Papers might address the issue of how the iconography of the president does, or does not, parallel that of the king in Hollywood film. Or, panelists might explore the propensity of Hollywood to make of the president a star and how this affects the representation of democracy. Arthur Schlesinger's landmark work on the imperial presidency proposes that the exponential growth of the presidency since World War II has radically altered the nature of the balance of power. Seven Days in May are clearly eligible, but all presidential films, inclusive of documentaries, touch on this subject at one time or another due to its continuing relevance within our constitutional system. A broad range of topics and approaches are encouraged.
Papers are limited to twenty minutes in length.