Video Presentations

Anne Hensley Young, "Regular Order is Called For: Media Evolution and Senate Behavior" - video coming soon!

In recent decades, Senate confirmation hearings for United States Supreme Court Justices have become platforms for politically charged debates and the airing of personal grievances, instead of the questioning of a nominee to evaluate whether they are qualified to serve on the Court. This behavior has become more apparent alongside the rise of televised confirmation hearings. But the evolution of Senate confirmation hearings has been changing since they were first opened to the public in 1916. This project seeks to evaluate how Senators’ speaking behavior has changed alongside the rise of modern media. The product will be a play written to outline the distinct stages of Senate interaction with the American media. This play will communicate to audiences and readers how Senate behavior has become more performative in the past century, and how media has allowed information to become more accessible to the American public, but not necessarily more accurate.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Government, Theater

Advisor: Dr. Laurie Wolf, Theatre and Dr. Larry Evans, Government