In his first speech as President-Elect, Joe Biden vowed to usher in "a time for healing” and put a stop to a grim era of demonization. His message offers a salve for our anxious times where social inequalities and political divides could not be more stark. However, this message–also conveyed in early policies of his administration–raises the question of how his vision for healing and unity might end up sidelining the pursuit of justice and accountability.
News
Jan 8, 2021
Nov 16, 2020
In response to acts of racism and related violence in the nation, the Department of Communication is denouncing acts of racial violence, anti-Blackness, and institutional racism. In a statement, the department stands with protestors worldwide fighting white supremacy and calling for the change needed to fully recognize that Black Lives Matter, and to recognize, appreciate, value, and celebrate the contributions of Black scholars, artists, and community members. Read the complete statement online.
Nov 6, 2020
UMass Alumni virtually joined Communication students and faculty for the annual Alumni Career Event. Attendees had the opportunity to listen and talk to alums from different career stages and industries about their experiences while at UMass and to hear about their lives after graduation.
Sep 30, 2020
UMass Amherst Communication major Wafi Habib received the 2020 Elaine E. Nord Scholarship. He spent the summer as a media intern on the #GreaterAs1 campaign with Church World Service, a non-profit organization focused on refugee resettlement.
Sep 13, 2020
Ethan Zuckerman, public policy, communication and information, has written a column exploring how the focus of the news media has been centered on Donald Trump and COVID-19, to the exclusion of other critical domestic and international stories in the run-up to this fall’s election.
Aug 10, 2020
Assistant Professor Weiai (Wayne) Xu has been selected as a Civic Engagement and Service Learning (CESL) Fellow for the 2020-21 academic year.
The CESL Faculty Fellows program is designed to help faculty members implement a high impact, engaged pedagogy that involves students in community-based learning, linked to their course goals, as an integral part of the faculty learning experience.
Aug 7, 2020
New research by Communication Professor and Chair Erica Scharrer, along with current and former doctoral students, explores why sitcom fathers have continually been portrayed as inept. Scharrer studies gender and the media, and specializes in depictions of masculinity. In a new study, Scharrer and co-authors systematically looked at the ways in which portrayals of sitcom fathers have and haven’t changed.
