyst. He has worked in newspapers, magazines and television, including as editor of Media Studies Journal a quarterly dedicated to analysis of the news media by journalists, scholars and informed commentators.

Contact: 973-353-5119, ext. 33 (office), 212/861-9880 (home) or rwsnyder@andromeda.rutgers.edu

ISSUES: WOMEN AND POLITICS, ISSUES OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO WOMEN VOTERS

Expert: JYL JOSEPHSON, director of the Rutgers-Newark Womens Studies Program, is an expert in gender and public policy, American politics and political thought, and feminist and democratic political theory. She can provide insight into issues of particular impact on American women as well as the historic presidential campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Contact: 201/533-1459 (home); 551/221-1232

ISSUES: WOMENS RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND TERRORISM, HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANSTAN

Expert: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KARIMA BENNOUNE received the 2006 Derrick A. Bell, Jr. Award for her activism, mentoring, colleagueship, teaching and scholarship. A member of the boards of Amnesty International−USA and the Center for Constitutional Rights, she has participated in human rights field missions to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Korea, southern Thailand, and Tunisia. She can comment on womens rights, international law and terrorism, and human rights in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Contact: 973/353-3375 or 646/332-7529 (cell).