Sept. 10, Federicko Subervi
“The Mass Media and Latino Politics”
Location: Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room
Federico Subervi will present research from his new book, “The Mass Media and Latino Politics.” The book is a 20-year survey of media content, campaign strategies, and survey research that promises to make an important contribution to the fields of political communication and Latino studies.

Sept. 24, Classical Guitarist Petar Jankovic
Location: Shafer Auditorium
Petar Jankovic masterfully translates music into emotion. His style is a genuine, expressive interpretation of any given composition. More than a classical guitar player, he is a person with the gift of communicating human emotions.

Oct. 1, James Stimson
“Ideological Self-Identification in the United States”
Location: Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room
Stimson’s talk will focus on measuring mass opinion and the uses and limitations of using ideological self-identification in opinion research, with a particular emphasis on the November presidential election.

Oct. 8, Paul Lauter (CANCELLED)
“The State of American Literature”
Location: Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room
Paul Lauter, the Allan K. and Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor of Literature at Trinity College, will speak about the current state of American Literature. Author of more than a dozen scholarly books and more than 140 articles, Lauter is the general editor of the highly acclaimed “The Heath Anthology of American Literature.”

Oct. 22, “CartoonDanceMusic”
Location: Betty R. Tipton Room, Student Center
Election 2008 will be performed by an improvisational trio composed of political cartoonist Bob Engelhart of the Hartford Courant, dance artist Brad Roth, and musician Neely Bruce, who will explore the relationships between their three art forms (cartoon, art, and music). During their improvisational performance, Englehart will project cartoons onto a large screen, Bruce will play the piano, and Roth will dance in all spaces between.

Oct. 29, Interensemble
Location: Shafer Auditorium
The internationally renowned Interensemble of Padua, Italy, will perform at Eastern as part of their fall 2008 U.S. tour. The Interensemble’s repertoire consists mostly of Italian and American contemporary classical music, with a special focus on electro-acoustic music. The group consists of flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, guitar, and conductor.

Nov. 5, Childhood Obesity Panel Presentation
Location: Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room
A panel of experts from the Willimantic/Windham community will discuss the impact of childhood obesity on academic performance and how to assist children with this problem.

Feb. 4, Carl Safina
Oceanography
Location: New Science Building Auditorium (Room 104)
Carl Safina is co-founder and president of Blue Ocean Institute, an international nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in East Norwich, NY. Safina’s writings and nationwide speaking bridge the gap between the scientific and literary worlds, capturing the mystery, wonder and importance of the sea and its creatures with hope and optimism.

Feb. 11, Z.Z. Packer
“Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”
Location: Student Center Theater
Z.Z. Packer is an acclaimed African-American writer who will read from her short-story collection, “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” as well as from some of her new work. She will then answer questions about the craft of writing fiction.

Feb. 18, Stephanie Jackson
“They Call Me Lizzie”
Location: Betty R. Tipton Room, Student Center
In this one-person theatrical performance, Stephanie Jackson plays the role of Elizabeth Keckly, born a slave. Through bravery, ingenuity, and resilience, Keckly used her entrepreneurial talents to become dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln.

March 18, Manoug Manougian
“Man’s Inhumanity to Man”
Location: Betty R. Tipton Room, Student Center
Professor Manoug Manougian of the University of South Florida, co-author and associate producer of a four-hour documentary shown by PBS in 2002, examines the history and effects of genocide.

April 1, Lisa Guernsey
Location: Student Center Theater
Lisa Guernsey, author of “Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five,” will draw on examples from popular shows such as Dora the Explorer to discuss the impact of television on language and other areas of development. She will also describe how parents and early childhood providers can make informed decisions about screen time.

April 15, Sean Bender
Location: Student Center Theater
Sean Bender, director of the Center for Community and Learning Partnerships at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, is an urban planner and former AmeriCorps volunteer with expertise in bringing students, faculty and community together in dynamic working partnerships.