AUSTIN, Texas—Fawaz Gerges, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College and a regular commentator for ABC News, will lead a session on the Branding of America at the May conference “Branding and Rebranding in the 21st Century: A Transdisciplinary Approach,” hosted by the Center for Brand Research at The University of Texas at Austin. The session takes place from 9-10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 8 in Bass Concert Hall on the university campus.
In a changing world, the government faces new challenges in diplomacy and must implement new tools to face them. The session will look at how disseminating the idea of freedom, as the United State’s brand, is perceived by other countries around the world and how it can be used as a tool for diplomacy.
“In the face of major diplomatic shifts and a growing dislike for America in many quarters around the world, this issue has taken prominence in our both our social and research agendas,” said Dr. Neal M. Burns, director for the Center for Brand Research. “This is in line with the Center for Brand Research’s goal to integrate academic and practical findings in an effort to produce a clearer understanding of the cultural and economic power of brands and we are fortunate to have both Professor Gerges and Keith Reinhard, chairman of DDB World Wide, speaking in this plenary session about rebuilding the world’s perception of the U.S.”
Gerges is a professor of International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College. He also is a consultant and regular commentator for ABC News, and has appeared on many television and radio networks throughout the world, including the British Broadcasting Corporation, CBS, CNN and National Public Radio. Gerges taught at Oxford and Harvard Universities and was a research fellow at Princeton University for two years. His special interests include Islam and the political process, fringe Islamist movements, Arab politics, American foreign policy in the Middle East, the modern history of the Middle East, history of conflict, diplomacy and foreign policy, historical sociology and international relations.
“Branding and Rebranding in the 21st Century: A Transdisciplinary Approach” is the first conference to be produced by the Center for Brand Research. It takes place May 7-9 at The University of Texas at Austin. The executive-level conference will delve into the fundamental and contemporary issues of branding today. Presentations will be made by individuals from top-level management, educators and practitioners in the industry. For information on how to attend the conference, call 512-471-8021 or visit the Center for Brand Research Web site.
For more information contact: Erin Geisler, College of Communication, 512-475-8071.
