University of Iowa lecture Media, Space and Race: The Case of the “Southeast Side” of Iowa City. From the University of Iowa’s POROI website: Although some members of the public have pointed to the “southeast side” as a problematic area for at least 15 years, the events during the summer of 2009 seemed to indicate that something new and more worrisome was happening. Many residents of the area vigorously expressed their worries and concerns both in the public media and at meetings of the City Council. Acting on their concerns, they strongly urged the City Council to impose a curfew on juveniles throughout the city. Other residents of the area believed that people were overreacting to false perceptions about violence in the neighborhood and worried that the proposed curfew would be enforced disproportionately against youth of color. In September the City Council approved the first reading of a curfew ordinance by a 4-3 vote, but it deferred a vote on a second reading. On December 1 the City Council approved the second reading of the ordinance, again by 4-3. The Iowa City Press-Citizen has played an important role in reporting on these various events, and in publishing editorials and reader responses concerning them. Much of this public commentary has itself become controversial, especially but not exclusively with regard to race.

Facilitator: Professor David Depew, Communication Studies
Panel: Jeff Charis Carlson, Press-Citizen; Associate Professor Frank Durham, School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Assistant Professor Andre Brock, School of Library and Information Science, POROI