Journalism Studies Commons^™

Rhetorical Analysis Of 'Surviving R. Kelly', Grace Righini

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This essay discusses the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, which details allegations of sexual abuse against the musician Robert "R" Kelly. The documentary provides a platform for young black women to speak out against Kelly and explain why he is an abuser. It also sheds light on victims' difficulties in obtaining justice, particularly when a celebrity is involved. The essay analyses the impact of the documentary and how it has empowered women to come forward with their own stories, regarding other women speaking out during the #MeToo movement and paving the way for future documentaries speaking out against other powerful celebrities. …

Death With Interruptions Short Analysis, Lydia Osmer

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In this writing piece, Death with Interruptions by José Saramago is analyzed through the lens of its stream of consciousness writing style. Using concepts from End of Life Communication studies and traditional literary analysis, this short analysis on Death with Interruptions focuses on the both the personified character of Death as well as Saramago’s stylistic choices throughout the story in order to illustrate human perceptions of love, life, and death.

How Will God And The Church Fit Into The Metaverse?, Grace Rose

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In this paper, I tell a story about the argument over whether God and the Church will be part of our coming “metaverse.” While we can be pretty sure that the metaverse will be good for the full range of “congregations,” good, reasonable citizens disagree about whether the metaverse will be just a tool in God’s creation or whether the metaverse will move us past traditional notions of God. In this story, I introduce some of the characters who engage in and contribute to this argument. My story also animates some of the argumentative moves that these characters make.

Tiger King: A Case Study In Environmental Media Representation And Effects, Ashley White

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Over the past decades, tiger populations have drastically fallen worldwide to the point where most tigers are listed as endangered or critically endangered. Furthermore, there are currently more tigers living in captivity in the US than in the wild. In this paper, the relationship between the environmental issue of conservation and the effects of mass media productions is explored through a critical analysis of Tiger King. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to answer the following questions. First, does Tiger King perpetuate or disrupt existing models of documentary narrative and cinematography? (Q1) Second, to what extent is Tiger King …

Rhetorical Analysis Of Setting: Boston Children’S Hospital, Aimee Rothman

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This paper sorts out the architectural and interior design of the hospital. It treats the place as an important aspect of the broad range of messages the hospital sends to its various publics.

Equity Vs. Equality: How Differing Viewpoints Choose To Portray History, Sara Donatello

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This paper explores the themes of equity and equality, defining the terms and applying them to projects done by civil rights activists Nikole Hannah-Jones and Robert Woodson, and a government commission created by Donald Trump. The 1619 Project, founded by Hannah-Jones, pushes the narrative of equity, following the idea of the politics of difference. 1776 Unites, founded by Robert Woodson, provided a counterargument to the 1619 Project, and follows the politics of universalism and equality, holding everyone in the same esteem. Finally, the 1776 Commission, created by Donald Trump, is not associated with 1776 Unites but follows the same narrative …

The Resurrection Of Yik Yak, Lily Neher

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In this paper, I discuss the impact of the app Yik Yak on college campuses, after it returned as a platform in 2021 post 2017 removal. The key aspects of the app include its location-based nature, anonymity, and user moderation system. I discuss advantages and disadvantages of the culture that it fosters, as well as greater social, political, and philosophical implications of Yik Yak as a hybrid space, or a space that permits communication both online and in the real world.

Covid-19 Conversation Analysis, Luca Tosi

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In this paper, I present the findings from an empirical project completed for a college-level Communication Analysis class. These findings, while containing scholarly terms and nomenclature, are highly applicable to any day-to-day interactions had between any multitude of participants. It is my goal, throughout this paper, to provide readers with a more in-depth look at the ways in which our words and actions convey our messages in ways we didn’t even consciously mean.

Tiktok: A New Source Of Labor, Max Oxendine

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In my research paper TikTok as a new source of labor is elaborated upon. The social media platform that originated in 2016 allows you to watch or create videos anywhere from 15 seconds to 3 minutes long. Some content that can be seen or made on TikTok tends to be videos that are entertaining, informative, or in most cases the newest dance trend. In my research paper I wanted to dive deeper into if this new popular app could be a reliable source of labor? Becoming a paid social media influencer does not occur overnight and success is not just …

Public Monuments In Changing Societies And Political Orders, Jake Connolly

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No abstract provided.

2022 Staff Bios, Author Bios, And Abstracts Brochure

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Is Being A Social Media Influencer A Sustainable Career?, Mya Sanders

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Being a social media influencer in today’s world has its stereotypes: that it is not a real job which one can have for their whole lives, that it does nothing useful for society, or that people get paid to take videos of themselves and nothing more. While that argument has valid points for individual people, I discuss in this paper the idea that being a social media influencer can be a sustainable career path. I mention the positives of the career path: how influencers have the power to change their followers’ minds on a topic, how they can be a …

Pragmatics Paper: The Real Housewives Of New Jersey, Madeline Graf

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Reality television has brought viewers into the lives and homes of many different families across the country. While people question the ‘reality’ aspect of reality TV, the interpersonal conflict amongst families, friends, and loved ones is definitely far from scripted. Shows such as The Real Housewives franchise allow viewers to see many patterns of human communication on their screen, even if they are unaware of it. Using the theories discussed in the Pragmatics of Human Communication by Watzlawick, Beavin and Jackson, this paper analyzes the family systems and interpersonal relationships within The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Applying the concepts …

“Um Mundo Novo2” Or Just More Of The Same For Brazil Post-Olympics?, Emily Desormier

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This paper uses the photographic record to examine how well Brazil fulfilled its promises to improve the lives of its citizens via its preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Shein: How Immaterial Labor Fuels The Capitalist Fast Fashion Industry, Sara Donatello

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This paper highlights the consumption of fast fashion products by consumers as immaterial labor. The industry runs not only on the production of goods, but the consumption and advertising done by influencers and everyday consumers alike. The research explores romantic individualism as a way to advertise products to followers and how the global apparel industry works. Research is supported by surveys completed by SHEIN consumers ages 18-25. The sustainability of the fast fashion industry is also a factor explored in this paper.

Grace Helbig Will Never Be A Hollywood Star, But David Dobrik Will Be, Julia Gomes

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The balance of internet celebrities' careers and the limitations that they are put on due to the pressure of parasocial relationships has changed over time within the world of mainstream media and the internet. In this paper, I explore parasocial relationships and their effects on internet professions. I start by focusing on an early Internet/YouTube star Grace Helbig and discuss how the internet and parasocial relationships affected her career and changed the shape of the internet. I then transition into talking about a newly successful Internet/Youtube star, David Dobrik, and discuss how he faced an opposite journey to Helbig to …

The Bipartisan Media Strategy: How Three Ideologically Different Candidates Found Success, Madeline Graf

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This essay analyzes the social media strategies used by three very different candidates who have all run for presidential office. Using Joshua Meyrowitz’s application of Erving Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, we can see the ‘middle region’ performances politicians use to seem approachable and relatable to their target audience. With the transition from print media, to the early stages of electronic media, to social media, the barrier between a politician and the public has broken down to the point where the American public has the illusion of a personal connection with these political figures. It is hard …

A Response To Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage; Recontextualizing Editorial Biases In Nu Metal, Samuel Graff

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Nu metal, the oft-maligned subgenre of heavy music which reached massive commercial heights around the turn of the millennium, has long been a pop cultural punching bag. With recent media trends retrospectively framing past movements along ill-defined identity lines, the 2021 HBO documentary “Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage” takes a close look at the ill-advised late-90s festival and does so by condemning Nu metal as staunchly consumerist, misogynist, and racist. These characteristics are generally held across the few pieces of media scholarship on the genre. In this paper, I analyze and rebuke the documentary and in doing so, provide …

Are Humans An Invasive Species? How The Development Of Our World Has Continuously Encroached On Wildlife, Madeline Graf

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Through the development of our society mankind has adversely impacted the species that existed long before humans did. Humans have effectively become an invasive species, taking over the homes and resources of animals across the globe. People continue to expand into new lands and territories to compensate for an ever-growing population, converting natural land into cities with homes, offices, shopping centers, and more. Through urbanization we are displacing countless species from their natural habitats or forcing them to adapt to a new environment. As our world grew, so did our economies and trade market, creating the issue of global shipping …

A Manufactured Culture: A Look Into How U.S. Imperialism Coerced The Philippine Economy Into A Culture Of Migration, Gio Ramos

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In this research paper, I investigate the origins of labor brokerages in the Philippines. The Philippine economy heavily relies on remittance which is when temporary overseas Filipino workers and emigrants send money back to their families in Philippines. This money is then flushed back into the local economy and keeps it running. Throughout this essay, I find that United States imperialism is a root cause for early labor systems in the archipelago. I analyze historic books and other expert studies on this topic to come to a final conclusion that illuminates my primary research question. How has US imperialism coerced …

How The Media Frames Mental Health And Social Media: A Case Study Of The Facebook Whistleblower, Meghan Switzgable

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The Orgasm Gap: What Role Does The Patriarchy Play In The Bedroom?, Merrimac Moran

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Comm-Entary, Spring 2021 - Full Issue

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About The Authors

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Comm-Entary, Spring 2021 - Full Issue

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Art Spaces As Third Places For Everyday Political Talk, Alexa Mcnamara

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Contentious subject matter is often avoided in conversation. Additionally, there are not many places in which open discussion on these topics is considered acceptable, but the country needs them. In this thesis, I discuss third places as places of gathering for various individuals and the integration of everyday political talk, natural civic discussion (Oldenburg, 1999; Kim & Kim, 2008). The data analyzed in this study consists of ten transcripts from ten interviews conducted over zoom. The result of the analysis shows that art museums do foster everyday political talk through the elements of visualization, facilitation and the environment. Visualization consists …

Comm-Entary, Spring 2020 - Full Issue

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In this issue:

Changing Dynamics in Digital Culture & Society: The Phenomenon of “Blackfishing” by Estefania De La Torre

A Royal Pain: Tensions of Womanhood in Padmaavat by Hannah Baum

A Narrative of Antiquity: An Analysis of the Shift in Ecclesiastical-Secular Power in Late Medieval and Early Renaissance Italy by Kyra Nelson

The Conflict over Cliché by David Hadley

Nano-Influencers as a Commodity by Caila Kilson-Kuchtic

Instagram On Paper: Journaling, Photography and Mindfulness by Emma Barresi

A Rhetorical Analysis of Twitter: ISTE Educational Technology Conference Exhibitors by Hannah Baum

DNA Databases: Problematic on Grounds of Constitutionality, Fallibility, and Discriminatory Practice …

Martin Luther King Day Keynote Address (January 20, 2020, The Kent School In Ct), Nelson Thomas

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On January 20th 2020, I had the opportunity to go back to my alma mater and address the school during their celebration of Martin Luther King Day as the Keynote Speaker! It was a wonderful experience to be able to able to address the school for this celebration! I hope that this message resonates with you as a viewer and serves as a reminder that no matter how small our platform we have the power to create an impact in our communities.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bignel_21/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BigNel_21

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ecotextnelsonthomas

About The Authors

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No abstract provided.

Representations Of Women: A Media Intentions And Effects Analysis Of The Popular Music Industry, Emily A. Bourne

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This thesis features a critical media effects analysis of the present United States music industry. Popular music and its associated production and promotion industry is overwhelmingly dominated by men and is correspondingly subject to the influence of dominant cultural ideologies. These ideologies include the oppression and marginalization of women and the furthering of their subordinate status within American culture. The projection of these inherently unjust principles not only reinscribes pre-established societal status quos, but also influences the general public to further internalize, develop, and reproduce them. These prompted understandings contribute to the lacking power and equality of women in society …