Americans’ perceptions of their constitutional rights will be on trial in Baker University Center today.
Dr. Michael McCann, a professor of political science at the University of Washington, will speak at noon today in Baker Center Ballroom A in recognition of Constitution Day, which was Saturday. The talk will be open to students, faculty and Athens residents.
McCann serves as the president of the international Law and Society Association.
“It’s quite a thrill to have someone of this stature and international position come to Ohio University,” said John Gilliom, chair of OU’s political science department.
The lecture, titled “The U.S. Constitution and the Myth of Rights,” will cover the different ways Americans view their constitutional rights. McCann has authored multiple books and is a known authority on the subject, Gilliom said.
The event was designed so that people on a tight schedule can come listen to the lecture during their lunch hour. If students or faculty have to leave early to go to class, “there will be plenty of ways to sneak in and sneak out,” Gilliom said.
Gilliom is a representative of OU’s Center for Law, Justice & Culture. The center has organized Constitution Day events at the university for four years, recruiting speakers and publicizing the lectures.
The events are made possible by funds from the office of OU’s Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit, Gilliom said.
He added that there is a lot of work involved to publicize the event throughout campus, but it pays off because many students and faculty come to hear the lectures.
“We’ve had great attendance at the talks,” Gilliom said.
bv111010@ohiou.edu
