Summer update from Dept. of Communication

September 14, 2011

• Jarrod Atchison served as chair for the panel “Navigating Reasoned Argument Opportunities: New Developments from the 2009 National Debate Developmental Conference” at Alta Argumentation Conference, July 29-31, Snowbird, Utah. On that panel, he presented the paper “Pedagogical Functions of the Annual Resolution in Contemporary Policy Debate: Reflections on the Controversy Outlined in the 3rd Developmental Conference.”
• Michael J. Hyde and Nancy M. P. King edited the book Bioethics, Public Moral Argument, and Social Responsibility (Routledge, September 2011).
• Marina Krcmar published two articles: “Word Learning in Very Young Children from Infant-directed DVDs,” Journal of Communication, 61 (2011) 780-794, and “Can past experience with television help US infants learn from it?” Journal of Children and Media, 5, 4 (2011) 235-247. She was also interviewed by WFMY Channel 2 and Fox News Channel 8 respectively about children’s technology addiction and the effects of frightening and disturbing news media on children. Read more
• John Llewellyn wrote a guest column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about MLK’s famous speech when it was just a teenage dream. Read more
• Ananda Mitra explained in a WXII12 interview social media’s role in shaping narratives of the East Coast quake.
• Randall G. Rogan was the keynote speaker at the International Conference on Police Interventions in Crisis Situations; Ecole nationale de Police du Quebec, Nicolet, Quebec, Canada. He gave a keynote talk on the Dynamics of Intercultural Communication in Crisis and Hostage Negotiation. He was also an expert panelist debating the use of tactical force when engaging persons suffering from mental illness during a stand-off.
• Alessandra Beasley Von Burg is serving  as Interim Director of American Ethnic Studies for the 2011-2012 academic year.