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In Misinformation Studies and Higher Education in the Postdigital Era: Beyond Fake News, Paul Cook argues that the epistemological complexity of the postdigital age demands a new, metadisciplinary approach to information and media – misinformation studies. Cook posits that institutions of higher education can work toward regaining the public's trust and reinvigorating general education programs by developing a metadiscipline that directly addresses the problem of misinformation in all its various and dangerous forms. This book outlines how such a curricular pivot may be accomplished in an age saturated with generative AI, algorithmic manipulation, ubiquitous networked computing, and information overload, coupled with the myriad challenges higher education faces from seemingly all sides. Ultimately, this book makes a compelling case that universities and colleges can instead harness the fragmentation caused by this ‘perfect storm'currently facing higher education so they can not only weather the crisis, but also emerge stronger because of it.

In Brexit, Facebook, and Transnational Right-Wing Populism, Natalie-Anne Hall takes Brexit as a case study for examining the critical consequences of the diffusion of transnational right-wing populist politics on social media. Through multi-method, qualitative research with avidly engaged pro-Brexit Facebook users in the tumultuous post-referendum period, Hall explores the effects of this participation on the on- and offline experiences of these individuals and on their interpretation of events surrounding Brexit. The book examines the socio-political and technological opportunities for this engagement with right-wing populist politics and the consequences of this engagement for transnational White victimhood and what Hall coins “Right victimhood.” Hall demonstrates how the “mainstream” political issue of Brexit acted as a catalyst for engagement with more extreme forms of right-wing politics via Facebook.

In this book, Yuxia Qian and Rukhsana Ahmed explore health acculturation, which they argue is a complex, multidimensional communication process involving concerted efforts from migrants, health professionals, researchers, community members, policymakers, and the media, rather than a unidimensional process synonymous with assimilation. Qian and Ahmed examine individual migrant health acculturation experiences, community-based culturally-centered health interventions, and cross-cultural health promotion and campaigns. Ultimately, this book unpacks the complexity surrounding the health acculturation process through different theoretical frameworks and cross-cultural applications in a range of communication contexts, including the interpersonal, family, community, organizational, and media.

Interpreting and Transmitting Kynicism in Joker: The Dark Side of Film Fandom focuses on fan discourse and discussion surrounding Todd Phillips's Joker (2019), analyzing how white nationalist movie fans code racist, sexist, ableist, and otherwise marginalizing logics into seemingly innocuous speech. Kyle A. Hammonds posits that, by arguing that their communication is “just their interpretation” of a movie, rather than explicitly political speech, white nationalists can communicate bigoted, extremist rhetoric under the pretext of good-faith film criticism. Hammonds leverages hermeneutic traditions often overlooked in communication and fan studies research to argue that interpretation is the key element of fan communication processes in struggles for authority over the meaning of texts—and that fan communities have a civic duty to identify and delegitimize exclusionary interpretations of pop culture in their fandom.

This edited volume explores the democratic dangers posed by a political press that emphasizes electoral competition, strategy, entertainment, and what Jay Rosen calls “savviness”—praising candidates for being politically smart rather than being honest—in its coverage of a political landscape dominated by a looming authoritarian threat. Contributors document how the American and global political press have failed to fulfill their role in elections and demonstrate how authoritarians have used and will continue to use their power in setting policy before going on to suggest and develop solutions to these problems. These proposed solutions include the adoption of democracy-focused framing, solutions journalism, and solidarity journalism, all of which emphasize the needs and issues of democratic communities over candidates'political strategy. The book's recommendations contribute to a reorientation of journalism toward democracy and truth rather than performative detachment and forced balance. Scholars of journalism, mass media, communication, and political science will find this collection to be of particular use.

Technology, Privacy, and Sexting: Mediated Sex takes a scientific approach to sexting, using both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate why individuals sext, the technologies they utilize to send and receive sext messages both now and looking ahead to the future, and the privacy concerns they have when sharing these sexual materials. In this book, Kathryn D. Coduto discusses concerns ranging from revenge porn to computer hackers and data breaches, as well as impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on sexting and sexuality. Ultimately, this book offers a deep dive into sexting at a time of rapid change, both for technology and for the people who utilize it. Scholars of communication, media studies, sociology, and psychology will find this book of particular interest.

This collection, edited by Jim A. Kuypers, analyzes genres of public communication to examine how the pandemic has impacted specific areas of scholarship within the communication discipline. Contributors begin each chapter by acknowledging the parameters of their sub-discipline and then discussing key elements being affected by the pandemic and pandemic responses. Viewing the pandemic through the eyes of their sub-disciplines, contributors offer unique insights on the effects of the pandemic upon human communication in their specific area of focus, examining how the pandemic will continue to affect the teaching of their subject areas and providing suggestions for future research. Sub-disciplines represented in this collection include digital rhetoric, journalism & mass communication, free speech, public relations, sports communication, public address, health communication, spiritual communication, and popular culture. Scholars of communication, media studies, and education will find this book particularly useful.

Famous: How Celebrity Lives Affect Our Own explores the effects celebrities have on their impressionable audience's lives, from copycat suicides, to postfeminist hypersexuality, to taking questionable celebrity health advice, and more. Celebrity advocacy and philanthropy are analyzed as contributors discuss Brad Pitt's rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina, Angelina Jolie's recent casting controversy, and Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest. Star brand building through social media and how that translates to the Broadway stage are also examined, as well as how the privacy laws demanded by celebrities can infringe on their own audience's First Amendment rights.