Acclaimed Law Professor Zephyr Teachout to Discuss Corruption in America at SJC

October 02, 2014

Brooklyn, N.Y. – October 2, 2014 – The Department of Journalism and New Media Studies (JNM) at St. Joseph’s College (SJC), in partnership with Greenlight Bookstore, is pleased to announce that it will welcome scholar and politician Zephyr Teachout to discuss her latest work, Corruption In America on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tuohy Hall Auditorium located on the Brooklyn Campus.

Corruption in America reviews the role and definition of corruption and how it has changed throughout American history. From viewing the exchange of trivial gifts as potentially corrupting in the beginning of the nation’s history to the Supreme Court’s dramatic narrowing of the definition in the 1970s, Teachout charts the traditional perception of corruption and how it has withered to this day, culminating in the controversial Citizens United ruling in 2014.

“Professor Teachout’s book is a landmark survey of how corruption has evolved over the course of American history—and she offers some important remedies to address it,” said Dr. Ted Hamm, chair of the journalism and new media department at SJC. “At SJC, we teach our JNM students to be probing and insightful consumers and disseminators of information, and I welcome the opportunity to have Professor Teachout share her example and work with our community.” 

An immensely talented and creative scholar, Teachout brings a rich background in laws governing political behavior—both domestically and abroad—as well as the insights of her original work on corruption and its constitutional history. An associate professor of law at Fordham University, Teachout was one of the principal architects of Howard Dean’s 2004 landmark presidential campaign and was instrumental in the adoption of the digital revolution in outreach and fundraising. Most recently, she ran in the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial primary in New York State.  

This event is free and open to the public. For more, contact Michael Banach at 718.940.5584.

ABOUT THE JOURNALISM AND NEW MEDIA STUDIES PROGRAM AT ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE
The goal of the Journalism and New Media Studies program is for students to combine academic training with hands-on experience. In addition to immersion in the fundamentals and traditions of journalism, students will conduct first-hand reporting and perform internships at established media outlets. Majors will graduate with first-rate written and oral skills, fluency in the latest multi-media applications and knowledge of how the business works. The hyper-local focus of the program will enable students to become familiar with how change happens in the city, thus incorporating a civic engagement dimension into the curriculum. In addition to the media sector, students will be prepared for graduate work and/or careers in public policy and non-profit communications. 

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility, and service. With campuses located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn and in Patchogue, Long Island, the College offers degrees in more than 29 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.