Communication Commons^™

Gen Z Voter Turnout: An Analysis Of Barriers To Participation In State And Local Elections, Avery Allen

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This study examines the factors contributing to the generational gap in civic participation, with a focus on smaller-scale elections. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, the research identifies barriers to local and state electoral participation among Generation Z and provides recommendations for civic organizations seeking to increase youth voter turnout.

The Danger Of Deepfakes: Information Pollution And Epistemic Insecurity, Camille Doherty

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the dangers of deepfakes to democratic stability, emphasizing their capacity to pollute our information ecosystem and undermine trust in media. Beyond the immediate political harms from deepfake incidents, deepfakes are troubling for their impact on our collective relationship to media, truth, and one another. As exposure to deepfakes becomes more common, discerning fact from fiction will become increasingly difficult. Over time, this could foster widespread skepticism of all media and, worse, apathy toward truth itself. With eroded trust and shared truths, democracies risk losing epistemic security – the foundation for informed deliberation, decision-making, and accountability in democratic …

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

Echo Chambers On The Left, Echo Chambers On The Right: How Socioideological Identity Emotion Shape Social Interaction Behavior On Social Media, Dean Carl Jackson

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation investigates how echo chambers emerge on social media by shifting the lens from aggregate patterns of information exposure to moment-by-moment, individual level interaction decisions between peers. I theorize that selective exposure online is not only about what content people consume or avoid, but also about selective social exposure—accepting, rejecting, or sharing with the sources of that content—guided by sociopolitical identity, ideological distance (ID), and discrete emotions. To test this, I employ two survey experiments using real tweets varying in ideological extremity and measure user’s likelihood to Block, Follow, Retweet, or reply, alongside self-reported emotional reactions and ID between …

#Mmiw On Instagram: Contemporary Representations Of Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, And Two-Spirit People​, Sydney E. Cathcart, Renu Pariyadath

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

This research paper overlooks the disproportionate number of missing persons and violence towards Indigenous groups, particularly women. Communication research has pointed to mass media lacking coverage on missing or murdered cases of Indigenous people, contributing to invisibility of the issue and lack of attention to the problem. Individual efforts to increase sources of information have been utilized in social media to make up for where mass media lacks. Social media creators who look to raise awareness, mobilize grassroot actions, and expand community ties. Content analysis was used to analyze content in Instagram under hashtags relevant to #MMIW–Missing and Murdered Indigenous …

Debbie Alicen Reclaimed Her Voice And Started The Human Rights Campaign In Lincoln, Nebraska, Morgan Grey, Debbie Alicen, Moni Usasz

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A story about Debbie Alicen's efforts in the early 1980s to have an amendment added to Lincoln, Nebraska's Human Rights Ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.

“R-Word” Slurs Triple On X After Donald Trump’S Thanksgiving Post Used The Word, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

A joint study from Montclair State University faculty in the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the School of Communication and Media and the Department of Justice Studies shows a dramatic increase in content containing the slur “retard” on X after Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving Day Truth Social post used the word. Findings showed a 225.7% increase in posts containing the r-word on X with 1,129,438 posts in the studied period. The most viewed, liked, and shared content analyzed enthusiastically endorsed use of the r-word. Results appear consistent with the period after other prominent …

Polarization On Campus: How Social Media Shapes College Students' Opinions On The Israel Hamas War, Jonah Lynne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the impact of social media on the polarization of opinions regarding the Israel-Hamas war, particularly among U.S. college students. Following the outbreak of the war in October 2023, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok have facilitated the spread of highly partisan narratives, fueling ideological divides. The study highlights how social media contributes to the increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic sentiments, exacerbating societal tensions. Through 25 structured qualitative interviews with college students, the research explores how social media algorithms shape perceptions by reinforcing preexisting beliefs through echo chambers and filter bubbles. Taken as a …

Meme Wars As Socially Situated Learning: Learning In Online Communities Of Hate, Conspiracy, And Insurgency, Kevin M. Clark

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Learning is important in a pluralistic democracy, to enable citizens to make informed decisions. However, with the rise of the internet and social media, we need more than ever to understand how learning is shaped by social context and intertwined with issues of identity and belonging. One theoretical framework that addresses these social aspects of learning comes from the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger on socially situated learning in communities of practice. This article focuses on what many would consider to be the darker side of learning—the rise of hate, disinformation/conspiracy, and insurgency in online communities. Specifically, it …

Reply Stop To Stop, Molly A. M. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of 8 years working in progressive political strategy, 2015–2023, I became increasingly critical of the systems, formulas and tools we were using to communicate with voters. Reply STOP to Stop is documentation of my time at graduate school, of wrestling with ideas of political design, language, communication and distribution. I analyzed my past work — all the texts, emails, social media posts, print ads, web banners, videos and other miscellaneous scripted content — and wondered if we would all be better off without it. Would elections be fairer, would there be less fake news, more community building? …

Diaspora Politics And A Rising China: Ambivalent Ties Amid Geopolitical Changes, Jiaqi M. Liu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Over the past decade, the rise of China on the global stage has witnessed the emergence of members of the Chinese diaspora as new meso-level actors in mediating Sino-Western relations. As part of China’s burgeoning “public diplomacy” around the globe, Chinese migrants organize cultural events to establish grassroots and semi-official exchanges between China and the West. This chapter provides a state-of-the-art examination of so-called “diasporic public diplomacy” whereby the Chinese diaspora plays an increasingly important role in promoting China’s soft power abroad. Based on long-term fieldwork in a prominent emigrant community, I analyse how Chinese national policies envision two specific …

Digital Orthodoxy And Political Populism In Eastern Europe: How Orthodox Media Facilitate Political Mobilization, Dmytro Garaschuk, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the intersection of Orthodox digital media and political populism in Eastern Europe, focusing on how religious institutions utilize digital platforms to facilitate political mobilization, reinforce nationalistic narratives, and undermine democratic institutions. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six countries–Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro–the study identifies a shared ideological matrix that fuses populist rhetoric with theological motifs. The research highlights the strategic use of digital media by Orthodox actors to construct moral binaries, sacralize political resistance, and disseminate disinformation framed in religious language. Particular attention is given to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and …

Gendered Images In Online Political Advertising Videostyles: A Case Study Of 2024 Taiwan Presidential And Parliamentary Elections, Chia-Heng Chang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Despite the increasing visibility of female politicians in Taiwan, the resurgence of the #MeToo movement ahead of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections underscores the enduring influence of patriarchal norms and gender stereotypes within Taiwanese society. Prior research in political communication has documented how gendered expectations shape voters’ perceptions of politicians’ appearances, behaviors, and perceived competence in addressing political issues. These expectations, in turn, inform how candidates strategically construct their public personas during electoral campaigns. This dissertation contributes to this body of scholarship by analyzing how Taiwanese political candidates perform gender through political advertising. Integrating the videostyle framework, gender schema …

Rethinking Rural Identity: Reimagining Rural Politics, Matthew B. Kirk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This work chiefly consists of a genealogical critique of rural identity. Tracing the development and deployment of the concepts of rurality and rural consciousness, I argue that our current depictions of rurality as “spatial other,” replete with its harmful stereotypes, stem from a misconception about the nature of power. Political theorists’ and political scientists’ appraisals of rurality suggest that the set of actions that define rural politics are a product of their relative powerlessness. Rural locales’ removal from the center of power in urban spheres means that rural politics is reduced to reactionary, violent, and conservative political thought and engagement. …

Effects Of Actualized Language Policy On Ukrainian Stability, 1989-2022, Dawn Hersey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation seeks to generate a new perspective of the complicated relationship between actualized policy and stability through looking at Ukraine’s language policies and stability in a mixed manner approach that includes both primary and secondary sources. Russia justified its irridentist activities through claiming to protect Russian nationals within Ukraine’s borders: language policies within Ukraine appear to be a trigger for Russian antagonism. Neither Russian irridentism nor Ukrainian nationalism are being considered as right or wrong in this dissertation: the intent is to highlight trends, patterns, and perceptions in alignment with Ukrainian language policy. This dissertation does not present a …

Lingering Legacy: The Impact Fan Reactions Had On Media Framing In The Rossi-Marquez Rivalry, Maryann Lozowski

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study examines the influence that fan commentary has on media framing in sports journalism, especially in times of intense rivalry. The rivalry chosen for this specific study was Marc Marquez-Valentino Rossi as seen in the MotoGP championship. This research discusses the cyclical nature between the interaction of fan and media while shaping popular narratives in sport. A qualitative analysis of media headlines and fan comments was conducted comparing those found at the start of the rivalry in 2015, with reporting at its height, to that of the legacy reporting seen in the years that followed. Findings in this study …

The Monstrous-Digital: Data Necropolitics, Social Media, And The Assassination Of Brian Thompson, Laura Glitsos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research article examines the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the ensuing social media attention on the alleged shooter Luigi Mangione. I argue that the incident can be read as a cultural moment that captures the essence of an emergent sensibility that I call the “monstrous-digital” because of its layered and complex interconnections with the digital apparatus as a space of control and contestation. Specifically, I connect it to the biopolitical weaponization of computational systems, McQuillan’s (2015) algorithmic states of exception, and Pele and Mulholland’s (2023) data necropolitics. I approach this research using a qualitative case study method, …

I Am Not A Dictator; I Am A Defender: The Rhetoric Of Coup D’État In Francophone Africa, Isaac Asare Kwakye

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the rhetorical strategies used by coup leaders in Francophone Africa to authorize their actions and garner public support. Focusing on recent military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020, I investigate how coup leaders construct narratives of legitimacy within the context of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. I utilize Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyze speeches by three key coup leaders: Colonel Assimi Goïta, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani. My analysis reveals four interconnected rhetorical frameworks: framing interventions as emergency measures, cultivating savior personas, weaponizing anti-colonial grievances, and deploying anti-corruption narratives. A comparative analysis of …

Exploring The Shadows: How Taylor Swift's Music Embodies Dark Sound As A Popular Music Artist, Kristyn E. Cole

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

To challenge the conceptual matter of “dark sound”, this major research paper centers around the popular music artist, Taylor Swift to demonstrate an overarching feminist wisdom in an alternative style of music to identify how Taylor Swift presents and embodies qualities of “dark sound”. Research done by D. Ferrett, Theodor Adorno, Roland Barthes and Paul C. Jasen are used to examine her popular music, and its intersections and influence on our culture and society. Using multimodal critical discourse analysis, this research paper discusses three of Swift’s songs; “willow” (evermore, 2020) for her sound, All Too Well: The Short …

Co-Creation, Interpretations And Engagement With A Movement-Based Symbol For Climate Justice: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kai Reimer-Watts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The climate crisis demonstrates with complete clarity the need for massive systems-level changes towards far more sustainable societies. Global and local emissions need to decline rapidly to mitigate intensifying climate breakdown, accompanied by climate and sustainability solutions, to secure a far more stable, safe, and just future for all people and all life. Within these changes, engaging in our communities is essential to support and co-create broader solutions to help advance more sustainable societies, reduce negative impacts of a changing climate, and to move towards cultures and systems that recognize natural limits and centre care for people and planet.

‘Climate …

Preventing Chemical And Biological Attacks: Enhanced Threats Requiring Enhanced Solutions, Alex Elliot Ottoni-Belval

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Chemical weapons (CW) and biological weapons (BW) are becoming more dangerous for experts to employ and more accessible to amateurs. Despite CW and BW attacks throughout history that killed and maimed millions of people, the international community has failed to establish meaningful consequences to prevent them. Agreements such as the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention vow to eliminate and reduce the effects of CWs and BWs but lack respected response precedents and capabilities. The limited and inconsistent enforcement has inadvertently allowed CWs and BWs to become plausible weapons, especially to gain asymmetric advantages, while modern developments exasperate …

Political Brand Transgression: An Expanded Stimuli-Organism-Response (Sor) Framework Perspective, Cheuk Hang Au

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study examines political brand transgression (BT) using the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) framework. It explores how voters and opponents perceive political BT and respond through anti-brand behaviors. Understanding these dynamics is essential for political entities to manage their brand and sustain voter support. Employing a qualitative case study with netnographic practices, this research analyzes perceived political BT by Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, particularly regarding migration policies and unmet domestic promises. It identifies key stimuli—expectation disconfirmation and relationship norm violations—that trigger perceptions of transgression. The findings highlight core belief misalignments and performance failures as common drivers of political BT, leading to voter …

Everything Old Is Q Again: An Analysis Of The Resurgent #Pizzagate Myth In Social Media, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

On November 28, 2023, X CEO Elon Musk posted a meme suggesting that the #pizzagate conspiracy had been suppressed by powerful forces complicit in the exploitation of children. The #pizzagate conspiracy presumed that elites had organized a ring serving pedophiles in the basement of a pizzeria in Washington D.C. The conspiracy was debunked in major news outlets with social media platforms such as Facebook banning such content, as well (BBC News). These efforts ultimately did not prevent #pizzagate from morphing into the QAnon conspiracy that would galvanize multiple extremist political movements (Bleakley). Specifically, however, #pizzagate as a discrete narrative was …

Framing Palestine Celebgrams On Instagram Social Media Post The Events Of October 7 2023, Labiq Yafuz, Subaidi Subaidi

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

This research examines the framing conducted by Palestinian influencers on the social media platform Instagram following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The study analyzes how these influencers use the platform to convey information about the conditions in Gaza after the attack. The methodology used is content analysis of several Palestinian influencers' accounts to observe differences in their content presentation. The findings indicate that the content uploaded by these influencers focuses on daily life, social impacts, and geographical conditions post-attack. This content aims to provide information and education to viewers about the current situation in Gaza. The …

Documenting Sensation: Reimagining Urban Data For Equity And Sustainability, Nathan R. Johnson, Meredith A. Johnson

Proceedings from the Document Academy

This paper explores the historical and contemporary practices of documenting urban planning in Tampa Bay, emphasizing the role of sensory experiences in fostering sustainable and equitable development. Using the 1989 Future of Hillsborough Transportation Concepts white paper as a case study, the research critiques the dominance of efficiency-focused documentation in urban policy. This study highlights how such frameworks often neglect cultural and sensory dimensions critical to community well-being. The research calls for a shift towards documenting sensory experiences, drawing on the concept of the sensorium, to bridge the gap between technical data and lived urban experiences. The paper argues that …

Has K-Pop Lost Its Koreaness?, Madison J. Gusler

Capstones

Since the 2010s, the global expansion of K-pop has been undeniable, with music from Korean idol groups resonating with fans around the world. We’ve seen the industry adapt to cater to this global audience, placing emphasis on non-verbal aspects of performance such as choreography and set design, and integrating more English lyrics in their songs. K-pop has always had multinational, multicultural influences in its production, yet the music has remained distinctly Korean. But as the industry expands into new markets, faces new challenges, and adapts to convey greater global appeal, the public must contend with the idea of a K-pop …

Applying Engagement Journalism Methods To Reach Young People In The South Bronx, Christine M. Zeiger Mrs., Judith Marks

Capstones

During the fall of 2024, engagement journalism students Christine Zeiger and Judith Marks met with more than 60 teens in the South Bronx. They also distributed digital questionnaires, which garnered 26 responses from teens and adults between the ages of 14 and 22. These questionnaires were distributed after in-person sessions we organized to gather feedback on topics we wanted to learn about more deeply.

The project’s initial goal was to understand how South Bronx teens and young adults were engaging with the November elections and use their feedback to inform election coverage for the Mott Haven Herald and Hunts Point …

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene: Image And Kategoria, Apologia, Antapologia, William L. Benoit, Kevin A. Stein

Speaker & Gavel

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene was elected as the U.S. Representative from Georgia in November, 2020; her term of office began on January 3, 2021. On that day, Democratic Representative Jahana Hayes denounced Greene for “espousing hateful rhetoric and conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of mass school shootings,” expressing this sentiment in a letter to the Republican leadership in the House which was posted on Twitter. Hayes argued that Greene should not be appointed to the House Committee on Education and Labor. The next day, Representative Greene responded with an apologia on the House floor. This defense in turn prompted Democratic …

Democracy In Crisis: Persuasive Attack On President Donald Trump In The January 6 Select Committee's Final Report, William L. Benoit

Speaker & Gavel

Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 American presidential election. However, President Trump refused to accept his loss and he created and implemented multiple schemes to overthrow the election so he could stay in office. The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol conducted televised hearings into the insurrection and published its report on December 22, 2022. This study employs the Theory of Persuasive Attack to investigate strategies employed to attack Trump in its Report. He was attacked both for action (attempting to overturn the election) and inaction (refusing requests to ask …

Parasocial Relationships In Children And Teens, Bradley J. Bond, Karen E. Dill-Shackleford, Jayson L. Dibble, Tracy R. Gleason, Nancy Jennings, Sara Rosaen, Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster

Communication Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"Young people have easy access to an array of fictional characters and celebrities, many of whom exist across platforms (e.g., protagonists from the graphic novel Heartstopper now appear in live-action on Netflix) and are manifested in toys and other merchandise. Children and adolescents often create powerful, socioemotional connections with fictional characters and celebrities called parasocial relationships (PSRs). Preschoolers clutching Elmo dolls, tweens fantasizing about interactions with TikTok influencers, and queer teens finding affirmation in a gay couple on Schitt’s Creek all hint at possible PSRs. These one-sided, imagined social ties might raise concerns for parents and other stakeholders; however, PSRs …