One positive result of the controversy concerning the mission of the African Studies Association has been the formation of the Committee on Current Issues. The Committee arranged several important panel discussions during the 1971 Annual Meeting in Denver, and it was agreed at that time that a special effort should be undertaken to promote a wider understanding of the situation in southern Africa. The 1972 election campaign provides a unique opportunity for discussion of the emerging crisis in southern Africa and for exploration of useful U.S. responses to that crisis. Richard Sklar, chairman of the Committee, was authorized by the Committee to appoint a subcommittee to plan such an effort for the 1972 election campaign. The work of the subcommittee—referred to as Politics ’72 — constitutes the subject of this article.