Professor and chair of cultural studies and comparative literature and professor of communication studies Laurie Ouellette places the show COPS within a historical and cultural context of reality media that participates in racialized police violence.
Presley will study alongside American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist Noam Chomsky this summer.
Reproduction and rhetoric: new faculty member Emily Winderman’s background with the words that shape how we think about reproductive health care shines light on an important issue in communication studies.
A liberal arts perspective on business: senior Jorge Espinoza gained critical thinking skills through his communication courses in CLA and took advantage of the guided internship course ID 3201 to put his critical career search strategies into practice.
Transfer student and senior Christian Trunley combined his love of food and people in a hands-on internship with Open Arms of Minnesota, helping prepare nutritious meals for people with life-threatening illnesses in the Twin Cities.
Laurie Ouellette has spent her career viewing popular culture through an academic lens. “Things that appear trivial at first glance, like a reality TV show, might actually be circulating certain norms or prejudices or values,” she says. “If we can think critically about the cultural and media environment that we’re immersed in, that’s an important step toward being engaged citizens.”
Recent graduate Gemma Kumaraea (BA ‘17) appreciates the versatility of her degree. From her coursework and internships, she built a path to her current position in fundraising and membership for a Twin Cities nonprofit.
