News Category
Dr. John Sloop writes about the cultivation of diversity in MLS
Feb. 21, 2023—Professor John Sloop recently published an essay in The Conversation about the cultivation of diversity in Major League Soccer. Sloop traces how apartheid, racism, and the superstar Pelé all contributed, in different ways, to this development. You can read the full essay here: How apartheid, European racism and Pelé helped cultivate a culture of diversity in US soccer that endures...
Claire Sisco King discusses celebrity culture with CNN
Feb. 6, 2023—Dr. Claire Sisco King discussed celebrity culture and parasocial relationships with CNN. King focused on widely-regarded “nice” stars such as Dolly Parton and Tom Hanks. CNN reports: These “sweethearts” become symbols in American pop culture. We turn to them for inspiration, moral guidance, reliable entertainment and even solace, said Claire Sisco King, an associate professor...
Vanderbilt Debate to Host Exhibition Debate about Tik Tok Bans
Jan. 25, 2023—Vanderbilt University invites the Nashville and campus communities to an exhibition designed to introduce the craft of debate to new audiences while exploring a timely topic. The University of Mississippi will team up with Vanderbilt to host a debate exhibition at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, in Wilson Hall, Room 103. The event is...
Dr. Claire King Publishes Essay on Nashville’s Bachelorette Scene
Jan. 23, 2023—Dr. Claire King has published an essay that focuses on the ascent of Nashville’s bachelorette party scene. The essay, “‘Bach, Please’: Nashville bachelorette party culture’s investments in white Southern femininity,” was published in the journal Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. Professor King writes: In the 2010s, multiple media outlets declared Nashville an “It City.” No longer simply the...
John Sloop on the World Cup, National Identity, and Fandom
Nov. 22, 2022—John Sloop, professor of communication studies, has published a piece in The Conversation about the World Cup, national identity, and fan cultures. Professor Sloop notes that U.S.-based soccer fans are often cheering for players whose national identities are different from their own. This is a stark contrast to the ways fandom and national identity are generally performed in...
Dr. Anjali Vats to Deliver Talk on Taylor Swift, Copyright, and Black Intellectual Labor
Nov. 15, 2022—Dr. Anjali Vats will deliver a talk to the Department of Communication Studies on December 1, from 4:15-5:30, in Commons Center 235. Vats’s talk, “Owning Your Masters (Taylor’s Version): Postfeminist Tactical Copyright and the Erasure of Black Intellectual Labor,” considers Taylor Swift’s decision to rerecord her master records, beginning with the acclaimed Fearless and Red, in the larger...
Tommy Oswalt tells us how building a community at Vanderbilt paved the way for his career in New York City
Sep. 20, 2022—“I came from a very small town in Alabama, so being able to meet people from different cultures, with different life experiences and opinions, exposed me to a lot more of the world,” said Oswalt, who graduated with a double major in psychology and communication studies.”
Communication Studies Sponsors Roxane Gay Keynote at RSA
Aug. 22, 2022—The Department of Communication Studies was proud to sponsor Dr. Roxane Gay’s keynote address at the Rhetoric Society of America’s 20th Biennial Conference in Baltimore. Dr. Gay is trained as a rhetorician and is best known for her popular books, Bad Feminist, Difficult Women, and Hunger. She is also a contributing writer to the New York Times and her work has appeared...
Bohyeong Kim named Dean’s Faculty Fellow
Aug. 22, 2022—Bohyeong Kim, assistant professor of communication studies, has been named a Dean’s Faculty Fellow by the Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science. The Dean’s Faculty Fellows Program launched in 2018 to support untenured faculty in their research, scholarship, and creative expression. Faculty are selected because of their scholarly accomplishments and the promise they show to make an impact in their respective...
CMST Students Partner with VU Campus Dining to Promote Sustainability
Aug. 19, 2022—The Wild Alaska Pollock tasting event, hosted by Communication Studies students in Dr. Courtney Travers’ Persuasion class, has been featured in an article published in the Tennessean and syndicated in Yahoo News. The article was authored by Suzanne Herron, the Sustainability Coordinator for Vanderbilt Campus Dining. The story documents how Vanderbilt Campus Dining has taken strides in reducing Vanderbilt’s...