Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

She Speaks For Millions: The Emergence Of Female Diplomatic Voices In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

This research critically investigates the public diplomacy strategies deployed by a cohort of influential female European leaders on Twitter during the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022-2023. The study comprises eight leaders - Kallas (Estonia), Marin (Finland), von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Metsola (President of the European Parliament), Sandu (Moldova), Simonyte (Lithuania), Zourabichvili (Georgia), and Meloni (Italy) - representing millions of constituents. By mirroring the analytical attention given to Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this study scrutinizes the distinct approaches and dif erences in emotional, cognitive, and structural language use between these influential female figures and President Zelenskyy in their …

How Political Elite Leverage Twitter To Polarize America, Woodson Morris Hobbs V

Theses and Dissertations

While social media has changed how humans use the internet, Twitter has drastically reformed how individuals worldwide receive their news. As news outlets fail to keep up with the rapid dissemination of information online, Twitter has become a sounding board for the political elite who leverage the platform's immediacy and virality. This study, using Quantitative Ethnography's Epistemic Network Analysis, seeks to determine if the political elite, specifically members of Congress, are leveraging Twitter to spread polarizing information to strengthen their base. In this study, extensive coding of select members of the 118th Congress was completed and compared to Voteview.com's DW-Nominate …

Establishing Connectivity And Trust In High Schools During Covid-19, Lisa De Leon, Matthew D. Wilkens

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Although meta-leadership was originally a framework used to examine healthcare leadership in crisis, it is also a valuable framework for educational leadership. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused school leaders to endure a crucible of fire in every area, such as balancing children’s safety with losses to education quality. The action plans of educators are frequently in flux as the pandemic evolves and unfolds. The continuation of this crisis has led to uncertainty, and at times, chaos.

This study examines how meta-leadership, with emphasis on connectivity, has been applied by educational leadership in American high schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 …

The Reluctant Feminist: Angela Merkel’S Cautious Leadership, Ls Gaiek, Marlyn Garcia

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Abstract: What does it mean to be a modern feminist global leader today? Global leadership research is growing, but less research focuses on female leaders, even though the 21st century thus far contains a significant rise of female leaders. Angela Merkel’s infamously historic reticence and aversion, concerning speaking about feminism, irrevocably dissolves in an interview in January of 2019. This interview offers a glimpse into Angela Merkel’s cageyness, and provides an intimate insight into her circumspect perspective concerning feminism. This article aims to explore barriers and challenges to Angela Merkel’s rise as a global leader, how crisis forged and …

Persuasion Across Platforms- Get In The Water Campaign, Kristen Kim, Ashley Shahinian, Ashley Abaya

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

In the following persuasive campaign, we aim to improve guests’ experience at the Surfrider Hotel Malibu to thus boost the company’s monetary inflow. Through the rollout of our “Get in the Water” campaign, we plan to transform guests’ perceptions of the hotel’s offerings. Furthermore, we plan to persuade guests that getting in the water is a fun and rewarding experience, ultimately improving their overall experience at the hotel and in Malibu. Initiatives, including a media-output revival and influencer-marketing events, would allow the Surfrider to connect with potential guests and advertise the possibilities of a hotel stay.

A Review Of Motivating Language Theory’S Effects On Trust In Organizations, James B. Larue

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

In their research, Men and colleagues (2022) investigated the influence of Motivating Language Theory (MLT) from supervisors on employee trust during the COVID-19 pandemic. Men and colleagues conducted online surveys across the United States to determine the effectiveness of empathetic, meaning-making, and direction-giving language in building trust within organizations. Results showed that empathetic language had a strong positive relationship with trust (β=.53), and direction-giving language had a weak positive relationship in satisfying employees’ need for competence (β=.32). This article is particularly relevant for organizational leaders looking to build trust with employees and those interested in psychology, communication, or business.

The Artistry Of Mediation: A Look At Mediation’S Effectiveness For Resolving Cross-Cultural Disputes Through The Leonardo Da Vinci Conflict Between France’S Louvre Museum And Italy’S Uffizi Gallery, Sophia D. Casetta

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

Art is powerful, as it symbolizes the history and identity of the country that claims it. However, through timely transitions, such as trade and wars, the ownership of meaningful artworks blurs, with museums fighting to claim their heritage to put on honorable display for their people. Mediation can be a peaceful means to resolve art ownership disputes, as it accounts for respecting the individual cultures of the countries represented in the dispute. Using the key medication traits described within this essay, a prepared mediator involved in such a cross-cultural conflict should be able to help resolve the issue at hand. …

Exploring The Experiences Of Black College Women With Autism, Ruth Childress

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This research paper explores the experiences of Black women with autism in college by adopting a framework of intersectionality. The paper specifically examines self-advocacy within these women and the impact that their intersecting identities may have on their ability to self-advocate. The development of self-advocacy skills in students with disabilities is crucial for their academic achievement in college, and students with autism face specific challenges in navigating the transition into post-secondary institutions. However, students with disabilities face challenges in developing self-advocacy skills due to the stigma surrounding disability and the need for self-realization and awareness. Black women with autism face …

Who Am I?: How Natives’ Mental Trauma Develop During Precolonial And Colonial Eras As Seen In Achebe’S Things Fall Apart And Fanon’S The Wretched Of The Earth, Sophia D. Casetta

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

Colonialism is a long, brutal process, where natives’ identities are uprooted as colonizers establish their influence in a foreign land. Consequently, through the exploration of the natives’ response to this upheaval throughout the precolonial and colonial eras, the psychological toll that is placed on the colonized is evident. Such mental trauma that is incited is explored in Chinua Achebe’s fictional novel Things Fall Apart, which unveils the slowly lost of the natives’ identities during the precolonial shift, and the non-fiction work of Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth that details psychological disorders of the colonized due to colonization. …

The Intersection Of Gender And Negotiation: A Comprehensive Look At The Literature, Kelsey England

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

According to the majority of literature it appears there are differences in specific advantages and disadvantages genders are exposed to in negotiations. This article aims to further introduce and break down the literature in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the intersections of negotiation and gender in regards to general negotiation practices, negotiations within the workplace, and what can be done to level the playing field in regards to disadvantages placed on certain genders. This article also addresses the remaining gaps in the literature and suggests where the research should move in future studies.

Editor's Note, Morgan Purdy

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Pepperdine Journal Of Communication Research Volume 11 // May 2023

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

A Fake Future: The Threat Of Foreign Disinformation On The U.S. And Its Allies, Brandon M. Rubsamen

Global Tides

This paper attempts to explain the threat that foreign disinformation poses for the United States Intelligence Community and its allies. The paper examines Russian disinformation from both a historical and contemporary context and how its effect on Western democracies may only be exacerbated in light of Chinese involvement and evolving technologies. Fortunately, the paper also studies practices and strategies that the United States Intelligence Community and its allied foreign counterparts may use to respond. It is hoped that this study will help shed further light on Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns and explain how the Intelligence Community can efficiently react.

Overcoming The Space Between Us: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Bridge Building, Kate Hanisian

Theses and Dissertations

Facilitators in organization and community contexts (and other practitioners whose job it is to move groups of people forward together) are faced with the undercurrent of human conflict every day in meetings and gatherings around the world; often with limited access to an overarching tool to help prevent and manage conflict in most settings. The purpose of this paper was to uncover patterns in bridge building practices so that anyone who finds themselves in the role of facilitating conversations between people who are very different or do not like each other might lean into a set of practices that can …

Legal And Ethical Considerations For Public Relations Book Review, Alan K. Caldwell

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

Book review and analysis of the strengths and gaps in the content of Legal and Ethical Considerations for Public Relations by Karla K. Gower.

Bathroom Battlegrounds Book Review, Lauren Carlton

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

One’S Social Media Identity: Article Review, Sasha S. Brenden

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

In the last ten years the impact of social media has expanded dramatically. People's identity used to only be affected by face to face interactions; however, now one's identity can be built and shifted through online social interactions and relationships over social media. Fake news causes a shift in identity because of impossible ideals of perfection. Fake news not only dictates what is the ideal image but can create a negative association to those who do not fall into that minesquale category (men and women). These studies show the unlimited communication regulations on social media, which leads to cyberbullying (electronic …

Multiracial Identity Negotiation In A “Monoracial” World, Stephanie G. Chan, Aileen R. Blomdal

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

The constant shift of societal values and ideals has historically left multiple individuals in utter confusion over their acceptance in certain social settings. A specific minority group that has been at the brunt of this dilemma for many years, however, are those who identify as multiracial. Mixed-race individuals have struggled to be equally accepted and appreciated for their rich cultural heritages, and with the multiple unique intercultural relationships that currently exist, these individuals are constantly dealing with niched categories, labels, and microaggressions that separate them from other minority groups. Through greater research into the brief history, the modern-day problems, and …

Communication Theories In The Office: Relational Dialectics And Genderlect, Christian J. Parham

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

The Office, known for largely for its comedic brilliance and the famous romance between Jim and Pam, also acts as a cultural artifact as it follows the development of their relationship. Through this essay, the interpersonal theory of Relational Dialectics and the intercultural theory of Genderlect communication will be analyzed with key moments from Jim and Pam’s relationship. Relational Dialectics will be used to analyze the interpersonal relationship between Jim and Pam, and the ways in which it develops and changes throughout the seasons. Genderlect will describe the different communication issues Jim and Pam have at different points throughout …

Taking Responsibility For Systemic Failures: Rhetorical Homologies And Discourses Of Sustainability, Health, And Voting, Alice Grosu

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

When considering the discourse of presidential candidates, talk show hosts discussing mental health issues, and companies advertising sustainable goods, this essay argues that they share a formal resemblance. Whenever the same formal resemblance, or the same pattern, can be found within different instances of rhetoric, this indicates that the texts are homologous. Making sense of these instances of discourse is essential if one seeks to understand the way in which the public’s political engagement can be hindered by these rhetorical acts.

Persuasive Campaign: Pepperdine Climate Action Initiative, Dawnielle L. Wright, Ruth Childress

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

What does it do to a university's credibility if they do not believe in science? 97% or more of climate scientists agree that climate warming over the last century is due to anthropogenic activity (NASA, 2022). However, Pepperdine University is a climate denier in the face of a scientific consensus (Levens, 2022). The Pepperdine administration has refused to admit that anthropogenic climate change is real with the reasoning of "encouraging debate" on the topic (Levens, 2022). Students are upset at this claim due to the implication that climate change is negatively affecting vulnerable populations around the globe, and Christians are …

Accessibility At Pepperdine: A Persuasive Campaign, Abigail R. Morrow, Zoë Walsh

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

The Narrative Paradigm In Sarah Kay's "If I Should Have A Daughter", Stephanie G. Chan

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

In her 2011 TED Talk debut, spoken word poet Sarah Kay presented a breathtaking performance of two of her poems, “B” and “Hiroshima.” Throughout her speech, she takes the audience through the process of self-realization that transformed her into the poet she is today. From her first performance at just 14 years old, to being welcomed by New York’s Bowery Poetry Club, to creating Project Voice alongside her college classmate Phil Kaye, to now teaching spoken word poetry to the teenagers she once was, Kay proves that spoken word as an art form is more than just pen on paper. …

Editor's Note, Maggie Bennett

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Pepperdine Journal Of Communication Research Volume 10 // July 2022

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Social Media Use, Disordered Eating, And Body Image In Adolescent Females: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Alara Ozpolat

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent females are especially at risk of developing eating disorders due to expectations surrounding body image, social pressures, and influence from peers. With the significant role of social media in daily life, the average adolescent currently spends several hours a day engaging with content on social media. The overall aim of this review was to better understand the impact of social media consumption on disordered eating and body image among female adolescents. The primary research questions explored within this systematic review were as follows: Is there a relationship between social media use, body image concerns, and/or eating disorder symptoms in …

Corporate Activism Best Practices In The Age Of Social Media, Fransisco Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate activism, or the act of corporations speaking out on sociopolitical issues, has become more common with technological advances and social media access. Corporations’ role in society has evolved to include non-economic functions that aim to improve societal conditions. Despite corporations fulfilling additional societal roles, they face increased scrutiny from shareholders and stakeholders alike. Speaking out on social issues or staying silent causes ripple effects amongst their internal and external networks. Speaking out on social media while working for a private or publicly traded corporation can be challenging as it entails weighing a wide array of conditions, stakeholder desires, and …

Let Social Justice Roll Down Like Waves: A Rhetorical Analysis Of A Christian University's Response To The Black Lives Matter Movement, Daniela Margot Singleterry

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

In a time of heightening racial tensions and a nationwide declaration for social justice, Universities across the country had varying reactions and responses to the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter and their role in creating spaces and resources for students. In this essay, I examine the way that Christian institution Pepperdine University handled the situation and examine the rhetorical strategies they used in their official statements released in response to the situation. Pepperdine University used repetition and sequencing, prophetic voice, and synecdochical gaze to communicate to their students that their first priority in light of the events was to …

Intercultural Conflict Analysis: Lessons From 'The Big Sick', Nicholas Rosenberg

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

Globalization has had a very large impact on the complexity of the modern world. One of its most visible effects has been intercultural integration. Rising immigration has altered society’s professional, familial, and romantic relationships, making intercultural communication a new standard. This article explores this phenomenon in the 2017 comedy-drama film, “The Big Sick”.

Religion In Crisis: Exploring Muslim Refugee Coping Strategies, Isabella Yeager

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

A significant portion of today’s refugee population is either practicing or ethnically Muslim. Because the refugee experience can be very stressful and taxing, many refugees turn to religion as a coping tactic, a resource that informs both one’s general perspective on life and the development of coping strategies. Muslims draw specific coping strategies from their adherence to the Holy Qur’an and other Islamic teachings and practices.This research proposal aims to explore and describe the unique coping strategies that individuals develops and use throughout the Muslim refugee experience.