John Downing, founder and director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Global Media Research Center, delivered the University Honors Distinguished Lecture at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007 in the Student Center Auditorium.

Downing's lecture is entitled, "The Imperiled 'American': visual culture, nationality and U.S. foreign policy." A prolific scholar and speaker of six languages, Downing studies the globalization of cultural production and consumption, communication policies, international communication, alternative media and social movements. He serves on the executive editorial board of the journal "Global Media and Communication."

Downing, who is also a professor of media studies in the SIUC College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, also is the author of "Radical Media: rebellious communication and social movements."

Downing holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Oxford University and master's and doctoral degrees from London School of Economics and Political Science.