spotlight
Dustin Wood’s Class Hosts “One Small Step” Workshop
Nov. 12, 2024—Conflict and communication breakdowns are often connected to poor listening. Perhaps this is unsurprising. Whether due to being distracted, jumping to conclusions, or thinking about how to respond to our interlocutor, many of us can struggle to be good listeners. Effective listening may prove especially challenging when we’re interacting with those who see the world...
Dustin Wood’s Class Visits Site of MLK Address
Sep. 20, 2024—The Civil Rights Movement has been described as a religious phenomenon. Many of the Movement’s leaders were ministers, and many more people were inspired to participate in the Movement due to their religious beliefs. While religion motivated many individuals to join the struggle for civil rights, most churches were hesitant to support the Movement at...
VU Spotlights CMST Graduating Senior Haley Bishop
Apr. 16, 2024—
Dustin Wood’s Class Visits The Hermitage
Apr. 9, 2024—The People’s President or King Andrew? Andrew Jackson remains one of the most complex presidents in U.S. history. In his Jackson biography, American Lion, historian Jon Meacham writes, “[Jackson] was the most contradictory of men.” The same man who championed democracy for commoners and saved an Indian orphan from the battlefield was a slaveholder responsible...
Isaac West awarded the Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Jan. 8, 2024—Dr. Isaac West was recently awarded the Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. The Jeffrey Nordhaus Award was established in 1982 by a gift from Katherine Stumb Nordhaus and George Nordhaus in memory of their son, Jeffrey, who was a victim of an airplane crash in 1979. George Nordhaus, Jeffrey’s father, is a...
Then and Now: The tradition of debate at Vanderbilt
Dec. 7, 2023—
Claire Sisco King Discusses Celebrity and Meme Culture with Yahoo Entertainment
Nov. 10, 2023—Dr. Claire Sisco King recently discussed celebrity and meme culture in a news interview with Yahoo Entertainment. In this interview, Professor King focuses on the multitude of factors that contribute to the virality of popular ‘sad Affleck’ memes that center on paparazzi images of the Oscar-winning actor, Ben Affleck. Professor King is an Associate Professor...
Dustin Wood’s Class Visits Historic Site of MLK Speech
Sep. 28, 2023—The Civil Rights Movement is sometimes described as a religious phenomenon. Many of the Movement’s leaders were ministers, and many more individuals were inspired to participate in the Movement because of their religious beliefs. While religion motivated many church members to join the struggle for civil rights, most churches were hesitant to support the Movement...
CMST Professors Claire King and John Sloop Publish New Books
Aug. 30, 2023—The Department of Communication Studies celebrates the publication of two books written by faculty members Claire Sisco King and John Sloop. In May, Professor Sloop published Soccer’s Neoliberal Pitch: The Sport’s Power, Profit, and Discursive Politics with the University of Alabama Press. American sports agnostics might raise an eyebrow at the idea that soccer represents...
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...