Communication Theses

Deadly Viper Character Assassins: Cyber Discourse on Asian American Marginalization and Identity

Eileen Wang — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:56:38 PST

This study examines how Asian Americans articulate their marginalization and identity, as well as other issues related to race, through the use of blogs. Specifically, I look at discourse surrounding the Deadly Viper Character Assassins publication controversy on three different blogs. I draw upon critical discourse analysis (CDA) to compile patterns, themes, and anomalies from the online discussions. This paper highlights key findings, given the scarceness of Asian American voices in public culture, that prompt ongoing discussions about identity and the use of blogs as a platform to speak and conceptualize Asian American identity.

Friend Request Accepted: A Case Study of Facebook's Expansionary Network Strategies in India

Devna Thapliyal — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:41:44 PST

Facebook’s status as the world’s largest social networking platform is well documented. However, studies focusing on Facebook are largely limited to how individuals and businesses use the platform and not on how Facebook expands globally and affects markets and competition in foreign countries. Although international communication scholars have scrutinized the international expansion of major media corporations like Time Warner, Disney and News Corp., analysis on Facebook remains scarce. This thesis seeks to fill in the gap in scholarly research by conducting a meso-level (i.e. organizational level) analysis of Facebook’s expansion into developing countries through the theoretical lens of networks. The network perspective was chosen because it has previously facilitated the most comprehensive analysis of the globalizing strategies of media corporations. This paper simultaneously serves as a test of the applicability of theories of networked globalization and the Network Society to the global expansion of ICTs, and in particular, social-networking websites.

Image Trends in Corporate Environmental Reporting: Bolstering Reputation through Transparency or Widening the “Sustainability Gap”?

Sarah E. Brooks — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:01:44 PST

As companies discover the monetary benefits of a positive environmental image, a proliferation of green imaging confounds the public sphere. The consequence becomes the disarticulation of terms like environmental excellence, sustainable development, and minimum environmental harm. Because the oversaturation of greening efforts has elicited public distrust, stakeholders need timely and accurate information regarding environmental claims. As a major vehicle for communicating these efforts, corporate environmental reports (CERs) are laden with colorful and sublime images. This study examines the functionality of images found in CERs from 27 industry leaders, applying Sonja Foss’s tenets of visual rhetorical analysis to identify the nature and function of the images and offer an evaluation based on emergent themes. Because images are increasingly important to corporate transparency, the study concludes with several best practice recommendations to serve as ethical image design strategies and to reflect the ways companies address impactful operations.

Abracadabra: Key Agents of Mediation that Define, Create, and Maintain TV Fandom

David H. Gardner — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:06:32 PST

From a media industries, fan studies, and emerging socio-cultural public relations perspective, this project pulls back the Hollywood curtain to explore two questions: 1) How do TV public relations practitioners and key tastemaker/gatekeeper media define, create, build, and maintain fandom?; and 2) How do they make meaning of fandom and their agency/role in fan creation from their position of industrial producers, cultural intermediaries, members of the audience, and as fans themselves? This project brings five influential, working public relations and media professionals into a conversation about two case studies from the 2010-2011 television season – broadcast network CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 and basic cable network AMC’s The Walking Dead. Each of these shows speaks to fandom in particular ways and are representative of the industry’s current approaches in luring specific audiences to TV. This study shows that the relationship between entertainment publicists and media is dynamic, intertwined, complex, and historically hidden.

First Impressions, Second Appraisals: Going Beyond the “Paratextual Contract” in The American Televisual Opening Title Sequence

Erik K. Clabaugh — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:06:27 PST

Much of the existing academic discourse surrounding opening title sequences suggests that they function primarily by providing viewers with information concerning a program’s characters, settings, genre and themes. Such accounts seemingly fail to recognize more nuanced concurrent functions. Utilizing the concept of paratexts originally proposed by Gerard Genette in combination with a neoformalist approach to analysis, this project identifies patterns, narrative components, stylistic elements and various industrial and authorial characteristics within the field of American televisual opening title sequences in order to explore some of these underlying concomitant functions, and classify the segments that perform them accordingly.

Product Placement Decisions On-Set

Maria Flavia T. Pulliam — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:41:15 PST

This thesis is an ethnographic study of the product placement decisions made on-set during the production of a feature film. A concise historical review of the use of products in film and television is followed by an overview of the current research literature. The literature overview reveals a need for specific additional research. The research question which directed the present study intends to add to the existing literature: product placement is part of a creative decision-making process that happens throughout production on-set with filmmakers using products to help tell their story. The method used to approach the research question is an ethnographic observation of the decision-making process on-set, supplemented by interviews with professionals in props, art and set decorating departments. The findings present the results of the study summarizing the observations and interviews supporting the research question. The last section outlines the conclusions and areas that call for further research.

Understanding Diversity: Top Executives' Perceptions of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Public Relations

Amber H. Irizarry — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:51:50 PDT

In public relations, minority public relations practitioners are feeling left behind by the profession (Ford & Appelbaum, 2005). Where do top executives stand on employment diversity within their organizations? An online survey of 20 top executives of small-sized public relations agencies explored how top executives’ perceptions of and normative beliefs about diversity practices were related to their future engagement in diversity practices at work. Based on the theory of reasoned action, this explanatory study found that executives’ perceptions of peer endorsement of diversity were associated with greater intention of organizational engagement in diversity practices. Neither perceived benefits of nor perceived concerns about diversity were related to future engagement. Recommendations for contacting this hard-to-reach audience, as well as suggestions for promoting diversity practices among top executives, were discussed.

Another Brick in the Wall: Public Space, Visual Hegemonic Resistance, and the Physical/Digital Continuum

Daniel Gilmore — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:28:32 PDT

In this thesis I will demonstrate that there is a similarity between the use of physical walls and digital walls as means of ideological dissemination by power structures as well as socio-political protesters. Also, I will show that their use in this manner not only changes the way that both function ideologically, but also changes the environment that these walls are created/exist in as well. The first case study will analyze Banksy’s employment of carnivalesque graffiti as a means of protest. The second case study will analyze the use of digital public space and “walls” created within social media as tools of protest, paralleling the earlier examples pertaining to the physical walls of public space. The third case study will look at the employment of the digital “walls” of Facebook and Twitter in conjunction with the use of public space in Cairo and its role in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

Engaging Mexican and Mexican-American Mothers in Schools: Using Culture, Acculturation, and the Situational Theory of Publics to Motivate Parental Involvement

Linda C. Perez — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:28:26 PDT

ABSTRACT

Hispanic parents face several barriers that impede their involvement in their children’s education. This lack of parental involvement negatively affects the academic outcome of students, graduation rates, and college attendance. This study uses the situational theory of publics to determine what kind of public Mexican parents are, and makes recommendations on what is the best way to engage them and motivate them to participate in schools. Seventeen Mexican mothers were interviewed about their views on education and relationships with their children’s teachers and schools. Findings revealed that the main barriers to parental involvement among Mexican parents are work, language and lack of childcare. The study discusses some strategies that schools can use to help parents overcome barriers to involvement. This research is important because for the first time it uses communications, and more specifically public relations theories, to further the research on Hispanic parental involvement.

Playing for Resistance in MMORPG: Oppositional Reading, Emergence, and Hegemony in the Lineage II "Bartz Liberation War"

Yoon Sang Cho — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:03:40 PDT

Massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) open new worlds and new societies in the virtual space. Those worlds and societies rapidly expand and become important to the real world. Therefore, to understand them, this thesis examines the meanings and impacts of resistance in the MMORPG worlds and gaming culture from the case of an unprecedented grassroots revolution in Lineage II, which is called the “Bartz Liberation War.” By using the concepts of “oppositional reading,” “emergence,” and “hegemony,” this thesis examines how playing for resistance emerges and becomes dominant and explores the impact of resistance in both the gaming and real worlds. Also, this thesis shows the cultural struggle for hegemony in the game world and gaming culture as well as in the real world culture and politics.

Representations of Haiti in Western News Media: Coverage of the January 2010 Earthquake in Haiti

Hillary L. Brown — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:54:01 PDT

On January 12, 2010, the Caribbean nation of Haiti suffered from one of the most devastating earthquake in recent history. The purpose of this study is to explore representations of Haiti in Western news media coverage of the disaster. The researcher utilized Jiwani’s (2006) theoretical framework of common sense stock knowledge to explore the relationship between the Western news media and Haiti, with an emphasis on media framing. Additionally, the method of journalistic discourse analysis was employed as a means of analyzing the 90 article sample. The researcher found that there were several frames that dominated coverage of the disaster which resulted in the marginalization of Haiti and Haitians.

Remember

Anthony C. Vines — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:04:56 PDT

REMEMBER is a film script that operates within the horror genre but touches upon the subgenre of body horror as well as the sub-subgenre of body modification/alteration. It examines psychological and sociological issues such as identity and acceptance, gender understanding and social assignment.

The story follows five young women who live outside the norms of ‘acceptable’ society. After an accident near a small, isolated, rural town called Tantalus leaves them stranded with strangers, the girls soon find that something is amiss. Having arrived during a tornado just before the towns Founder’s Day festival, they discover there is more in Tantalus than meets the eye. The town is founded on a dark past which appears to be returning in a fashion. Now with a body count rising and no way to leave, the women find themselves connected to the murders. The only question that remains is how?

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Discussing Online: The Slow Food Movement Quickens with New Media

Carolyn Bender — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:04:54 PDT

Even with its opposition to “fast” and “globalization,” the Slow Food movement has embraced new media and speed to disseminate information to a worldwide audience. The organization’s use of new and social media is the focus of this ethnographic study to examine the online discourse of the movement through the theoretical lens of international political economy of media and globalization theory. Online interviews via social media and supplemental textual analysis of Slow Food-related online discourse reveals themes concerning time, education and community and shows that participation in the dialogic discussion surrounding Slow Food online varies widely across groups and new media platforms.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? The Portrayal of Two Versions of the "Ideal" Male Romantic Partner in the Twilight Film Series

Paola A. Bedoya — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:32:21 PST

The popularity of the Twilight saga, enhanced by the film adaptations of the books, sparked a series of interesting reactions of fans. One was the creation of “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob,” in which fans aligned with one or the other character and argue about which one of them could be a better romantic partner. This study explores the messages the movies are sending to young girls around the world about what are the traits of the “ideal” male romantic partner as portrayed through the characters of Edward and Jacob. A textual analysis of the first three movie adaptations of the saga, Twilight (2008), New Moon (2009), and Eclipse (2010) was conducted. Based in social cognitive theory and using a feminist critical approach, I argue that these messages might be teaching young girls lessons about relationships that are up to certain degree dangerous, some of them perpetuating patriarchy.

No Angel: An Analysis of Media Coverage of Nadja Benaissa in the U.K., U.S. and Germany

Elizabeth A. Cantrell — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:46:26 PST

The media’s portrayal of HIV has taken a number of different forms since the disease was first discovered over three decades ago. HIV has been portrayed as an epidemic and a disease affecting homosexuals and immigrants. Its transmission has also been portrayed as a criminal offense. In August 2010, the German singer Nadja Benaissa was arrested for passing on HIV to a former partner and exposing two other men. Media constructions of this story draw upon HIV stereotypes because of her drug-using past, her immigrant status and her criminal actions. This media study points to a new discourse centered on the shared responsibility of safe sex. While Benaissa was mostly blamed for transmission, the media at times suggested that safe sex concerning HIV was not entirely dependent upon HIV-positive individuals.

Online Gaming and Teamwork

Lakshmi Jagad Ms. — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:46:19 PST

This thesis aims to find out the relationship, if any, between playing multi-player online games and developing teamwork qualities. Online multi-player games involve thousands of players who play in teams (or solo, as the preference may be) in sophisticated gaming environments. As gamers team together to complete missions within the game, teamwork concepts such as communication skills, leadership, coordination, negotiation and other similar qualities come to the fore. The research component of this thesis consists of a survey where respondents answered questions about their online gaming behavior. They also answered questions about their experience working in teams in the offline environment. A total of 202 responses were collected and analyzed. There was a significant negative association found between autocratic leadership ability and hours spent per week playing online games in teams/groups. Team communication skills and leadership communication skills were significantly related to the degree of involvement in the gaming community, but only for individuals with low leadership-work experience. A significant relationship was also seen between democratic leadership skills and the degree of involvement in the gaming community. In addition, a significant negative relationship was found between autocratic leadership ability and degree of involvement in the gaming community.

Identification is Persuasion: Eisenhower’s Call for Unity and the Founding of NATO’s Military Headquarters

Debra N. Fossum — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:46:15 PST

Historians of the founding years of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) acknowledge General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s role as the first Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), yet they ignore the effect Eisenhower’s rhetoric had in the creation of a sense of unity among Western European nations. Rhetorical analysis of Eisenhower’s time as SACEUR offers scholars a unique look into the founding years of NATO and the beginning of European unification. Using Kenneth Burke’s theory of the four master tropes, I analyze how Eisenhower’s role in the development of NATO was important to the eventual development of a unified Europe.

Disney's Portrayal of Nonhuman Animals in Animated Films Between 2000 and 2010

Oana Leventi-Perez — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:46:12 PST

This paper used the constant comparative method to examine the 12 animated features released by Disney between 2000 and 2010 for: (1) their representation of nonhuman animals (NHAs) and the portrayal of race, class, gender, and speciesism within this representation, (2) the ways they describe the relationship between humans and NHAs, and (3) whether they promote an animal rights perspective. Three major themes were identified: NHAs as stereotypes, family, and human/NHA dichotomy. Analysis of these themes revealed that Disney’s animated features promote speciesism and celebrate humanity’s superiority by justifying the subordination of NHAs to human agency. Furthermore, while Disney’s representation of NHAs remains largely anthropocentric, most of its animated features do not reflect the tenets of animal rights.

The Glitch Aesthetic

Rebecca Jackson — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:42:54 PST

The miscommunication between sender and receiver during transcoding indexes specific historical moments similarly to analog film's indexical trace. Iconography and glitch art begin to establish glitch's deictic index. The glitch aesthetic exposes societal paranoia by illustrating dependence on the digital and fear of system failure. With the advent of video sharing sites like Youtube and popular cyberfilms, the glitch aesthetic has evolved into a pop culture artifact.

"To Blaze Forever in a Blazing World": Queer Reconstruction and Cultural Memory in the Works of Alan Moore

Michael T. Besozzi — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:42:51 PST

This thesis is a queer analysis of two graphic novels by writer Alan Moore: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series (art by Kevin O’Neill, 1999-Present) and Lost Girls (art by Melinda Gebbie, 1992-3). These two works re-contextualize familiar characters such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mina Murray, and Alice to uncover both the liberating desires and the sexist, homophobic, and imperialistic anxieties underlining historically popular fiction. Focusing on three characters utilized in Moore’s work, this thesis argues that the ideological associations with those chosen characters and the reconstructions of queerness in their narratives offer contemporary subjects resistance to limiting cultural tendencies and create an alternative space that call attention to phobic societal constructs. Both Lost Girls and the League series redefine discursively constituted identities and offer the potential to re-write normative codes of sex and sexuality.