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DAUK Film Night: Two American Families

By Democrats Abroad United Kingdom

Date and time

Starts on Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:00 GMT+1

Location

London School of Economics

20 Kingsway, Room KSW 1.04 (Entrance on Portugal St) London WC2B 6LH United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organiser to request a refund.

Description

Come to the DAUK Summer Screening and Discussion of Two American Families

Don't miss the June 24th screening and discussion of the riveting PBS documentary Two American Families. The inimitable Bill Moyers chronicles the impact of 20 years of economic change on the lives of two Milwaukee working class families.

Join the after-screening discussion led by Professor Peter Kingstone and Dr. Antoine Rogers. This film raises critical issues for the 2016 elections. Come watch, discuss and help shape our campaigning agenda.

DAUK Film Night
Date: 24 June 2016
Time: 7:00 - 9:30
Place: London School of Economics, Room KSW 1.04
20 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6LH (entrance on Portugal Street opposite Peacock Theatre)

This film "…will take its place among the central documentaries of our time."
George Packer in The New Yorker (July 1, 2013)

Two American Families "demands to be seen and discussed".
– Brian Lowry in Variety (July 5, 2013)

About the film
In 1992 Bill Moyers introduces us to two Milwaukee families, one black and one white, the Stanleys and the Neumanns. Claude Stanley, his wife Jackie and Tony Neumann held jobs in the engineering industry, while Terry Neumann stayed at home to look after her and Tony's three children. Both families led comfortable lives, enjoying economic security with plans and hopes for their futures. When their employers move their operations overseas, their once secure jobs are lost.

Despite being resolutely hard-working, they struggle to survive, get new jobs, keep their homes and families intact and ensure their children's futures.

Over the 20 years we encounter them, both the Stanleys and Neumanns, remarkably, show fearsome perseverance and amazing adaptability in undertaking new jobs in difficult economic conditions. Although the film ends in 2011, their stories are even more relevant today.

The trends in income and wealth inequality over these 20 years are stark and dramatic. While the top 1% have seen extraordinarily high income growth, the bottom 40% have experienced no income growth, and the bottom 20% a real decline in their income. At the same time costs such as housing, healthcare, childcare and college education have risen significantly.

This poignant and powerful film provides the human stories behind the economic trends and statistics. Their stories are the stories of far too many millions of "ordinary" Americans and serve as a microcosm of what is going wrong in Western democracies today.

Two months after the filming ended, Terry Neumann was asked why she took part and she said, "I hope the film will make a difference. That people will stop sniping at one another and get together and come up with something that works for all people….I wish I could have a beer with President Obama and make him see what's happening." Let's work to ensure that her efforts are not in vain.

Join us!

For more details about the film and the issues it addresses, click here.

Schedule:
6:30 PM: Doors open
7:00 PM: Introduction
7:10 PM: Two American Families
8:45 PM: Discussion/Q&A with Professor Peter Kingstone and Dr. Antoine Rogers
9:30 PM: Discussion ends
Map for LSE Location
LSE Campus map

About the speakers:

Professor Peter Kingstone is the Co-Director of the International Development Institute at King's College London. Prior to coming to King's, he taught Political Science at the Universities of Connecticut and Vermont. While his current research focus and publications are on Latin America, he has had a continuing interest in the debates on American political economy and its relation to increasing inequality in the US. He has taught this subject to US undergraduate students for over 10 years. Professor Kingstone spoke at and led the Q and A session at our Film Night screening of Robert Reich's Inequality for All.

Dr. Antoine Rogers is an Associate Professor in Sociology and the Course Director of Social Policy at London Southbank University. Antoine is a Chicago native; a qualified social worker and a survivor of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The research leading to his PhD was a comparative analysis of urban social service charities in Chicago and Birmingham UK. Dr.Roger's research and teaching have been greatly informed by his professional experiences as a social worker and as an activist. He is especially interested in qualitative research methods and LGBT issues. He spoke at and led the Q and As after the Film Night screening of Street Fight.

Special notices:

In compliance with US campaign and party funding laws, we can only accept payments from US citizens and green card holders. Non-US citizens are very welcome to attend, but only as guests of US citizens who must book and pay for—as a gift—their guests' admission. By booking and paying for tickets for this event, you are confirming that you are a US citizen or green card holder. You must tick a box affirming this before completing your purchase.

If you are unable for any reason to book online using this website, please email us with your request. Advance bookings will only be taken until 17:00 on the day of the screening. Tickets are also available on the door, unless sold out.

This event is CLOSED to the press.

Organised by

Democrats Abroad is the official arm of the US Democratic Party for US Citizens who reside outside the US. Democrats Abroad United Kingdom (DAUK) is the country committee for members of Democrats Abroad living in the UK.

Having problems reserving a ticket for a DAUK event on EventBrite? Contact our Ticket Reservation Help Desk:

1. Email: tickets@democratsabroad.org.uk (Please do not send credit card details via email.)

OR

2. Telephone the DAUK Switchboard: 020-3514-1410 x301

Give us your name AND a contact telephone number. A DAUK volunteer will call you as soon as they can to assist you in making your reservation.

You will not be asked for payment information over the telephone.

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