Information about 50 small-town governments in rural Vermont was analyzed to determine women's participation in town government. Results included the finding that percentage of offices held by women decreased as town size increased. Data suggested that women became politically active out of necessity and filled offices that reflected their…

Reveals that identification as a liberal publication was a significant factor in media treatment of Jackson's candidacy in only one of nine comparisons, while identification as a conservative publication was a factor in only three of nine. The most important independent factor was the identification of the publication as a newspaper. (FL)

The Media and Disabilities section of the Proceedings contains the following 5 papers: "Wrestling with Stereotypes: Images of the Mentally Ill in the WWF" (Marie Hardin and Brent Hardin); "Investigating Media Influence on Attitudes Toward People with Disabilities and Euthanasia" (Kimberly A. Lauffer and Sarah Bembry);…

Provides a list of political Internet resources that have proved to be valuable for reference in academic and public libraries. Highlights include political parties; campaigns, candidates, and election results; campaign finance; political news; incumbent voting; and interest groups and issues. (AEF)

Examines issue-learning outcomes in three intra-party political debates during the 1984 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Finds significant viewer learning about the issue positions of each participating candidate, about most issues, and among all categories of viewers. (KEH)

Analyzes the television advertising of the two female candidates for Nebraska governor in 1986 to examine identity-building strategies in the campaign. Finds that gender perceptions were a factor even in this "genderless" election, and each candidate's political identity was constructed through the interaction of gender characteristics…

Describes a U.S. teacher's observations of the first election in newly reunified Germany in 1990. Discusses the political parties, the public's attitude, political advertising, and student and citizen reaction. Reports concerns over the electoral gains of former communists and setbacks for the Green party. (DK)

This article profiles Shirley Chisholm (1924-2205), a 1993 inductee to the National Women's Hall of Fame. Born in New York, she was the oldest of four daughters. Her father was from British Guiana and her mother was from Barbados. In 1927, she was sent to Barbados to live with her maternal grandmother. She was educated in the British school system…

This essay examines some Republican communication behaviors which account in part for accusations that the use of negative strategies was unprecedented during the 1988 presidential campaign. It also explores some of the effects of those strategies on political communication behavior during the first year of the Bush Administration. It is suggested…

This paper examines past media research on presidential campaign debates, reviewing literature from the fields of mass communication, political science, and speech communication, and considering regulatory changes (e.g., debate sponsorship and equal time provisions) and the growth of primary and general debates as an institution. Beginning with…

An empirical study examined politicians' use of public speaking teleprompters (PSTs) when delivering major addresses to determine if audiences made aware of this practice would more seriously question speaker credibility, sincerity, and communicative ability. After completing an initial survey about political attitudes and awareness, subjects, 36…

All aspects of school elections ranging from the nuts and bolts of campaign organization and media relations to effective long-term strategies to sustain community support for school funding and board member leadership comprise the 11 chapters of this two-part book. The first part offers an overview of board member election campaigns and effective…

This report profiles the positions of the six Democratic and six Republican 1988 presidential candidates on policy issues affecting U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. Candidate profiles are provided for: Bruce Babbitt, Michael Dukakis, Richard Gephardt, Albert Gore, Jr., Jesse Jackson, and Paul Simon (Democrats); and George Bush, Robert…

The structure of voters' affective reactions and trait attributions to national political figures was studied through 3-mode factor analysis of ratings by 78 college students of 16 political figures. The factor analysis suggested that positive and negative affect and affect and trait factors were distinct but correlated. (SLD)

Examines coverage in three leading newspapers, finding that explicit assessments of the 1992 presidential candidates' character were present in seven percent of all news articles and one-third of op-ed items, with the vast majority unfavorable. Shows that Bill Clinton was consistently assessed as a "slippery obfuscator," George Bush as…