A Conversation with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy

Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy is a Brennan Center Fellow and a Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law. Prior to joining Stetson’s faculty, she was Counsel in the Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, an associate at Arnold & Porter LLP and a staffer for Senator Richard Durbin. She will be speaking about her new book, Political Brands, which is about branding overtaking truth in current American politics. Each chapter investigates another part of American political life that has become branded. The book explores how presidential candidates since Eisenhower have used commercial branding techniques to sell themselves and demonize their opponents. And the book explains how commercial brands are getting stuck in the political thicket.