NCA Bookshelf

Profiles of new and notable award-winning books written by Communication scholars

 

Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies

Experiencing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Children, Peace Communication and Socialization

Yael Warshel, William Paterson University

Over the last eighty years there has been a global rise in “peace communication” practice, the use of interpersonal and mass communication interventions to mediate between peoples engaged in political conflict. In this study, Yael Warshel assesses Israeli and Palestinian versions of Sesame Street, which targeted negative inter-group attitudes and stereotypes. Merging communication, peace and conflict studies, social psychology, anthropology, political science, education, Middle Eastern and childhood studies, this book provides a template to think about how audiences receive, interpret, use and are influenced by peace communication. By picking apart the text and subtext of the kind of media these specific audiences of children consume, Warshel examines how they interpret peace communication interventions, are socialized into Palestinians, Jewish Israelis and Arab/Palestinian Israelis, the political opinions they express and the violence they reproduce. She questions whether peace communication practices have any relevant structural impact on their audiences, critiques such interventions and offers recommendations for improving future communication interventions into political conflict worldwide.

Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies

Constellating Home: Trans and Queer Asian American Rhetorics 

V. Jo Hsu, University of Texas at Austin

"Constellating Home: Trans and Queer Asian American Rhetorics" by V. Jo Hsu, from the University of Texas at Austin, is a groundbreaking exploration of the intersections between identity, rhetoric, and belonging within the context of transgender and queer Asian American experiences. Through a meticulous examination of language, discourse, and cultural narratives, Hsu illuminates the complexities of navigating multiple marginalized identities and offers insights into how individuals negotiate and construct their sense of home and belonging. Drawing on a diverse range of sources and perspectives, this book offers a rich and nuanced understanding of the ways in which rhetoric shapes and reflects the lived experiences of trans and queer Asian Americans, ultimately challenging conventional understandings of identity, community, and belonging.

Pin Up! The Subculture: Negotiating Agency, Representation & Sexuality with Vintage Style

Digital Black Feminism 

Catherine Knight Steele, University of Maryland

 

"Digital Black Feminism" by Catherine Knight Steele, from the University of Maryland, is a pioneering examination of the intersection between black feminism and digital culture. Through insightful analysis and interdisciplinary research, Steele delves into how black feminists utilize digital platforms to amplify their voices, advocate for social justice, and challenge dominant narratives. From social media activism to online storytelling, Steele explores the ways in which digital spaces have become vital sites for black feminist discourse, community-building, and resistance. This book sheds light on the innovative strategies employed by black feminists in navigating and subverting digital landscapes, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of the complexities of race, gender, and power in the digital age.

The Future of Feminism in Public Relations and Strategic Communication: A Socio-Ecological Model of Influences

The Borders of AIDS: Race, Quarantine & Resistance

Karma R. Chávez, University of Texas at Austin

"The Borders of AIDS: Race, Quarantine & Resistance" by Karma R. Chávez from the University of Texas at Austin is a groundbreaking exploration of the intersections of race, health, and activism during the AIDS crisis. Chávez delves into the ways in which marginalized communities, particularly people of color, were disproportionately affected by the epidemic and subjected to discriminatory practices such as quarantine. Through meticulous research and powerful analysis, the book uncovers the stories of resistance and resilience within these communities, highlighting the strategies employed by activists to challenge systemic injustices and advocate for equitable healthcare policies. By illuminating the complex dynamics of power, race, and activism surrounding the AIDS crisis, Chávez provides valuable insights into the ongoing struggles for health equity and social justice.

 

 

Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies

Public Relations Theory: Capabilities and Competencies 

Jae-Hwa Shin and Robert L. Heath
Wiley

This edited volume addresses the work of philosopher Jean Gebser, who explored interconnections between cultures and was particularly interested in spirituality, consciousness, and human encounters with the divine. In this edited volume, Arneson and Svigaris bring together contributors from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, including Philosophy, Art History, and Communication, who offer varying perspectives on the relevance of Gebeser’s work today. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Philosophy of Communication Division’s 2021 Top Themed Book Award. 

Pat Arneson is a Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University. 

Žilvanis Svigaris is a doctoral student in the Department of History of Philosophy and Logic at Vilnius University. 

Pin Up! The Subculture: Negotiating Agency, Representation & Sexuality with Vintage Style

Pin Up! The Subculture: Negotiating Agency, Representation & Sexuality with Vintage Style 

Kathleen M. Ryan
Peter Lang

In this edited volume, Hernández and Gutierrez-Perez pay homage to Gloria E. Anzaldúa, a scholar of Chicana cultural theory, feminist theory, and queer theory. The book’s contributors incorporate Anzaldúa’s theories, methods, and concepts into original research chapters that examine identity, Chicana and Black feminisms, experiences in academia, and more. The contributors use various methods and approaches in their respective chapters, including testimonio, performative writing, rhetorical analysis, and critical methods. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Latina/o Communication Studies Division’s 2021 Outstanding Edited Collection Award.  

Leandra H. Hernández is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Utah Valley University.

Robert Gutierrez-Perez is Assistant Professor of Culture and Communication in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Future of Feminism in Public Relations and Strategic Communication: A Socio-Ecological Model of Influences

The Future of Feminism in Public Relations and Strategic Communication: A Socio-Ecological Model of Influences

Linda Aldoory and Elizabeth Toth
Rowman & Littlefield

This edited volume addresses the work of philosopher Jean Gebser, who explored interconnections between cultures and was particularly interested in spirituality, consciousness, and human encounters with the divine. In this edited volume, Arneson and Svigaris bring together contributors from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, including Philosophy, Art History, and Communication, who offer varying perspectives on the relevance of Gebeser’s work today. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Philosophy of Communication Division’s 2021 Top Themed Book Award. 

Pat Arneson is a Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University. 

Žilvanis Svigaris is a doctoral student in the Department of History of Philosophy and Logic at Vilnius University. 

Zoetropes and the Politics of Humanhood

Zoetropes and the Politics of Humanhood 

Allison L. Rowland
The Ohio State University Press

In this edited volume, Hernández and Gutierrez-Perez pay homage to Gloria E. Anzaldúa, a scholar of Chicana cultural theory, feminist theory, and queer theory. The book’s contributors incorporate Anzaldúa’s theories, methods, and concepts into original research chapters that examine identity, Chicana and Black feminisms, experiences in academia, and more. The contributors use various methods and approaches in their respective chapters, including testimonio, performative writing, rhetorical analysis, and critical methods. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Latina/o Communication Studies Division’s 2021 Outstanding Edited Collection Award.  

Leandra H. Hernández is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Utah Valley University.

Robert Gutierrez-Perez is Assistant Professor of Culture and Communication in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Black Feelings

Black Feelings: Race and Affect in the Long Sixties 

Lisa M. Corrigan
University Press of Mississippi

This edited volume addresses the work of philosopher Jean Gebser, who explored interconnections between cultures and was particularly interested in spirituality, consciousness, and human encounters with the divine. In this edited volume, Arneson and Svigaris bring together contributors from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, including Philosophy, Art History, and Communication, who offer varying perspectives on the relevance of Gebeser’s work today. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Philosophy of Communication Division’s 2021 Top Themed Book Award. 

Pat Arneson is a Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University. 

Žilvanis Svigaris is a doctoral student in the Department of History of Philosophy and Logic at Vilnius University. 

Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the United States

Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the United States

Dannagal G. Young
Oxford University Press

In this edited volume, Hernández and Gutierrez-Perez pay homage to Gloria E. Anzaldúa, a scholar of Chicana cultural theory, feminist theory, and queer theory. The book’s contributors incorporate Anzaldúa’s theories, methods, and concepts into original research chapters that examine identity, Chicana and Black feminisms, experiences in academia, and more. The contributors use various methods and approaches in their respective chapters, including testimonio, performative writing, rhetorical analysis, and critical methods. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Latina/o Communication Studies Division’s 2021 Outstanding Edited Collection Award.  

Leandra H. Hernández is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Utah Valley University.

Robert Gutierrez-Perez is Assistant Professor of Culture and Communication in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Recovering the Voice in Our Techno-Social World: On the Phone

Recovering the Voice in Our Techno-Social World: On the Phone

Deborah Eicher-Catt
Rowman & Littlefield

In Recovering the Voice in Our Techno-Social World: On the Phone, Deborah Eicher-Catt examines voice as a key medium for human communication in what the author describes as a “de-voiced” society that increasingly relies on text- and image-based connectivity, even “on the phone.” Eicher-Catt invokes the idea of “enchantment” and argues that the immediacy of voice remains particularly important in today’s fast-paced world. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Philosophy of Communication Division’s 2021 Top Book Award. 

Deborah Eicher-Catt is Professor Emerita of Communication Arts and Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, York.

This Bridge Called Communication: Anzaldúan Approaches to Theory, Method, and Praxis

This Bridge Called Communication: Anzaldúan Approaches to Theory, Method, and Praxis

Edited by Leandra Hinojosa Hernández and Robert Gutierrez-Perez
Rowman & Littlefield

In this edited volume, Hernández and Gutierrez-Perez pay homage to Gloria E. Anzaldúa, a scholar of Chicana cultural theory, feminist theory, and queer theory. The book’s contributors incorporate Anzaldúa’s theories, methods, and concepts into original research chapters that examine identity, Chicana and Black feminisms, experiences in academia, and more. The contributors use various methods and approaches in their respective chapters, including testimonio, performative writing, rhetorical analysis, and critical methods. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Latina/o Communication Studies Division’s 2021 Outstanding Edited Collection Award.  

Leandra H. Hernández is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Utah Valley University.

Robert Gutierrez-Perez is Assistant Professor of Culture and Communication in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Preeminence of Myth and the Decline of Instrumental Reason

Preeminence of Myth and the Decline of Instrumental Reason

Edited by Pat Arneson and Žilvanis Svigaris
Nova Science Publishers

This edited volume addresses the work of philosopher Jean Gebser, who explored interconnections between cultures and was particularly interested in spirituality, consciousness, and human encounters with the divine. In this edited volume, Arneson and Svigaris bring together contributors from a number of disciplinary backgrounds, including Philosophy, Art History, and Communication, who offer varying perspectives on the relevance of Gebeser’s work today. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Philosophy of Communication Division’s 2021 Top Themed Book Award. 

Pat Arneson is a Professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University. 

Žilvanis Svigaris is a doctoral student in the Department of History of Philosophy and Logic at Vilnius University. 

Navigating Remarkable Communication Experiences of Sexual Minorities

Navigating Remarkable Communication Experiences of Sexual Minorities

Yachao Li and Jennifer Samp
Rowman & Littlefield

In this book, Li and Samp use both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine the communication experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people. They look at coming out experiences, strategies related to revealing or concealing sexual orientation, and conversations within same-sex relationships. Li and Samp propose a Theory of Coming Out Message Production that addresses how different factors affect how people disclose their sexual orientation. They also present practical guidelines for LGB people looking to conduct difficult conversations. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Interpersonal Communication Division’s 2021 Gerald R. Miller Book Award. 

Yachao Li is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and the Department of Public Health at The College of New Jersey.

Jennifer A. Samp is Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Georgia.

Relating Through Technology

Relating Through Technology

Jeffrey A. Hall
Cambridge University Press

In Relating Through Technology, Hall examines how connectivity through mobile and social media impacts our relationships and considers the role of face-to-face communication today, whether social media is harmful, and how online communication can affect offline communication. Hall explores both positive and negative influences of media on relationships and presents a balanced picture of the role of computer-mediated communication in our everyday lives. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Human Communication and Technology Division’s 2021 Top Book Award. 

Jeffrey A. Hall is a Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas.

Hope for Democracy: How Citizens Can Bring Reason Back into Politics

Hope for Democracy: How Citizens Can Bring Reason Back into Politics

John Gastil and Katherine Knobloch    
Oxford University Press

This book examines one recent attempt at democratic reform: the Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR), a process established in Oregon in which a random sample of 20 voters study a ballot measure and craft a one-page analysis that is included in the official Voters’ Pamphlet. Gastil and Knobloch interview the citizen activists who developed the CIR and participants in the inaugural process. They also consider the program’s impacts on democratic decision making and how reforms like this could revitalize modern democracy. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Group Communication Division’s 2021 Bormann Award.

John Gastil is Distinguished Professor in Communication Arts & Sciences and Political Science and Senior Scholar at the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State University. 

Katie Knobloch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and the Associate Director of the Center for Public Deliberation at Colorado State University.

Bilingual Health Communication: Working with Interpreters in Cross-Cultural Care

Bilingual Health Communication: Working with Interpreters in Cross-Cultural Care

Elaine Hsieh 
Routledge

Bilingual Health Communication: Working with Interpreters in Cross-Cultural Care examines interpreter-mediated medical encounters, focusing on bilingual health care. Based on observing more than 15 hours of interpreter-mediated medical encounters, interviewing interpreters and health care providers, and surveying providers, Hsieh presents a theoretical framework related to bilingual health care that crosses disciplinary boundaries. The book weaves together the perspectives of interpreters and the needs of providers and considers the practical implications of the research. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Health Communication Division’s 2021 Distinguished Book Award.

Elaine Hsieh is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma.

The Routledge International Handbook of Organizational Autoethnography

The Routledge International Handbook of Organizational Autoethnography

Edited by Andrew Herrmann
Routledge

This edited volume focuses on research about organizations using personal narrative and autoethnographic approaches. The book includes contributions from across the globe, including the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and the Global South, as well as from a range of industries, such as the military, health care, and academia. The book’s contributors come from a diverse range of academic disciplines, including Communication, business, and theatre and performance. Chapters address a range of issues including bullying in the workplace, research on veterans, entrepreneurship, fandom and fan identities, and the process of writing and evaluating organizational autoethnography. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Ethnography Division’s 2021 Best Book Award. 

Andrew F. Herrmann is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at East Tennessee State University.

Bitches Unleashed: Performance and Embodied Politics in Favela Funk

Bitches Unleashed: Performance and Embodied Politics in Favela Funk

Raquel Moreira
Peter Lang

In Bitches Unleashed, Moreira examines the practices of women and transfeminine people of color artists who perform Brazilian favela funk, known as funkeiras, and embodied politics, or the use of one’s body to perform acts of resistance to social structures. The book challenges past approaches to embodied politics that have focused on the perspectives and experiences of white women in the West. In so doing, Moreira also identifies the shortcomings of white feminist approaches when applied to women and people of color across the globe and how such approaches have hindered understanding of their performances. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Feminist and Gender Studies Division’s 2021 Bonnie Ritter Outstanding Feminist Book Award.  

Raquel Moreira is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Southwestern University.

The Color of Creatorship: Intellectual Property, Race, and the Making of Americans

The Color of Creatorship: Intellectual Property, Race, and the Making of Americans

Anjali Vats
Stanford University Press

The Color of Creatorship examines the history of American intellectual property law since 1790. Vats looks at how discourses about intellectual property laws have structured American ideals related to race, citizenship, and property. In particular, Vats presents a theory of critical race intellectual property and considers how national discourses centered the white male inventor as a key contributor to the nation’s moral and economic development. Vats argues that understanding the underlying racial structures of intellectual property law is crucial for anti-racist activism. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Critical and Cultural Studies Division’s 2021 Book of the Year Award. 

Anjali Vats is an Associate Professor of Law, with a secondary appointment in Communication, at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Seeking Communion as Healing Dialogue: Gabriel Marcel’s Philosophy Today

Seeking Communion as Healing Dialogue: Gabriel Marcel’s Philosophy Today

Margaret M. Mullan
Lexington Books

Seeking Communion as Healing Dialogue: Gabriel Marcel’s Philosophy for Today examines struggles related to interpersonal communication in contemporary society. Using the work of philosopher Gabriel Marcel, Mullan explores the meaning of the body, of being with others, and of being in today’s world and addresses questions related to our inability to dialogue with one another, why people may feel disconnected despite communication technology, and more. This book may be of interest to Communication scholars interested in philosophy, media studies, and related areas. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Communication Ethics Division’s 2021 Single Authored Book of the Year Award. 

Margaret M. Mullan is an Assistant Professor of Communication at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Athletic Coaching: A Communication Perspective

Athletic Coaching: A Communication Perspective

Gregory M. Cranmer
Peter Lang

A communicative approach to coaching recognizes that the skills, lessons, values, and experiences that athletes gain are determined by how coaches interact with athletes and structure their sporting environments. In Athletic Coaching: A Communication Perspective, Cranmer conceptualizes coaching as a communicative endeavor, provides a framework from which to understand coaching effectiveness, and explains four common perspectives (instructional, organizational, group, and interpersonal) used by Communication scholars to examine coaching. Athletic Coaching could be helpful for scholars seeking to understand coaching literature and the communication approach to coaching, as well as for coaches who want to reflect on their coaching practices. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Communication and Sport Division’s 2021 Outstanding Book Award.

Gregory A. Cranmer is an Associate Professor of Sport Communication at Clemson University and a fellow of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. 

Creating Understanding: How Communicating Aligns Minds

Creating Understanding: How Communicating Aligns Minds

Jessica Gasiorek and R. Kelly Aune
Peter Lang

This book draws on interdisciplinary research to address what understanding is and how people create, maintain, and manipulate states of understanding via communication. Gasiorek and Aune present a novel perspective that depicts communication as a process in which people construct, test, and refine mental modes of a joint experience based on the mental representations activated by stimuli in social interactions. They explain how this process, when successful, results in creating a state of understanding. This book offers Communication scholars and students a theoretical framework that will transform the way they see understanding, communication, and social connection.

This book is the winner of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division’s 2021 Distinguished Book Award.

Jessica Gasiorek is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicology at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa.

R. Kelly Aune is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communicology at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa.

Asian Women Leadership: A Cross-National and Cross-Sector Comparison

Asian Women Leadership: A Cross-National and Cross-Sector Comparison

Edited by Chin-Chung Chao and Louisa Ha
Routledge 

Asian Women Leadership is an edited volume that offers an in-depth examination of the practices and experiences of Asian women leaders across sectors in Asian and Western countries. Chapters within this interdisciplinary volume consider Asian women leadership in academia, in politics, in the news media, in businesses, and in non-profits. The chapters use both quantitative and qualitative approaches to consider leadership style, challenges that leaders face, management strategies, and more. This book could be useful as a reference for aspiring leaders or for classes on leadership and organizational communication.

This book is the winner of the NCA Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and Caucus’s 2021 Outstanding Book Award.

Chin-Chung Chao is Professor in the School of Communication at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Louisa Ha is Professor in the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University.

Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy

Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy

Meggie Mapes
University of Kansas Libraries

This open access textbook presents a contemporary, interdisciplinary look at public speaking that fuses rhetoric, critical/cultural studies, and performance to offer an up-to-date resource for students. The book first introduces students to public speaking and invites them to consider it as a form of advocacy. Students then tackle how to center audiences, how to develop arguments, and how to hone their delivery and presentation skills. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Basic Course Division’s 2021 Textbook of Distinction Award.

Meggie Mapes is Introductory Course Director in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas.

Transforming Conflict and Building Peace: Community Engagement Strategies for Communication Scholarship and Practice

Transforming Conflict and Building Peace: Community Engagement Strategies for Communication Scholarship and Practice

Edited by Peter M. Kellett, Stacey L. Connaughton, and George Cheney 
Peter Lang 

This inaugural volume in the Peter Lang Conflict and Peace series offers timely examples of how to apply Communication principles and theories to conflict in the United States and around the world. The book is divided into five parts that address designing and implementing engaged scholarship; offer examples of local and culturally grounded engagement; demonstrate preventative, restorative, and systemic engagement; present reflections from volunteer and citizen scholars; and address teaching and learning related to peace and conflict. The chapters provide concrete examples of engaged scholarship and on-the-ground work that has contributed to the development of Communication theories, as well as to conflict transformation and peace building.

This book is the winner of the NCA Applied Communication Division’s 2021 Distinguished Edited Book Award.

Peter M. Kellett is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. 

Stacey L. Connaughton is a Professor in the Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University.

George Cheney is a Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Uprising: How Women Used the US West to Win the Right to Vote

Uprising: How Women Used the US West to Win the Right to Vote

Tiffany Lewis
Michigan State University Press

Women in the United States first won the right to vote in Wyoming in 1869, decades before the 19th amendment granting white women the right to vote passed. In Uprising, Lewis explores how the Western states influenced the national suffrage movement and how the West was invoked when people advocated for women’s right to vote. Lewis analyzes public discourse, images, and performances of suffragists and their opponents to show that the West played a pivotal role in the successful campaign for white women’s enfranchisement that culminated in 1920.  

This book is the winner of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division’s 2021 Book of the Year Award.

Tiffany Lewis is an Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Communication in the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York.

No Future in this Country: The Prophetic Pessimism of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner

No Future in this Country: The Prophetic Pessimism of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner

Andre E. Johnson
University Press of Mississippi

In No Future in this Country, Johnson chronicles the career of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner (1834–1915), focusing on the period from 1896 to 1915. Johnson examines Turner’s rhetorical leadership in the aftermath of Reconstruction and argues that Turner adopted the persona of a pessimistic prophet because he lacked faith that American institutions and people would live up to the promises of the country’s founding documents. Johnson also examines Turner’s argument that emigration from the United States would be beneficial for African Americans and Turner’s belief that such emigration was impossible.

This book is the winner of the NCA African American Communication and Culture Division & Black Caucus’ 2021 Top Book Award.

Andre E. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Media Studies and the Scholar in Residence at the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis.

Mobile Technology and the Transformation of Public Alert and Warning

Mobile Technology and the Transformation of Public Alert and Warning

Hamilton Bean
Praeger Security International

This book examines how mobile smartphone systems are transforming the practice of public alert and warning. Bean looks at recent examples of the hazards of these systems, including false alarms and lack of use during emergencies. Bean interviews public officials, corporate executives, experts, and citizens about the systems and provides an in-depth analysis of how the public alert system currently functions and how it could be improved. Bean also offers three cases that demonstrate the relevance of research about public alert systems. 

This book is the winner of the NCA Applied Communication Division’s 2021 Sue DeWine Distinguished Scholarly Book Award.

Hamilton Bean is Associate Professor, Director of the International Studies Program, and Director of Strategic Communication at the University of Colorado Denver.

The Right to Parody:  Comparative Analysis of Copyright and Free Speech

The Right to Parody:  Comparative Analysis of Copyright and Free Speech

Amy Lai
Cambridge University Press

In The Right to Parody: Comparative Analysis of Copyright and Free Speech, Amy Lai presents a legal definition of parody that balances the interests of copyright holders with the public’s right to free expression. Lai’s work combines philosophical inquiry with legal analysis and draws upon examples from five different legal jurisdictions (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Hong Kong). Lai examines the philosophy of natural rights, analyzes copyright laws, uses illustrative and contemporary examples, and suggests ways for each country to move toward broader protections for parody.

This book is the winner of NCA’s 2021 Franklyn S. Haiman Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Freedom of Expression.

Amy Lai is a legal scholar and writer based at Freie Universität in Berlin.

Intellectual Populism: Democracy, Inquiry, and the People

Intellectual Populism: Democracy, Inquiry, and the People

Paul Stob
Michigan State University Press

Intellectual Populism: Democracy, Inquiry, and the People responds to denunciations of populism as undemocratic and anti-intellectual by arguing that populism has contributed to a distinct and democratic intellectual tradition in which ordinary people assume leading roles in the pursuit of knowledge. Stob’s analysis focuses on the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era when populism emerged in the United States. Stob’s five case studies examine how leaders used populist rhetoric to rally ordinary Americans and channel their energies toward productive, democratic, and intellectual ends. 

This book is a winner of NCA’s 2021 James A. Winans-Herbert A. Wichelns Memorial Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Rhetoric and Public Address.

Paul Stob is a Professor of Communication Studies at Vanderbilt University.

Deportable and Disposable: Public Rhetoric and the Making of the “Illegal” Immigrant

Deportable and Disposable: Public Rhetoric and the Making of the “Illegal” Immigrant

Lisa A. Flores
Pennsylvania State University Press

In Deportable and Disposable: Public Rhetoric and the Making of the “Illegal” Immigrant, Flores examines four stereotypes that frame Mexican immigrants as criminal, deportable, and disposable. Flores considers how these tropes have functioned historically since the 1920s, and examines moments of rhetorical crisis around Mexican immigration in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Flores also considers how these characterizations persist today. Flores’ examination of the language used to stereotype Mexican immigrants offers insight into racialized language and rhetorical racialization.

This book is the winner of two of NCA’s national 2021 awards—the Diamond Anniversary Book Award and the James A. Winans-Herbert A. Wichelns Memorial Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Rhetoric and Public Address.

This book is also the winner of three of NCA’s 2021 division awards: the Critical and Cultural Studies Division’s Book of the Year Award, Latina/o Communication Studies Division’s Book of the Year Award, and the Public Address Division’s Marie Hochmuth Nichols Award for Outstanding Published Scholarship in Public Address.

Lisa A. Flores is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Colorado Boulder and Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the College of Media, Communication and Information.

#HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice

#HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice 

Sarah J. Jackson, Moya Bailey, and Brooke Foucault Welles
MIT Press

#HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice provides insight into how contemporary social movements use Twitter. The book examines popular hashtags, such as #MeToo, #SayHerName, and #GirlsLikeUs. The analysis uses hashtags as data and considers how historically marginalized groups have used Twitter as a platform for activism. This book could be useful in courses related to technological communication, journalism, social media, performance studies, interpersonal communication, and more.   

This book is a winner of NCA’s 2021 Diamond Anniversary Book Award.

Sarah J. Jackson is a Presidential Associate Professor in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and Co-Director of the Media, Inequality & Change Center, a collaboration between Annenberg and Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information.

Moya Bailey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University.

Brooke Foucault Welles is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University.