Release date: Feb. 20, 2006
Contact: Beverly Cox Clark at 404-712-8780 or beverly.clark@emory.edu

'State of Race' Debate to Examine Media Portrayal of Arabs

Who: Jack Shaheen, author of "Reel Bad Arabs," and Andrew Sullivan, former editor of The New Republic.

What: Sixth Annual State of Race Debate on "The Media's Portrayal of Arabs and its Policy Implications," sponsored by the Emory University College Council

When: Doors open at 7:30 p.m., event begins at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 2

Where:: Glenn Memorial Auditorium, 1652 N. Decatur Rd., Emory

Parking: Fishburne Deck, 1671 N. Decatur Rd., Emory (access from Fishburne Drive, off Clifton Road)

In light of the recent political and security focus on the Middle East, Emory's sixth annual State of Race Debate will feature a discussion on the media's portrayal of Arabs and the policy implications of these representations. Speakers include Jack Shaheen, emeritus professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University and author of "Reel Bad Arabs," and Andrew Sullivan, former editor of The New Republic and a prominent conservative commentator.

The annual State of Race Debates seek to engage the Emory community and beyond in a dialogue on important social and political issues pertaining to race. The event is free and open to the entire Emory community, and a limited number of free tickets are available to the public. Tickets may be picked up at the Dobbs Center information desk, 404-727-4636. Email Feras Akbik at or call 404-251-6203 for more information.

After receiving his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard in 1990, Sullivan became the youngest ever editor-in-chief of The New Republic in 1991. As a journalist, he focused on race relations, popular culture and homosexuality. He stirred controversy with his influential critique of the Clinton health-care plan and pioneered coverage for gay rights. Sullivan is a regular guest on "The Chris Matthews Show," "Charlie Rose," "Anderson Cooper 360," "Meet the Press," "Face the Nation," and NPR's "Fresh Air." He has spoken extensively at colleges throughout the country and is currently an essayist for TIME, Sunday Times of London, and The New Republic.

Shaheen is an internationally acclaimed author and media critic. A former news consultant at CBS news on Middle East affairs, Shaheen addresses stereotypical images of racial and ethnic groups. Epitomized in his award winning book "Reel Bad Arabs," Shaheen argues that stereotypes do not exist in a vacuum, and that hurtful caricatures affect innocents. Shaheen has been recognized for his contributions with a lifetime achievement award from the America Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, two Fulbright teaching awards and several honorary degrees. He has been published in more than 40 college textbooks and has delivered more than 1,000 lectures throughout the country. Shaheen currently serves as a consultant with the United Nations, the United States Information Agency, New York City's Commission on Civil Rights, and with a number of motion picture companies.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For more than a decade Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system. Subscribe to News@Emory RSS feeds for automatic updates of the latest news at Emory.

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