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Sources for journalists: Looking back on 2010 and ahead to 2011

December 13, 2010

It was a year that brought the BP oil spill, continued U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, the emergence of the Tea Party, further expansion of social media and Wikileaks.

As we enter the final days of 2010, a number of UW–Madison experts can discuss some of the biggest trends and events of the year in politics, the economy and the media, as well as analyze where things may be headed in 2011.

Obama and the Tea Party:

Ken Mayer, professor of political science and affiliate faculty at the La Follette School of Public Affairs, can discuss President Obama’s first two years in the White House and what might be in store for the rest of his term. Contact: 608-263-2286, kmayer@polisci.wisc.edu.

Barry Burden, professor of political science, can talk about the start of the 2012 presidential race, including which candidates might emerge from both major parties, and the role of the Tea Party going forward. Contact: 608-263-6351, bcburden@wisc.edu.

Terrorism:

Neil Whitehead, professor and chair of anthropology and an expert on terrorism, can discuss terrorism threats at home and abroad, including planned attacks thwarted in Times Square and Oregon, as well as methods being employed to fight it, including screening of airline passengers. Contact: 608-262-2866, nlwhiteh@wisc.edu.

Health reform:

Cameron Macdonald, assistant professor of sociology and a scholar with the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, has addressed the health reform bill in public lectures and appearances on National Public Radio during the last year and can discuss specifics of the legislation. Contact: 608-261-1031, cmacdon@ssc.wisc.edu.

Thomas Oliver, professor of population health sciences and an expert on health policy, politics and system reform, can discuss this year’s health reform legislation as well as changes states may consider making to programs like BadgerCare. Contact: 608-262-6731, troliver@wisc.edu.

Economy:

Andrew Reschovsky, a professor of public affairs and applied economics in the La Follette School of Public Affairs, can interpret the uncertainty in economic and employment forecasts, as well as the effect of the weak economy on the funding for federal, state and local governments. Contact: 608-263-0447, reschovsky@lafollette.wisc.edu.

Government spending, tax policy and the deficit:

While the nation faces a growing federal budget deficit, Wisconsin faces a budget gap for the next biennium estimated to be at least $3 billion. Reschovsky can discuss tax and spending proposals to deal with the long-run federal budget problems and the short-term fiscal problems facing Wisconsin. Contact: 608-263-0447, reschovsky@lafollette.wisc.edu.

Foreclosures:

Stephen Malpezzi, a professor in the Wisconsin School of Business and an expert on real estate markets, can discuss the continued high rates of foreclosure and whether the U.S. housing market has hit bottom yet as home values continue to drop and people continue to lose their homes across the country. Contact: 608-262-6007, smalpezzi@bus.wisc.edu

Energy:

In the wake of the devastating BP oil spill, which dominated headlines in 2010, Gary Radloff, director of midwest energy policy analysis for the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, can discuss the future of energy policy. Contact: 608-890-3449, gradloff@wbi.wisc.edu; Radloff is not available during the last week of December.

New media:

Dietram Scheufele, John E. Ross chaired professor and director of graduate studies, life sciences communication, studies new information technologies and can talk about this year’s introduction of the Apple iPad, as well as the ongoing rise of social media. Contact: 920-791-9421 or scheufele@wisc.edu.

Bedbugs:

Phil Pellitteri, faculty associate of entomology, can talk about the spread of this year’s ubiquitous scourge, which showed up everywhere from hotels to elementary schools. Contact: 608-262-6510 or pellitte@entomology.wisc.edu.

Wikileaks and media ethics:

Stephen J. A. Ward, professor of journalism and director of the Center for Journalism Ethics, can discuss the Wikileaks dump of hundreds of thousands of secret diplomatic cables, as well as the rise of partisan journalism, which has led to high-profile firings or disciplinary actions. Contact: 608-263-2845, sjward2@wisc.edu

Afghanistan and Pakistan:

Jon Pevehouse, professor of political science and public affairs and an expert on American foreign policy, can discuss ongoing U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and the international fallout for the United States from information revealed by Wikileaks. Contact: 608-262-4839, pevehouse@polisci.wisc.edu.

Tied to the future of Afghanistan is that of Pakistan, where Howard Schweber, associate professor, political science and legal studies; affiliate faculty, law, Integrated Liberal Studies, has been directing his attention. Contact: 608-263-2293, schweber@polisci.wisc.edu.

Gays in the military:

John Hall, assistant professor of U.S. military history and an Army veteran, can discuss the ongoing debate over ending the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Hall can also discuss ongoing military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Contact: 608-263-2364, jwhall3@wisc.edu.

Zombies and vampires:

Mary Beltrán, associate professor of media and cultural studies, can discuss the trend of programs, such as AMC’s The Walking Dead, which features zombies, and HBO’s True Blood, about vampires, that seem to serve as a vehicle for helping the audience sort through the complicated realities they face at the present moment and also reflect on questions of citizenship and of insider-outsider debates that we face in our contemporary society through safer, more fantastical (and fun) narratives. UW–Madison students even got caught up this year in the live action game Zombies vs. Humans. Contact: 608-262-8788, mcbeltran@wisc.edu.

Immigration:

Karma Chavez, assistant professor of communication arts, can comment on the immigration debate that continues after Arizona made headlines this year with its strict approach to illegal immigrants. Contact: 608-265-4503, krchavez@wisc.edu.

Same-sex marriage:

Chavez can also discuss how the courts are continuing to work through the issue of same-sex marriage. Contact: 608-265-4503, krchavez@wisc.edu.

–Stacy Forster and Jenny Price