Minorities and Communication Division
2021 Abstracts
Extended Abstract • Student • Faculty Research Competition • Annalise Baines; Hyunjin Seo, University of Kansas; Muhammad Ittefaq, University of Kansas; Ursula Kamanga; Fatemeh Shayesteh, University of Kansas; Yuchen Liu • The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated existing challenges for racial/ethnic minority immigrants in the United States in obtaining health information and seeking health care. Based on in-depth interviews with 52 racial/ethnic minority immigrants in the U.S. Midwest, this study analyzes how they navigated online information related to COVID-19, how their race/ethnicity played a role in online health information seeking during the pandemic, and their perspectives on getting vaccinated against the virus.
Extended Abstract • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Shaniece Bickham, Nicholls State University; Rockia Harris, LSU; Jinx Broussard, Manship School, LSU • This study conducts a qualitative textual analysis of the discourse surrounding former U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris as they achieved major political milestones. Articles from two respected Black and two premiere mainstream newspapers are analyzed, and intersectionality is employed to ascertain the extent to which racial and gender stereotypes were prevalent. Preliminary findings show Clinton received more coverage than Harris, but Harris’s coverage included more race and gender mentions.
Extended Abstract • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Robin Blom, Ball State University; Gabriel B, Tait, Ball State University; Curtis Matthews, Ball State University; Elena Lazoff • Diversity is an intricate subject in educational settings and an important aspect of ACEJMC accreditation. That body has recently announced changes in the wording of the Diversity and Inclusiveness standard after ongoing complaints that the old standard did not facilitate the changes needed. This study focused on the vocabulary of ACEJMC site-visit reports to explore what concepts are (not) discussed in affirming diversity. For instance, terms as belonging and antiracism are absent from the reports.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Grace Choi, Columbia College Chicago • #Foxeye is a beauty trend that has been under scrutiny on social media, especially on TikTok. Initially created to elongate the look of a person’s eyes, it has been criticized as a racist representation of Asians, mainly because of the signature pose where beauty creators pull back the corners of their eyes to showcase the look. In order to understand how #foxeye has been interpreted by various TikTok video creators, a comparative content analysis of 507 TikTok videos was conducted. Applying framing theory, this exploratory study identified video information, video creators’ identities, video production components and messages. Results indicated that although there were more beauty videos than Asian activism videos, Asian activism videos had more social media engagements that created conversations about racism. Moreover, beauty video creators were mostly White while Asian activism video creators were East Asian. The results highlight the dominant discourse in the beauty industry and complex understanding of self-identity through deconstructing this beauty trend.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • George Daniels, The University of Alabama; Lillie Fears, Arkansas State University • Using archival materials available to capture research efforts in the early years of the Minorities and Communication Division, this study takes a historical approach in cataloging the scholarship on journalism and mass communication issues for those in racial minority groups presented between 1972 and 2020. Of 661 papers analyzed for this study, 358 or 54% were authored by a female or had research teams with a woman as first author.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Danielle Deavours, University of Montevallo; Will Heath; Ryan Broussard • Modern American journalism practices rely heavily on the use of expert sources. Traditionally, white, male officials are the primary sources journalists use in traditional media (Humprecht & Esser, 2017). This silences underrepresented voices, leading to symbolic annihilation of minority communities in media coverage. Journalists often cite their inability to reach communities outside of their own perspective as a primary reason for this symbolic annihilation, but what happens when reporters’ networks of power are widened through digital connections? Previous research has explored the role of social media as a tool for newsgathering (Agbo & Okechukwu, 2016), and some studies suggest social media can provide the opportunity for journalists to reach previously inaccessible communities (Van Leuven et al., 2015). Yet, the network theory of power (Castells, 2011) suggests some nodes of these digital networks can create elite sources like officials or influencers that may uphold traditional sourcing practices and hegemonic power structures (Van Leuven & Deprez, 2017). Utilizing qualitative interviews with professional journalists in traditional media outlets, this study seeks to understand whether tapping into broader networks of power through social media helps journalists combat symbolic annihilation of sources or whether hegemonic structures continue despite widened access to multiperspectival resources.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Jerry Crawford; Joseph Erba, University of Kansas; Amalia Monroe-Gulick, University of Kansas; Pamela Peters, University of Kansas • The financial pressures experienced by many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have worsen during the pandemic. The use of open access resources as a substitute to subscription models may assist HBCUs navigate dire budget forecasts. This study investigates access to research resources at HBCUs with a journalism and mass communications program, as well as perceptions of open access among librarians and instructors. Results reveal access disparities among HBCUs and favorable perceptions towards open access.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Summer Harlow, University of Houston • Based on interviews with 28 journalists following George Floyd’s murder, this study uses #BlackoutTuesday and posts of black squares on social media in support of Black Lives Matter to explore to what extent journalists are redrawing the boundary between journalism and activism when it comes to taking stances for racial justice. Findings reveal journalists of color and young journalists are change agents, pushing traditional journalistic doxa like objectivity from an orthodox to a heterodox status.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Magda Konieczna; Ellen Santa Maria, Temple University • Journalistic objectivity has long been in flux. This paper examines what we term “journalistic edge cases”: situations in which journalists aim to subvert norms, and managers push back, reprimanding the journalists and removing them from coverage or firing them. We find journalists arguing that objectivity works differently when reporting on minority groups; managers counter that objectivity is universal. This examination offers insight into how journalism is evolving, in particular in this moment of racial reckoning.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Yeunjae Lee, University of Miami; Weiting Tao; Jo-Yun Li • Grounded in the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) and social identity model of collective action (SIMCA), this study aims to examine the motivations of minority publics—Asian Americans—in the U.S. engaging in activism against racism and xenophobia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of an online survey with Asian Americans in the U.S. suggested that the Asian American publics’ identity enhanced their perceived injustice, efficacy, and situational motivation to counter racism and xenophobia, which in turn facilitated their online activism on social media. Online activism, then, drove their offline activism. Theoretical and practical implications on collective actions from the minority public are discussed.
Extended Abstract • Student • Faculty Research Competition • Victoria Orrego Dunleavy, University of Miami; Ekaterina Malova, University of Miiami; Diane Millette, University of Miiami • In this study, we examined supportive memorable messages received by Black and Hispanic first-generation students from family members and mentors and explored how issues of demographic similarity affect protégé’s perceptions of mentor support and mentor satisfaction. First, results indicate that students may benefit from activating both mentoring and family connections to succeed in college. Second, students find the same-gender mentoring relationships more satisfying. Thus, students, mentors, and families should be educated on the benefits of supportive communication.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Teresa Mastin, Michigan State University; Alina Freeman, Michigan State University; Susan Reilly • “This paper explores advertising trade publications’ coverage of the 600 & Rising social movement, which was launched to dismantle systemic racism in the advertising industry. The visibility of the Black Lives Matters movement and the murder of George Floyd served as catalysts for two Black advertising professionals to lead an effort to address how the advertising industry perpetuates systemic racism through its portrayals of African Americans and Blacks.
Research Paper • Student • Faculty Research Competition • Christina Myers; Linwan Wu, University of South Carolina • “This study investigates expressions of the African American experience by examining song lyrics published by Black musicians during two critical time periods in civil rights – 1960-1969 and 2010-2020. To determine the predominate narratives that arise from their songs (N=3,302), LDA-based topic modeling as well as a comparative analysis was employed. Findings indicated the presence of seven topic categories – ‘Love/Relationships,’ ‘God/Religion/Spirituality,’ ‘Social/Activities,’ ‘Wealth/Status,’ ‘Sex/Sexual Desire,’ ‘Social/Political Issues’ and ‘Alcohol/Drugs/Substance Use.’
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Jessica Retis, University of Arizona; Amara Aguilar; Laura Castaneda, USC • Preliminary findings of a larger project examine the experiences of Latinas in journalism. Drawing on Latino/a Critical Communication theory, the new Latina Critical Journalism Studies approach places Latina journalists at the center of the analysis and focuses on intersectionality (gender, race, class, age, language, migration status); diversity, equity and inclusion; news media practices; and structural challenges. A recent survey shows Latina journalists face distinct challenges in the workplace ranging from sexism to racism.
Extended Abstract • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Nathian Shae Rodriguez, San Diego State University • This study evidences how the pop culture pedagogical practice of using Selena as a cultural anchor for a media and communication course can be employed as practice that reflects on, and incorporates, methods that critique and respond to hierarchies of power and identity. Students critically analyzed Latinx mediated representations though pop culture media and highlighted connections with politics and cultural identity, particularly in border regions. Students were empowered to combat racism, homophobia, and other oppressions.
Research Paper • Faculty • Faculty Research Competition • Yong VOLZ, University of Missouri; Indah Setiawati, University of Missouri • This study explores how Asian American journalists define and negotiate their collective identities both in panethnic and professional terms. Focusing on the case of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), our analysis finds that, instead of problematizing the blanketing panethnic identity, AAJA members tactically and collectively present themselves as a more homogenous racial group in order to maximize their presence and amplify their voices in both newsrooms and the public sphere. They also publicly vocalize their solidarity with other minority groups, especially with their African American colleagues during the “Black Lives Matter” movement, as a way to insert themselves into the broader social justice project. In addition, they capitalize on their ethnic identity to enhance their journalistic authority when covering identity issues. Our findings add to the thin literature on Asian American journalists as they try to position themselves in the social and professional arenas. This study also highlights the impact of the highly racialized moments of 2020, which was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matters, on the Asian American journalists.
Extended Abstract • Student • Faculty Research Competition • Farrah Youn-Heil, University of Georgia; Yan Jin, University of Georgia • This study proposes a new conceptual model for understanding interracial communication apprehension (IRCA), delineating how people of color use various communication practices (Orbe, 1998) and coping strategies (Lazarus, 1991) to cope with communication apprehension (McCroskey, 1970) triggered by or associated with racial representation in television-entertainment media and public discourse on race-related topics. In-depth interviews are conducted to provide initial examination of the new IRCA model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Extended Abstract • Student • Student Paper • Tania Ganguli, University of Minnesota • Stories about deportation, like all pieces of journalism, include background information – that which isn’t explicitly tied to sourcing – which helps identify and reify common knowledge. This study examines that unattributed text to understand how those words construct the reality of deportation of Latinx migrants. By analyzing text from 2014 and 2018 at three newspapers on the U.S./Mexico border, this study illuminates how the construction of Latinx migrants changed as the American political climate shifted.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Farah Harb, Wayne State University • The Arab ethnicity encompasses many countries — from North African nations like Egypt and Tunisia, to Gulf countries like Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, to Mid-East countries like Lebanon and Syria. Although the general language in these countries is Arabic, natives to each country speak different dialects and follow different traditions. For example, although Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (both Gulf countries in the Mid-East) are neighboring countries, their dialects and traditional attire are so different that one can tell them apart just by the way they speak or dress. The same goes for other Arabic-speaking countries. Due to historic influences, some of these Arab countries speak French as their second language (e.g., Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), whereas the rest speak English. There are significant differences in the Arabic spoken by a Moroccan person, compared to Arabic spoken by a Lebanese person. While there are similarities between Arabs who come from these different countries, major differences include variations in cultural dialects, religions, traditions, dress codes, liberalism, and so on. Although Arabs come from different backgrounds, Hollywood has long portrayed them as different shades of barbaric (Shaheen, 2003). The term “barbaric” here refers to attributes that have been falsely associated with the Arab image and constantly perpetuated through TV shows, movies, books, paintings, and other forms of art and media.
Extended Abstract • Student • Student Paper • Jaquela Chalise Macklin, The University of Alabama • Many scholars have done research on mental health care, but there are few studies on mental health care in the Black community, particularly how the mass media impacts the stability of Black people’s mental health. This paper focuses on using cultivation theory and conducting qualitative research by way of interviews with the intent to gain first-hand accounts from Black people about the state of their mental health and how mass media possibly impacts it.
Extended Abstract • Student • Student Paper • Ajia Meux, University of Oklahoma; Britney Gilmore, Texas Christian University • This study seeks to explore the relationship between locus of control, online and offline activism and sharing and forwarding behavior of videos of unarmed Black people being murdered by the police. This research is important because it attempts to define the particular sharing and forwarding behavior at the granular level of online activism based on the idea of control for a population who is often marginalized and underrepresented in more formal areas of political power.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Erin Perry, Wayne State University • This visual rhetorical analysis of a viral image from a 2019 interview between CBS journalist Gayle King and singer R. Kelly uses co-cultural theory to make three arguments. First, presumptions are widely held about Black women’s demeanor in the workplace. Second, Black women are members of a co-cultural group that uses various communicative strategies to constantly resist the Angry Black Woman stereotype. Third, Black women and their allies appropriate stereotypes into opportunities for their praise.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin, Northwestern University • In line with the theory of information poverty, one could argue that women of color may face high barriers to news information seeking. However, social and political trends point to the ways women of color are highly informed. Motivated by this tension, this study engaged focus group interviews to examine women of color’s news information seeking habits. Findings suggest holding a woman of color identity does not deter, but motivates news information seeking processes.
Extended Abstract • Student • Student Paper • Madhavi Reddi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • This paper introduces the concept of shared identity endorsement narratives in political campaigns of minority candidates to provide a framework for researchers to examine celebrity endorsements along the lines of shared racial/ethnic/cultural identity. Using examples of endorsements of Kamala Harris by North American celebrities of Indian descent, I outline four elements of shared identity endorsement narratives in political campaigns – 1) entertainment value, 2) engagement with identity politics, 3) timelessness, 4) solidarity and validation.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Robert Richardson, University of Texas at Austin • A growing number of Black female newscasters are embracing natural hair on television, breaking a long-established requirement for anchors and reporters of all races to have straight hair. This study asks questions about industry pressures to conform to White normative standards and individual issues of identity and expression. Interviews with 25 Black women who work as on-air talent reveal newsrooms are becoming more accepting of natural styles but there is still progress to be made.
Research Paper • Faculty • Student Paper • Tanya Gardner; Wei Sun, Howard University; Carolyn Stroman • “On May 25, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic crisis, an innocent Black man, George Floyd, died as a result of police brutality. This event sparked nationwide protests against racial inequality, led by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. While the number of COVID-19 cases continued to increase in many states, and as businesses began to re-open, there were fears that the BLM movement protests contributed to the resurgence of COVID-19 spread (Meyer, June 1, 2020). In a time of political and racial division, people expressed their support for, or opposition to, the claim that there was a connection between the protests and the rising number of cases.
This study aims to investigate how social media users make sense of the relationship between COVID-19 and BLM, and how health disparities of COVID-19 and race have been discussed in Twitter posts. The findings of the research will increase our understanding of how social media impacts knowledge regarding public health crises.”
Extended Abstract • Student • Student Paper • Xue Gong, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Shanshan Jiang; Fangjing Tu, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese and the broader Asian communities have become the target of resurgent racism both online and offline. Combining Twitter data, governmental data and COVID case data, this study uses both interrupted time series analysis and traditional time series analysis to investigate how anti-Asian sentiments in social media are systematically enhanced by a series of socioeconomic factors and discursive opportunities provided by demagogue attacks on the Asian communities. The results shed implications on building racial justice during a pandemic like COVID-19.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Kris Vera-Phillips, Arizona State University • This research paper explores the erasure of Filipino nurses from American medical television shows in order to highlight biases in media that lead to a scripted reality that ignores an essential community of workers who are responsible for the daily care of patients. This paper examines the relationship between Filipinos and American power structures. It will also investigate the issue of erasure in television shows through the lens of postcolonial and critical race theories.
Research Paper • Student • Student Paper • Jiehua Zhang • Ethnic media play important roles in constructing or reconstructing ethnic identity, facilitating the acculturation process, and encouraging political participation among ethnic groups. The current study looked at the moderation effects of ethnic news use in the relationships between political ideology and presidential evaluations among Chinese Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic when the virus was called “Chinese virus” by some news media and the former president. Relying on a survey of Chinese Americans conducted between October and December 2020, the study showed that while conservative Chinese Americans were more likely than liberals to approve of the former president Trump, the effects of political ideology on the presidential evaluations were diminishing for people who used ethnic media more frequently to get news.
<2021 Abstracts
Print friendly
