Articles published in the NCA journals

Added Sept. 2026

Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies

Dunn, Tasha R. 2025. “Trump, the (Absent) ‘Father of IVF’: Interrogating Political Rhetoric, Capitalist Barriers, and Reproductive Realities in the 2024 US Presidential Election.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 437–47. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539972. 

• Abstract: This article examines Trump’s 2024 campaign rhetoric on in-vitro fertilization (IVF), arguing that his repeated promises of expanded access operate as a uniquely effective and affective tool of authoritarianism. Using Berlant’s cruel optimism, I show how these promises invite investment in the illusion of affordable IVF while obscuring political, regulatory, economic, and infrastructural barriers that make this treatment unattainable for many. Through policy analysis and personal experience, I illustrate how Trump’s rhetoric disguises patriarchal control as care and manipulates reproductive desire into political dependence. These dynamics deepen reproductive inequalities, forcing patients (including me) to seek fertility care beyond US borders. 

Einertson, Kristen M. 2025. “The ‘Keys’ to Unlocking Eastern European (Neo)Nazism: The Search for Narrative Refuge.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 199–219. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2503814. 

• Abstract: Russia’s campaign against Ukraine has illuminated the rise of neo-Nazism across Eastern Europe, highlighting the need to understand the history and memory of Jewish refuge within post-Soviet societies. In order to examine how public memory within the region has reckoned with this complicated history, this essay analyzes a Latvian TV documentary project, Atslēgas, and looks at how three episodes engage with a dual meaning of refuge: (a) the literal-material search for refuge by displaced peoples and (b) the narrative-memorial search for “narrative refuge” from dominant discourses by displaced countermemories, experiences, and traumas, exemplified in the Eastern European displacement of Jews. 

Ghazal Aswad, Noor, and Laura Partain. 2025. “Gift or Gilded Cage? Performing Gratitude and the ‘Respectability Politics of Refuge.’” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 180–98. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2505630. 

• Abstract: This paper theorizes the “Respectability Politics of Refuge” in the landscape of U.S. discourse and policy on refugee resettlement. We examine how the nation-state frames refuge as a conditional “gift” demanding repayment. The very bodies of forcibly displaced people become fungible through performances of deference to power. Drawing on in-depth interviews, we delineate two mechanisms of this politics: Accommodation and Refusal. Accommodation captures the adaptive responses of refugees who enact depoliticized gratitude, supporting the nation-state’s self-image and geopolitics. Refusal resistance that challenges ascribed roles and unsettles gratitude expectations through mutual aid, communal solidarities, or acts of insubordination that redefine the political. By conceptualizing both strategies along a continuum, we underscore seeking refuge as a fraught balancing act that oscillates between the exigencies of survival and the urge to act of one’s own will.

Levina, Marina. 2025. “Doing Critical Cultural Studies in the Age of Totalitarian Thought.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2469935. 

• Abstract: This paper theorizes the “Respectability Politics of Refuge” in the landscape of U.S. discourse and policy on refugee resettlement. We examine how the nation-state frames refuge as a conditional “gift” demanding repayment. The very bodies of forcibly displaced people become fungible through performances of deference to power. Drawing on in-depth interviews, we delineate two mechanisms of this politics: Accommodation and Refusal. Accommodation captures the adaptive responses of refugees who enact depoliticized gratitude, supporting the nation-state’s self-image and geopolitics. Refusal resistance that challenges ascribed roles and unsettles gratitude expectations through mutual aid, communal solidarities, or acts of insubordination that redefine the political. By conceptualizing both strategies along a continuum, we underscore seeking refuge as a fraught balancing act that oscillates between the exigencies of survival and the urge to act of one’s own will.

Levina, Marina. 2025. “Toward Critical Refugee Studies.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 137–43. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2504029. 

• Article excerpt: As CC/CS enters its second decade, it is essential to theorize refuge – together with displacement, home, and sanctuary – to further intersectional and interdisciplinary critical cultural inquiry into power, identity, and bodies. This special issue of Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies does exactly that. The essays in this issue engage with different theorizations and modalities of refuge while still centering the refugee experience. Theorizing refuge from a diversity of critical perspectives, the authors actively engage with dialectical tensions between refuge and home, displacement and belonging, sanctuary and violence. The authors theorize refuge not as a purely academic exercise but as an affective lived experience. Deploying diverse methodologies and theorizations – autoethnography, media analysis, ethnography, and critical rhetorical analysis – the authors engage with the ontological and epistemological narratives of refuge and home in a world where each of those is increasingly hard to find. Together, the special issue makes a case for the importance of critical refugee studies to critical/cultural studies in the specific and the communication discipline in general. As the editor of this special issue, I deeply hope that this is only the beginning and that critical refugee studies will attract more attention from scholars. As the journal editor I commit to help develop this work beyond the special issue. In the rest of the editorial, I will explore the refugee experience and provide a theoretical path forward for critical refugee studies as I see them.

Marks, Rachel, and Mel Stanfill. 2025. “The Plausible Deniability Playbook: How White Victimhood Narratives Evade Moderation.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (4): 497–514. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2563831. 

• Abstract: In this paper, we examine how victimhood discourses are used to circulate white nationalism and how this interfaces with social media moderation. In particular, we investigate how white nationalist content circulates beyond dedicated campaigns, organizations, movements, or self-identified far-right groups. Through discourse and computational text analysis, we find that high-engagement white nationalist tweets use language with plausible deniability – which is not overtly racist and emphasizes white victimhood. We argue that laundering through victimhood discourse succeeds in veiling the white nationalist sentiment from both content moderation and users who would not think of themselves as racist, producing successful circulation. 

Martinez, Dusty, and Lisa A. Flores. 2026. “Affective Routes and the Politics of Possibility.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 23 (1): 128–39. doi:10.1080/14791420.2026.2621693. 

• Abstract: In 2025, Black faith leaders mobilized Black and allied communities to commit to a a 40-day Lenten fast of Target stores. Premised in histories and legacies of Black resistance, the Target Fast located the urgency of the movement as it called for a redirection of shopping patterns away from corporate greed and toward Black economic agency. In this essay, we consider the larger discourse around the Fast as we think across two scholarly conversations: mobilization and mobility studies. We advance affective routes as a frame that accounts for mobility amid mobilization. Affective routes in the Target Fast, we suggest, enable movement toward possibility. 

Mejía, Oscar Alfonso, and Kent A. Ono. 2025. “Migrant Rhetoric as RefugeNess.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 144–64. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2503813. 

• Abstract: This article critiques rigid distinctions between “migrant” and “refugee,” demonstrating how these categories, shaped by State and institutional interests, obscure the lived realities of those making refuge, whose migration resists classification. We introduce refugeness as a discursive and material practice that challenges these binaries, demonstrating how migrants construct refuge through discourse, activism, and community. Analyzing Jeanette Vizguerra’s testimonio, we highlight how migration policies reinforce exclusion while migrants create spaces of belonging beyond legal and State recognition. By reframing migration as an ongoing negotiation of survival, home, and autonomy, refugeness highlights the active rhetorical process of homemaking. 

Mincheva, Dilyana, and Niloofar Hooman. 2026. “Against the Aesthetics of Cruelty: #MahsaAmini, Vulnerability, and Feminist Resistance in Iran.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, May, 1–17. doi:10.1080/14791420.2026.2665250. 

• Abstract: This article examines the #MahsaAmini protests through the lens of political aesthetics, vulnerability, and feminist resistance. Drawing on feminist theory, affect studies, and Middle Eastern scholarship, it analyzes how Iranian women’s embodied acts of defiance confront the state’s aesthetics of cruelty. Focusing on Instagram as a key semiotic battleground, the article shows how women’s bodies became sites of political poesis. Using semiotic and digital ethnographic methods, it traces visual and affective motifs in protest media. Situating Iranian feminism within transnational frameworks while preserving its specificity, the article highlights vulnerability and collective action as transformative forces against authoritarian power.

Pyatovskaya, Evgeniya, and Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager. 2025. “To Russia with(out) Love: Ukrainian War Refugees Migrating to the Land of the Aggressor.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 220–40. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2503822. 

• Abstract: Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine has caused the largest refugee crisis of the twenty-first century, with many Ukrainians fleeing to Russia, the very country waging war against them. Drawing on critical cultural and post-colonial theories, we contrast Russia’s portrayal of wartime forced migration with the personal accounts of Ukrainian refugees. We demonstrate how Russia’s ideological opposition to the West, rooted in the Soviet Union era, its exploitation of the shared history and cultural ties with Ukraine, and its manipulation of refugee and temporary asylum statuses impact current refugee flows and the lived experiences of Ukrainians seeking refuge in Russia.

Rand, Erin J. 2025. “Affective Weapons: Targeting Trans Youth through Paternalistic Rhetorics of Care.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 425–36. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539078. 

• Article excerpt: In this essay, I turn to the decade leading up to the 2024 presidential election to briefly sketch some of the ways that conservative discourse strategically and intentionally deployed rhetorics of paternalistic care to construct trans youth as what I call “affective weapons.” As affective weapons, trans youth serve as a symbolic flashpoint for conservative grievances that can be deployed aggressively and violently for the benefit of others. When trans youth are utilized as affective weapons in conservative hands, especially in the context of banning gender-affirming care, paternalistic rhetorics of care provide rhetorical cover for insidious attempts to limit freedom of expression, bodily autonomy, and civil rights, and to erode public confidence in medical research and expertise. Thus, this rhetorical maneuver not only dehumanizes trans youth but also polarizes public sentiment and crumbles democratic deliberation. 

Rauchberg, Jess. 2026. “Platform Authoritarianism in the Creator Economy.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 23 (1): 118–27. doi:10.1080/14791420.2026.2621700. 

• Article excerpt: This forum essay introduces platform authoritarianism as the digital mediation and mobilization of authoritarian ideals in creative labor. Though content creation, livestreaming, influencing, and other forms of digitally mediated work are couched within rhetorics of mobility and self-optimization, the essay’s theoretical analysis pushes back against their enmeshment with authoritarian politics. With attention to disability and class, the essay draws from critical/cultural studies and creator studies to interrogate two fictions advanced by platform authoritarianism: exploitation and suppression. The essay ultimately contends that platform authoritarianism reproduces and accelerates longstanding eugenicist ideas about who belongs in public, working life.

Silva, Kumarini. 2025. “Techno-Pastorality in the New ‘Golden Age.’” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 415–24. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539086. 

• Article excerpt: In this commentary, I turn to a specific moment in the response to the hurricane that devastated western North Carolina (among other southern states) in September 2024 by then-candidate Trump and his wealthiest donor, Elon Musk, as an exemplar of the socio-capitalist maneuvers that led to Trump’s election. While Kristin Kobes Du Mez writes that Trump’s 2016 election was “the culmination of evangelicals’ embrace of militant masculinity, an ideology that enshrines patriarchal authority and condones the callous display of power, at home and abroad,”3 that these characteristics were expanded to include technology as the symbolic and material expression of both capitalism and patriarchal care eight years later is both unsurprising and inevitable. This form of techno-pastorality – a system that harnesses evangelical Christianity that centers the patriarch and sutures pastoral care to the imagined efficiency of technology – is necessary to produce preconstitutional futures that reinstate privately wealthy, white masculinity as the rightful heir to power. In the case of hurricane relief for North Carolina, this was especially elucidated in the tug-o-war between the efforts of the federal government to provide aid to the affected areas and the Republican presidential platform to utilize this moment to literally and figuratively purchase voters through the Musk-owned telecommunications system, Starlink. 

Smith, Hannah, and Casey Ryan Kelly. 2025. “White Nationalist Fairytales: The Little Mermaid and Neo-Segregation in the Breitbart Town Square.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 297–314. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2475758. 

• Abstract: This essay analyzes the white nationalist backlash to the casting of Black actress Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. We argue that far-right antagonisms over racial diversity in popular culture normalize white nationalist logics and anti-Black sense-making. Examining comment threads about Bailey on Breitbart News, we show how white nationalists treat cultural folklore as racial property; thus, trite complaints about Disney films are central to their politics. Couched with pleas for diversity, white nationalist rhetoric lays the groundwork for neo-segregation: representational practices that parse cultural belonging according to biological conceptions of race.

Stephens, David, and Charnell Peters. 2026. “Misogynoir, Racial Capitalism, and the Black Manosphere on YouTube.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 23 (1): 55–74. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2585792. 

• Abstract: This article examines how the Black Manosphere develops through the ideology of misogynoir and the accumulation of racial capital via digital media, specifically podcasting. A critical analysis of three Black Manosphere podcasting channels on YouTube reveals the co-constitutive relationship between verbal and visual misogynoir in these spaces. The cumulative effect of linguistic choices, video titles, superchats, homepages, thumbnails, set interactions, and other intertextual media is the lucrative economy of the degradation of Black women. Ultimately, misogynoir emerges as a profitable strategy in the Black Manosphere in which content creators leverage platform affordances and affective currencies to exacerbate Black women’s marginalization.

Willard, Zane Austin. 2025. “Ambivalent Surveillance: Teaching in the Times of Anti-Woke.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (1): 67–84. doi:10.1080/14791420.2024.2439410. 

• Abstract: This article addresses the current racialized surveillance regime censoring Blackness and targeting educators in public education, known as “anti-woke.” Building on critical surveillance scholarship, I develop “ambivalent surveillance” to describe the technologies of social control that implicate subjects in both their complicity and resistance to disciplinary power. Examining media narratives about educators implicated and layering on a discussion of racialization and affect, I argue anti-woke legislation produces educators as ambivalent subjects who negotiate their critical values and job security while managing the white emotions of students, parents, and administrators. To conclude, I consider pedagogical possibilities for combatting anti-woke legislation.

Wood, Megan M. 2025. “Daddy’s Home: Sexual Politics, Authoritarian Desire, and the Re-Election of Donald Trump.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 408–14. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539084. 

• Abstract: This essay introduces a forum on the sexual politics of authoritarianism in the wake of Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election. In it, Wood argues that gender and sexual politics are central to authoritarian appeal and consolidation, shaping the cultural and affective terrain through which Trumpism governs. Wood explores some of thematic ground the forum contributions cover, and invites critical cultural scholars to confront their evolving role in sustaining or resisting authoritarian formations. 

Xiong-Gum, Mai Nou. 2025. “Theorizing Refuge as Refusal: Ethical World-Making through Khuv Xim, Muaj Chaw, and Ua Ib Siab.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (2): 165–79. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2503817. 

• Abstract: This essay theorizes refuge as refusal by examining how Hmong refugees engage in ethical world-making through embodied attachment (khuv xim), presence-making (muaj chaw), and ethical negotiation (ua ib siab). Moving beyond thinking about refuge and the refugee experience as bound between assimilation and complete erasure, I conceptualize refuge as a relational yet situated ongoing practice. Engaging the work of Hannah Arendt, Liisa Malkki, Yến Lê Espiritu, and Saba Mahmood, I argue that refusal is a form of agency that is enacted through refusing the terms of constraints. Through family stories of exile and life in the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp, I foreground how refuge a form of ethical world-making with and within the power relations that shape it. 

Ye, Chenhao, and Hao Wang. 2026. “Everyday Politics of the Outside: Investigating the Digital Bordering-Crossing Practice of ‘Scaling the Wall’ among VPN Users in China.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, May, 1–22. doi:10.1080/14791420.2026.2665255. 

• Abstract: Veering away from totalizing assumptions of digital authoritarianism, this article theorizes China’s Great Firewall as a porous digital border, showing how ordinary users employ virtual private networks (VPNs) to access blocked platforms in their everyday lives despite an entrenched censorship regime. Grounded in critical scholarship on digital borders and Internet studies, this article draws on thirty-two semi-structured interviews to examine the complex processes, experiences, and meanings of everyday VPN use. It shows how digital border-crossing through VPN use simultaneously challenges and reproduces the bordering logic underpinning the Chinese Internet, and how authoritarianism is rearticulated in fragmented, non-totalizing, and embodied ways.

Communication and Democracy

Boromisza-Habashi, David. 2026. “Authoritarianism without Utopian Imagination.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 173–84. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2641733. 

• Abstract: This essay draws on social scientific and philosophical work from Central Eastern Europe (CEE) to argue that utopian imagination is a key indicator of authoritarian regimes’ ambition to install totalitarian rule. Communication scholars can find evidence (or lack thereof) of utopian imagination in public discourse. I analyze three Executive Orders issued by the second Trump administration to show that while these texts clearly display authoritarian tendencies, rest on a language ideology of control, and perform a moral evaluation of social reality, they lack a conception of utopia. These insights indicate limited ambition for the complete, revolutionary transformation of society, and temper the concern that contemporary authoritarianism inevitably evolves into totalitarianism. In fact, CEE scholarship suggests that nationalist authoritarian regimes are likely to drift even further from utopia as they embrace ethnicism. 

Horbyk, Roman. 2026. “Dark Legitimacy: What Russia and Ukraine Reveal about Authoritarianism.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 160–72. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2641731. 

• Abstract: This forum contribution introduces “dark legitimacy”: a mode of authoritarian legitimacy derived not from affirmative expectations of good governance, but from shared negative expectations about power itself. Emerging from Russian political practice after the collapse of late Soviet legitimacy, dark legitimacy stabilizes rule by converting disapproval into a political resource, rendering critique ineffective. Ukraine’s recurrent popular mobilization, by contrast, sustains an affirmative communicative legitimacy, making the Russo-Ukrainian War also a conflict between incompatible logics of legitimation. 

Jovanovic-Harrington, Ana. 2026. “The Periphery as a Warning: How Eastern European Autocracies Foretold the Crisis of Western Democracy.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 185–93. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2651125. 

• Abstract: While 20th-century autocracies were defined by violence and ideological rigidity, modern authoritarian regimes thrive within the global market economy. This essay explores the critical differences between 20th-century autocracies and their contemporary counterparts, using examples from Central and Eastern Europe, arguing that the absence of dramatic purges signifies a dangerous evolution in repressive tactics rather than a decrease in severity: purges are replaced by relentless smear campaigns, information scarcity is replaced by information overload, and direct violence is outsourced to non-state actors. Overall, modern autocracies make their messages more palatable and diverse than their historical counterparts. Because these regimes are highly adaptable and sustained through global alliances, scholarly inquiry must move beyond isolated country cases to identify cross-border mechanisms of contemporary repression. Therefore, pro-democracy scholarship must explore these new mechanisms of control across borders to re-imagine contemporary democratic communication and create novel arguments for why democracy is still worth fighting for. 

Khrebtan-Hörhager, Julia. 2026. “Selling Peace, Waging War: The Rhetorical Architecture of Authoritarianism.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 135–46. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2641732. 

• Abstract: This essay examines the rhetoric of peace as a central communicative strategy in authoritarian and fascist regimes, arguing that peace is repeatedly redefined to legitimize violence, territorial expansion, and political domination. Drawing on rhetorical theory, critical cultural studies, and intercultural communication, the analysis compares fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and contemporary Russia to show how leaders from Mussolini and Hitler to Putin frame aggression as protection, conquest as restoration, and war as moral necessity. Through concepts such as spazio vitale, Lebensraum, and Russia’s “special military operation,” peace becomes not the absence of violence but its rhetorical twin. The paper further introduces the Br/Other dynamic to explain how affective intimacy and Othering enable coercion to appear benevolent, particularly in Russia’s discourse on Ukraine. By tracing historical continuities and contemporary adaptations, this study demonstrates how language functions as a second front of authoritarian power and calls for reclaiming peace as an ethical, dialogic, and communicative practice. 

Khrebtan-Hörhager, Julia, and Marina Levina. 2026. “Defining Authoritarianism: Legacies from the Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 116–23. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2651127. 

• Abstract: How does democracy become authoritarianism? How do societies that value freedom gradually – and some, rather instantly – accept surveillance, repression, exclusion, or war as normal modus operandi? And why do authoritarian tendencies repeatedly return, even in societies convinced that they have learned the lessons of history? This forum examines authoritarianism through historical and contemporary lenses, drawing lessons from European fascism, Russian imperial ambitions, Central East European pseudo-democratic authoritarian regimes, and the Soviet Union’s colonial practices of debilitation and domination. The essays in the forum illustrate how authoritarian power operates not only through force but through communication, memory, identity, and practices of everyday life. Altogether they offer a powerful warning to democracies worldwide – you too can be next. 

Levina, Marina. 2026. “Authoritarian Biopolitics and the Mechanisms of Debilitation: Lessons from Chernobyl and the Soviet Union.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 124–34. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2646259. 

• Abstract: Drawing on experiences growing up in the Soviet Ukraine during the Chernobyl explosion, the article examines the debilitating biopolitics of authoritarianism. It argues that debilitation is at the center of authoritarian governance – there is no authoritarianism without debilitation. Moreover, Soviet Union authoritarian colonial governance enables us to think through the rise of authoritarianism in the United States.

Martínez, Valerie A., and Aimee Villarreal. 2025. “The Limits of Academic Freedom: How the Struggle for Ethnic Studies in K-12 Public Schools Signaled the Anti-DEIA Assault on Higher Education in Texas.” Communication and Democracy 59 (1): 9–30. doi:10.1080/27671127.2025.2486168. 

• Abstract: This article connects ongoing assaults on academic freedom and diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) initiatives within higher education in Texas to previous struggles to include Ethnic Studies in K-12 public schools. Focusing on the decade-long fight for Mexican American Studies (MAS) in Texas, the article highlights how conservative-led state governance of educational institutions operate within colonial paradigms. The authors argue that this form of epistemic oppression devalues the expertise of Ethnic Studies scholars and teachers to impose assimilationist policies on historically marginalized groups. Drawing on decolonial theories and Savannah Shange’s concept of progressive dystopia, the authors introduce progressive coloniality as a co-optation of multiculturalist victories by administrative agencies that determine educational policy, thereby perpetuating the status quo. Highlighting the commitments of MAS advocates, the authors call for a reconceptualization of academic freedom as epistemic justice within and beyond the institutional silos of academia.

Nasi, Francesco. 2025. “The Crisis of the Democratic Imaginary: How Anti-Democratic Imaginaries Foster Democratic Malaise.” Communication and Democracy 59 (1): 205–25. doi:10.1080/27671127.2024.2434035.

• Abstract: Scholars have dealt extensively with the crisis of liberal democracy, yet there has been a notable absence in exploring the role that imaginaries might play in intensifying this crisis. This paper suggests they are a crucial, overlooked element for understanding democratic malaise. To start, I argue that the imaginary, with its productive, collective, normative, and pluralistic nature, proves to be a more helpful concept than other potentially similar ones. It helps to explain how liberal democracy can be appreciated as an ideal while being vehemently contested in its institutional and tangible manifestations (e.g. politicians, parties, policymaking), shedding light on both communicative and political issues. This contention arises because three anti-democratic imaginaries challenge democracy: the technocratic imaginary, the neoliberal imaginary, and the anti-political imaginary. The crisis of the democratic imaginary consists of the fact that, although its ideal foundations remain solid, anti-democratic imaginaries hinder democracy’s effective functioning by laying the ground for anti-democratic discourses and making political action increasingly complex from an individual, collective, and institutional perspective. In short, some contemporary imaginaries are harmful to liberal democracies. To reverse the crisis of democracy, acting on common sense and addressing issues stemming from these imaginaries is therefore essential. 

Nikolskaya, Elina. 2026. “Living with Propaganda: Authoritarian Communication in Putin’s Russia.” Communication and Democracy 60 (1): 147–59. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2645019.

• Abstract: This autoethnographic essay examines authoritarian propaganda in contemporary Russia as a set of communication regimes — durable patterns of speech, affect, and relation that reshape everyday life. Drawing on personal memory, family conversations, professional experience in Russian television, and critical communication theory, it identifies four interrelated regimes: internalized censorship, weaponized “peace,” restorationist nostalgia, and diasporic and digital capture. Together, these regimes shape attachments, reorganize memory and intimacy, and embed authoritarian power in communication itself.

Prins, Kai. 2026. “‘Friends Don’t Let Friends Shave with Woke Razors’: Commodity Activism and Epideictic Speech in the Age of Conservative Backlash.” Communication and Democracy, June, 1–19. doi:10.1080/27671127.2026.2683361. 

• Abstract: This article addresses the right-wing and conservative backlash to and appropriation of progressive commodity activism through a rhetorical lens. As a neoliberal strategy, commodity activism seeks to transform politics and culture through economic speech. While this term is usually ascribed to left-leaning and progressive engagement with the market, I use examples of reactions to progressive depictions of gender in advertising and marketing to explore the significance of right-wing commodity activism in the context of epideictic rhetoric and through an economic, rhetorical frame. I theorize how the rhetoric of “backlash” propels right-wing ideas forward in a neoliberal market through two violent rhetorical strategies: burning fetishes and incorporation. I argue that the destruction of progressive commodities results in the alienation of the aggrieved conservative subject from commodities “contaminated” with progressive branding and creates the dehumanizing conditions that justify spectacle “lynchings” of the marginalized subjects they represent. I additionally explore the self-segregation implied by the impulse to “incorporate” and create a conservative “parallel economy.” As extreme right-wing ideas are normalized through their affective attachments to commodities and displayed through epideictic praise, this research highlights the study of right-wing commodity activism as inherently rhetorical and politically urgent.

Pulos, Rick. 2025. “The Use of War Metaphor in the Conservative Fight against Critical Race Theory.” Communication and Democracy 59 (2): 310–27. doi:10.1080/27671127.2025.2548595. 

• Abstract: In 2020, conservative activists and the media put forth the notion that Critical Race Theory (CRT) was making its way into K-12 classrooms to indoctrinate kids and shame white kids for their racist ancestors. The anti-CRT propaganda campaign was not only impressive but was also very effective. Suddenly, anyone who watched conservative media outlets knew what Critical Race Theory was – except that they really did not. A mountain of public discourse came out of this campaign, including the creation and dissemination of information to help citizens fight CRT at local school boards. This paper looks closely at an anti-CRT toolkit created with the aim of perpetuating and materializing a post-racial society. Published by Russell Vought and his conservative think tank Citizens for Renewing America (CRA), the toolkit uses the archetypal metaphor of war to motivate the conservative public to take action in local politics while further aggravating an already polarized public. 

Sobre, Miriam S., and Mark P. Orbe. 2025. “Introduction: Academic Freedom and Critical Pedagogy in an Age of Educational Intimidation.” Communication and Democracy 59 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1080/27671127.2025.2482595. 

• Article excerpt: The origins of this special issue lie within the work of scholar-activists on the front lines of anti-DEIA attacks in Texas. Accordingly, several of the articles featured are situated within the socio-cultural-political contexts of that particular state. Other offerings demonstrate the impact of such legislation, and the overarching political climate that it reflects, on campuses around the United States. Finally, several contributors provide pedagogical possibilities that can be embraced by those committed to engaging DEIA-related content in their courses and curriculum regardless of regional location.

Sobre, Miriam Shoshana, and Ariel Seals. 2025. “The Rhetorical Strategies of Educational Intimidation: The Chilling Effects of Anti-DEI Legislation at a Hispanic Serving Institution in Texas.” Communication and Democracy 59 (1): 31–55. doi:10.1080/27671127.2025.2488349. 

• Abstract: Texas is undergoing a siege of troubling legislation that seeks to outlaw diversity, equity, and inclusion in public education across the state. This study analyzes data from 48 interviews with faculty and students at a Hispanic Serving Institution as well as data gleaned from participant observation of various events involving the fight for educational equity in Texas. Findings highlight several rhetorical strategies designed to intimidate educators and students from being able to speak freely in their classrooms about race and institutional racism, the US’s role in systemic oppression, and historically accurate information. Further, the research finds that intimidation strategies create chilling effects on faculty, students, and administrators. These chilling effects have a particularly detrimental impact on diverse faculty and student recruitment, retention, and other issues of equity. We conclude with recommendations and actions driven by this research as well as future directions for advocacy and activism. 

Wentzel, Kayla, and Jennifer Lambe. 2025. “How Authoritarianism and Extraversion Relate to Censorship.” Communication and Democracy 59 (1): 245–65. doi:10.1080/27671127.2025.2472640. 

• Abstract: Nearly everyone supports free expression in the abstract, but many want to regulate or eliminate specific messages they deem as harmful; although, people disagree on what expression should be restricted. Through a nationally representative survey of 2,850 adults in the United States, this study aims to understand if personality measures of extraversion, right-wing authoritarianism, and left-wing authoritarianism predict one’s endorsement of government censorship. The survey uses the Willingness to Censor Scale (WTC) to examine perspectives on censorship. Results demonstrate that extraverts are overall less likely to support censorship than are more introverted people, except in cases of pornography and political speech. Left-wing authoritarianism (LWA) positively predicts WTC scores in the overall measure and seven category-of-expression subscales. Contrary to our predictions, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) has a mixed relationship with censorship attitudes, depending on the category of speech. The relationship between WTC and authoritarian extraverts is also examined with differential findings between RWA and LWA extraverts. Public attitudes toward free speech have crucial impacts on society and democracy and understanding their predictors aids in developing persuasive messaging to influence those opinions. 

Communication Education

Afifi, Walid A., and Rana Elhendi. 2025. “Academic Freedom Is Not Built for Us: Voices from the Margins.” Communication Education 74 (4): 419–26. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2536005. 

•  Article excerpt: A recent report sponsored by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) found that more than a third of faculty reported an increased threat to academic freedom: 53% felt restricted in their freedom to express what they believe to be accurate claims, and a strong majority engaged in various forms of self-censorship (Finley & Tiede, Citation2025). As scholars working from structurally marginalized and contested positionalities within dominant academic institutions, we routinely confront fundamental questions about academic freedom: What does academic freedom mean when research is inextricably bound within systems of power that actively suppress or eliminate the subjects we study? How does academic freedom operate when our historical and theoretical lens of systematic marginalization shapes our research approach toward counter-hegemonic methodologies and our commitment to documenting narratives that have been erased and marginalized? What value is the reference to academic freedom when entire fields of inquiry are actively being targeted for elimination with little resistance from the university structures that are supposedly committed to its defense? Perhaps most essentially, has the rhetorical ground already been lost when the claim to academic freedom is made?

Carvalho, Raiana de, and Raquel Moreira. 2025. “Centering Latin America: Gender Politics, Attacks on Higher Education, and Lessons of Resistance from Brazil.” Communication Education 74 (2): 202–10. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2489477. 

• Abstract: This essay foregrounds examples of resistance to far–right politics in Brazilian higher education, particularly through the work and legacy of fallen Black feminist politician Marielle Franco. We make contextual connections between the current attacks on higher education in the United States and the growing global articulation of conservative movements who claim to oppose “gender ideology.” By centering Latin America, and Brazil in particular, we hope to disrupt the hegemonic narrative that forefronts the United States as the primary spreader of these conservative ideologies. Instead, we offer evidence that these far–right attacks are transnational in nature, and that Latin America is at the center of both the articulation of such conservative ideas as well as of the organized resistance to such ideologies. Ultimately, we urge communication educators to challenge our discipline’s contextual insularity by underscoring the Brazilian case in discussions of both antifeminist attacks on higher education as well as what resistance can look like under such hostile circumstances.

Chávez, Karma R. 2025. “On Pedagogy and Protest.” Communication Education 74 (4): 400–408. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2536008. 

• Abstract: In this essay, the author reflects on the many ways that pedagogy informs protest and protest informs pedagogy by considering recent pro-Palestine protests on university campuses. 

Fernando Juárez, Sergio, and C. Kyle Rudick. 2025. “Imagining Futures for Communication Education: Student Protest, Academic Freedom, and Repression in Higher Education.” Communication Education 74 (4): 427–29. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2559807.

• Article excerpt: This forum demonstrates that communication education is inseparable from broader political struggles over democracy, justice, and freedom. Universities are not neutral spaces but contested arenas where the right to speak, to teach, and to protest is continually negotiated. As the essays show, repression of Palestine-centered scholarship and activism reveals the deep limitations of current models of academic freedom and exposes the urgent need for collective reimagining. Protests must be recognized not only as speech but also as pedagogy. They generate knowledge, build solidarities, and model futures where universities might serve justice rather than repression. At the same time, they reveal the risks faced by students, faculty, and communities who challenge state and institutional power. For communication educators, this is a defining moment: we can either align with efforts to silence dissent, or we can defend protest as integral to education itself. Imagining a future where academic freedom as a collective, justice-oriented responsibility offers one path forward. Doing so not only protects the most vulnerable voices but also enriches the intellectual and democratic life of higher education. By centering student protest as both communicative and pedagogical practice, we can imagine futures for communication education that resist repression, cultivate solidarity, and nurture transformative learning.

Hallmark, James R. 2026. “The Culture War Is Not New, but We Must React Differently.” Communication Education 75 (2): 266–72. doi:10.1080/03634523.2026.2629987. 

• Article excerpt: To summarize, the political influence of today may differ from the political influence of 2015 or 2005, but it is not new, and most of our students are not particularly interested in this battle playing out in our universities. They are here to pursue their dreams, their passions. My most recent interim president stint occurred between when I was asked to contribute to this issue and my writing this essay. While hunkered down in the presidential bunker surviving personal attacks on my character and attacks on the university’s fidelity to its core values and wondering why anyone would want to be a president, it occurred to me that we as communication professionals are exactly who should be in leadership positions during this time of change. We understand our audience, understand what it means to adapt to that audience, and can strategize best on how we may achieve our mission given the constraints we may face.

Hess, Jon A., Omar Swartz, Andrea J. Vickery, Qingwen Dong, Katherine S. Thweatt, Patrick McElearney, and Shauntae Brown White. 2025. “Creating Inclusive Classrooms in a Time of Anti-DEI Initiatives.” Communication Education 74 (3): 283–96. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2536010. 

• Article excerpt: For this forum, we focus on the question of what people can do to foster inclusion given the recent changes in state and federal educational policy. To do that, we examine the social and legal context of the issue, then consider some actionable ideas instructors can use if they wish to create inclusion without violation of existing laws. Given the magnitude of ethical concerns the current legislative actions raise, there may be other ways people feel it is appropriate to resist, such as supporting efforts to reverse some of this harmful new legislation. We encourage people to act in ways that they assess are ethically meritorious. But in this forum, we just focus on one piece of this issue: options they can take within existing laws, and thus, not putting themselves or their institutions at risk of political retaliation.

Jensen, Kelly, and Robert Asen. 2026. “Tracing the Evolution of Online Anti-Woke Publics: Right-Wing Education Rhetoric in the Daily Signal and City Journal.” Communication Education, February, 1–24. doi:10.1080/03634523.2026.2626545. 

• Abstract: This essay critically examines the online education discourse of the City Journal and Daily Signal—the public-facing news and commentary websites of the influential think tanks the Manhattan Institute and the Heritage Foundation, respectively. Tracing the evolution of anti-woke publics longitudinally, we analyze materials from the summer 2020 racial justice protests through the November 2022 U.S. midterm elections. Our analysis explores how these right-wing actors disconnect woke from its meanings and significance in Black culture and politics to co-opt and re-signify the term. We argue these anti-woke publics leverage woke to create a caricatured Other against which they construct themselves as rational, truth-seeking patriots. In this process, we illuminate how anti-woke publics oppose woke to present themselves as protectors of equality, even though their advocacy defends existing inequalities. Examining education as a key site of cultural contestation in the backlash to wokeness, this article contributes a nuanced and complex interpretation of how online discourse influences education policy with implications for classroom pedagogy.

Majed Dweik, Sarah Cathryn. 2025. “The Student Intifada Lives: Translocal Pedagogy and Critical Communication Pedagogy in the 2024 Popular University for Gaza Student Encampments.” Communication Education 74 (4): 409–18. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2548782. 

• Abstract: The 2023–2025 ongoing, accelerated genocide in Gaza prompted all sectors of society to rise in opposition to the Zionist settler colonization of Palestine. One significant moment in organizing that began on Turtle Island but spread across the globe was the creation of the Popular University, where students led encampments on their universities to push for divestment from the Zionist entity. In this piece, I argue that the Popular University student encampments utilized translocal pedagogy to deploy critical communication pedagogy (CCP) and communicate hope in localized ways consistent with the broader Student Intifada. Analyzing how CCP presents itself in activist contexts, I highlight how CCP is disseminated through a national, turned international student movement and how students introduced critical communication through organizing, maintenance, and community-building in their encampments. I close reflecting on how this moment recontextualized hope in genocide, and what the fight for a stop to the genocide and a free Palestine entails. This piece is dedicated to all of the student organizers who have been targeted, harassed, punished, and banned for standing for radical justice and liberation across the globe. Free Palestine!

Soto-Vásquez, Arthur D. 2025. “Laboratory of Reaction: SB 17 in Texas, the Anti-DEI Movement, and Implications for Higher Education.” Communication Education 74 (3): 297–305. doi:10.1080/03634523.2025.2522760. 

• Abstract: Drawing on political and legislative analysis, the paper situates SB 17 within a strategic right-wing backlash to post-2020 social justice movements, guided by conservative think tanks like the Claremont and Manhattan Institutes. The analysis explores the bill’s origins, ideological underpinnings, and implementation across Texas public university systems, detailing how over-compliance and institutional self-censorship have chilled academic freedom and marginalized diversity-related pedagogy. The paper contextualizes SB 17 as part of a dual assault on higher education, both ideological and financial, through the combined use of state legislation and federal funding threats. It concludes with a discussion of resistance strategies, emphasizing the role of faculty, students, and communication educators in defending higher education as a public good. Ultimately, this work contributes to scholarship on the politicization of academia, the erosion of institutional autonomy, and the future of higher education in the United States. 

Communication Monographs

Afifi, Walid Adel, Siena Vincent, Sarah Amira de la Garza, Shardé M. Davis, Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, Bryan J. McCann, and Srividya Ramasubramanian. 2025. “Dialogue on Difference: Greater Regard for Academic Freedom.” Communication Monographs 92 (4): 677–704. doi:10.1080/03637751.2025.2479665. 

• Abstract: Higher education is a key front in culture wars across history, recent years intensifying attacks on academic spaces. Vulnerability of faculty and programs centering marginalized voices and institutional critique is clear. Opposition to “woke” intellectual discourse has inspired legislation and institutional moves violating core principles regarding academic freedom. Given the cancellation of the National Communication Association’s (NCA) 2023 Presidential Address, reports by NCA’s Task Force on Academic Freedom, and Ad-Hoc Presidential Address Inquiry Committee, serious reflection is salient. Speeches dedicated to this reflection, delivered at the Opening Session of the 2024 NCA convention and slightly edited for readers are merged. These express broad views of long-standing threats to academic freedom for communities within the discipline, including the role therein of NCA. 

Elkhalid, Amnee K., Haley Kranstuber Horstman, Walid A. Afifi, and Tamara D. Afifi. 2025. “‘Baba, You’re Not Gonna Live Forever … . We Need These Stories’: Intergenerational Storytelling in Palestinian Families Connecting History, Identity, and (the Loss of) Place.” Communication Monographs 92 (2): 239–61. doi:10.1080/03637751.2024.2415611. 

• Abstract: The current study integrates communicated narrative sense-making (CNSM) theory with the ecological systems model to investigate intergenerational family storytelling (IGFS) in Palestinian families. Amidst historical and ongoing persecution, members of the Palestinian diaspora are tasked with making sense of their cultural and familial experiences. This study aims to understand how IGFS affects members’ meanings, values, and beliefs related to their Palestinian identity. Interviews with 25 Palestinians in the U.S. revealed that their IGFS was unified under “sumud” – a Palestinian concept highlighting steadfastness across generations. Sumud was illuminated through themes of shaping identity and connecting through generations. Findings contribute to CNSM theory by illuminating the unique functions of IGFS and can inform culturally sensitive interventions for communities facing intergenerational trauma and adversity. 

Horstman, Haley Kranstuber, Jennifer Bohanek, Ewelina Łapińska, Olivia Watson, Anna Cierpka, and Karolina Małek. 2025. “‘Living the Stories of Your Great-Grandmother’: Making Sense of Russia’s War in Ukraine through Polish Intergenerational Family Storytelling.” Communication Monographs 92 (1): 74–96. doi:10.1080/03637751.2024.2349570. 

• Abstract: After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Polish people were tasked with making sense of war in close proximity while supporting millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Poland. In times of distress, such as war and refugee crises, intergenerational storytelling helps people make sense of their experience. Interviews with 28 Polish adults during the first five months of the war revealed that intergenerational family storytelling prompted them to: cope with war, connect with Ukraine, and help others. These narrative functions were informed by various levels of culture, as proposed by ecological systems theorizing. Findings expand communication narrative sense-making theory by accounting for sociohistorical influences in intergenerational family storytelling and highlighting how family storytelling can motivate action during crisis. 

Schibler, Katherine, Lindsay Hahn, and Adam Lankford. 2025. “Investigating 55 Years of Mass Shooter Statements in the United States: A Study of Perpetrators’ Stated Motivations and Their Association with Attack Severity.” Communication Monographs 92 (1): 97–120. doi:10.1080/03637751.2024.2349584. 

• Abstract: Mass shootings are a prevalent and terrible problem in the U.S. As a foundation for communication-focused research into the media-related causes and effects of mass shooters’ stated grievances, and guided by the model of intuitive-morality and exemplars (MIME), we content-analyzed N = 178 statements from 119 U.S. perpetrators who committed mass shootings between 1966 and 2021 to identify the motivations they communicated for their attacks. Findings revealed that mass shooters who communicated any motivation – possibly indicative of their rationalizations – killed and injured more people than those who did not communicate their motivation(s). Overall, shooters most often described their motivations as driven by power and relatedness concerns. Those who expressed ingroup-loyalty and relatedness motivations injured the most people, while power-motivated shooters injured the fewest. 

Critical studies in media communication

Briant, Emma L., and Marc Owen Jones. 2025. “A Century of Propaganda Studies: From Pen and Sword to Surveillant Smartphone.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 42 (1): 64–68. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2464184. 

• Article excerpt: This forum in Critical Studies in Media Communication marks, what has been, arguably, a century since the birth of modern Propaganda Studies in the 1920s. The flurry of scholarship including Lippmann’s Public Opinion (1922) and Edward Bernays’ Propaganda (1928), was provoked by the rise of fascist and Stalinist propaganda in Europe when mass media was developing. It is sadly fitting that today’s renewal of the discipline accompanies propaganda’s service to resurgent authoritarianism. We thus envisioned this forum to consider what we have learned from this century of propaganda scholarship and practice, and indeed what we still need to learn to challenge its authoritarian utility. Therefore we ask “whither Propaganda Studies?” as we hurtle into its digital future.

Fielding, Victoria, Robert Boucaut, Catherine Son, and Alexander H. Beare. 2025. “News Media’s Legitimization of Disinformation: Propaganda and the Length of the Uluru Statement.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 42 (1): 89–94. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2465680. 

• Abstract: News media notionally plays an important role in democracy by disseminating quality information which the public needs to make democratic decisions in their best interests. Yet, news media can also undermine the health of democracy by platforming and disseminating misleading and manipulative propaganda. This forum article calls for new inquiry about how news media power is used to legitimize participatory disinformation and thus how news outlets can have a powerful propagandist function which undermines the quality of democratic debates. Using the case of News Corp Australia’s Sky News platforming a conspiracy theory about alleged hidden pages of the Uluru Statement from the Heart during the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum, this article argues that news media is not just another player participating in the spread of manipulative and misleading media content. Since news media is assumed by audiences to present quality information which is fact-checked and verified, and to mediate public debates without contributing to them, their propagandist content is argued to play an outsized role in legitimizing more extreme forms of participatory disinformation circulating online and offline during the Voice referendum. 

Graham, Timothy. 2025. “How Propaganda Exploits the Infrastructure of Truth: A Case Study of #IStandWithPutin.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 42 (1): 75–82. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2473002. 

• Abstract: This paper investigates the #IStandWithPutin hashtag campaign as a case study to conceptualise “infrastructural propaganda,” an influence strategy that manipulates the invisible processes and systems underpinning attention economies and knowledge production. Drawing from communication and media studies, philosophy, political science, and cognitive psychology, the paper explores how inauthentic networks of bots and trolls co-opted and targeted genuine online networks to game platform algorithms, manage attention, manufacture visibility, and construct “truth markets”—competitive epistemic spaces where facts are undermined by alternative modes of sensemaking. By stoking participatory culture and activism, the #IStandWithPutin campaign reframed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from an unequivocal, factual violation of international law into a contested ethical and pragmatic debate, bypassing traditional mechanisms of fact-checking and verification. Situating this tactic within historical and contemporary propaganda techniques, the paper advances critical communication scholarship by revealing how resource-rich actors exploit hybrid information systems to reshape the very operation of truth. The analysis concludes by reflecting on the broader implications of infrastructural propaganda and proposing strategies for fostering resilience in digital knowledge ecosystems. 

Neville-Shepard, Ryan. 2026. “Trump and the Truthers: Populist Demophobia and the Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 43 (1): 19–35. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2517016. 

• Abstract: This essay argues that populist conservatives’ recent entanglement with some of the most deplorable conspiracy theorists—particularly those casting doubt on official accounts of mass shootings—can be seen as an investment in what I call “populist demophobia,” or a kind of populism that turns its back on the people. Rooting populist demophobia in a conspiracy culture that has shifted its villains from secret societies to the federal government to everyday citizens, this essay analyzes three extremist films to illustrate how the anti-pluralistic and epistemically fascist form of populism was accelerated by the Sandy Hook truth movement and made itself available for those who wished to mimic it.

Stjernholm, Emil, and Alaina Schempp. 2025. “‘Nazis, I Hate These Guys’: Indiana Jones as an Antifascist Memetic Icon.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 42 (2): 129–44. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2518242. 

• Abstract: Indiana Jones’ staunch anti-Nazism and the franchise’s satirical belittling and ridicule of the Third Reich render its protagonist an antifascist memetic icon. While considerable attention has been devoted to the digital media landscape of the right, less emphasis is given to left-wing movements and memetic warfare. Through analysis of humorous representations of German Nazis in the films, where Nazis appear as quintessential villains in Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, and a survey of memes from Reddit, the article presents an in-depth visual analysis of how Indiana Jones has become a meme disseminating antifascist messages online. Drawing on Shifman’s (L. Shifman (2014). Memes in Digital Culture. MIT Press) research on memes in digital culture, we argue that the “Indiana Jones as Antifa” meme cannot be described as a hypermemetic phenomenon but instead circulates as a political symbol in fringe, subcultural circles. By tracing the media historical roots of the “It is OK to punch Nazis” meme, this study contextualizes the invocation of Indiana Jones in contemporary meme culture. In doing so, we contribute to a deeper understanding of Indiana Jones’ status as an antifascist memetic icon in contemporary popular culture.

Zhang, Chang, Yong Jin, and Ran Si. 2025. “Propaganda à La Russe: Historical Continuance and Modern Adaptation.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 42 (1): 69–74. doi:10.1080/15295036.2025.2469094. 

• Abstract: This article examines the evolution of Russian propaganda strategies, tracing their historical roots and contemporary adaptations against the backdrop of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict. It identifies three defining characteristics of Russia’s propaganda model: centralized organizational control, dual narrative positioning, and advanced technological innovation. First, Russia maintains a centralized apparatus that coordinates state media and intelligence services, preserving Soviet-era traditions of propaganda management. Second, its narrative strategy employs a dual positioning, portraying Russia as both a victim of Western aggression and a heroic challenger to Western hegemony. Third, Russia integrates modern digital technologies such as deepfakes and bot networks to create information confusion and shape global perceptions. The analysis highlights the sophisticated interplay between historical legacies and modern adaptations, demonstrating how Russia leverages both traditional methods and cutting-edge technologies to influence public opinion and geopolitical dynamics. The paper offers critical insights into the evolution of Russian contemporary propaganda. 

Quarterly Journal of Speech

Aronis, Carolin, (she/her), and Eric Aoki (he/him). 2025. “Nooses and Nazi Swastikas on U.S. Campuses: An Anti-Racist Call for a Rhetorical Reframing of Hate Symbols as Violent Technologies.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 111 (3): 371–98. doi:10.1080/00335630.2024.2377195. 

• Abstract: The terrorizing placement of nooses and Nazi swastikas on U.S. college and university campuses has sustained a climate of fear, trauma, and intimidation. University administration responses often invoke protest from targeted communities over their approach. Examining news reports and university statements between 2010 and 2023, we critique universities’ use of the rhetorical framework of “symbols” (e.g., “heinous symbols of hate,” “racist symbols”). We argue that the “symbolism” framework reflects and reinforces a problem of minimization, if not dismissal, when responding to the impact of these events. Drawing on works by rhetorical studies scholars like Matsuda, Altman, Butler, and Ore, we argue that nooses and swastikas must be understood and treated in relation to their material, violent, spatial, and agential oppressive power and viewed through the relationship between the academic environment of white Christian spaces and anti-Black and anti-Jewish violence and exclusion. Coining the term, “technologies of violence,” we invite a rhetorical shift from hate speech and symbols to acts of violent doing and doing to within the context of historical and contemporary phenomena of systemic racism and antisemitism in academia and society. We offer an anti-racist approach to responding to and studying terroristic objects and acts on campuses.

Bloomfield, Emma Frances, (she/her), and Nicholas S. Paliewicz (he/him). 2026. “The Generative Persona: Reprograming Rhetoric in an Age of Artificial Intelligence and Donald Trump.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, March, 1–23. doi:10.1080/00335630.2026.2642052. 

• Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fundamental challenge to rhetoric, agency, and humanity. We argue that AI reveals how empowered audiences have created new post-human agencies beyond the speaker and the audience that we call the generative persona. This persona, forged in the ashes of what was once called the “author,” is unhinged from earthly coexistence and social accountabilities, because it exists as an ideal manifestation of its audiences’ affective rhetorical inputs. The generative persona auto-poetically creates new interactions, facts, and realities. We use the generative persona as a heuristic to analyze the agencies of Donald Trump and AI. We trace the homologies between Trump and AI by focusing on their engagement in three overlapping functions: resource consumption/grifting, stochastic parroting/repetition, and hallucinations/confabulations. 

Hahner, Leslie A., and Scott J. Varda. 2026. “Networked Conspiracism and Autocracy in Project 2025.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, March, 1–19. doi:10.1080/00335630.2026.2633189. 

• Abstract: In 2023, the Heritage Foundation published the ninth iteration of the Mandate series, Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise, also known as Project 2025. This book and associated initiatives are a call for what Kevin D. Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, calls “the second American Revolution.” While policy analysts suggest that the governmental and cultural ramifications of Project 2025 would be catastrophic if achieved, we concern ourselves with the rhetorical tactics of the document, which rely on metonymic linkages among conspiratorial fragments. Project 2025 authors argue through a networked mélange of conspiratorial subtexts, falsehoods, and symbols that prop up the urgency of Project 2025’s ongoing implementation. This essay analyzes the metonymic connections among the rhetorical elements of the document to illustrate how Project 2025 urges audiences to corral and condense broad, and often contradictory, demands into a codified policy mandate. We argue that the metonymic tropes leveraged in Project 2025 illustrate the functions of networked conspiracism. 

Johnson, Paul Elliott, (he/him). 2026. “The Painter of Right: Jon McNaughton and the Conservative Challenge to Visual Culture.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, March, 1–27. doi:10.1080/00335630.2026.2622493. 

• Abstract: In the last decade, conservative artist Jon McNaughton has gained notoriety. This essay reads McNaughton to make better sense of conservatism’s relationship with liberal democratic visual culture. McNaughton’s paintings register as kitschy dissent from the democratic elements of US visual culture. Analyzing his work not only makes sense of the work that form does in making conservative audiences keen for his art, but also outlines how a conservative way of seeing confounds some common assumptions in visual rhetorical studies, and complicates the overall functionality of liberal democratic society more generally. While confirming the democratic potential of the visual, the study suggests the need for revision to key methods in visual rhetorical criticism in light of the resilience of the right-wing visual regimes, with special attention to circulation and an assessment of the right-wing’s ability to generate broad hostility to the entirety of the modern liberal democratic enterprise. 

Matheson, Calum Lister. 2026. “Bone as an Anti-Rhetorical Device in Reactionary Discourses.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, April, 1–22. doi:10.1080/00335630.2026.2649281. 

• Abstract: Reactionary discourses are maintained by a characteristic refusal of ambiguity, contingency, and uncertainty. While rhetorical criticism is a valid means of approaching these discourses, they are structured by key signifiers that are understood in anti-rhetorical terms by their users and interpreted as non-arbitrary indicators of hidden truth. This article proposes the notion of atropic or anti-rhetorical devices and analyzes the role of bone as an example in White supremacist, incel, and anti-trans communities. Attention to anti-rhetorical strategies of reading may offer conceptual clarity to the study of far-right discourses and clarify the potential of rhetoric to disrupt them when understood as a mode of engagement with the world that exceeds its battery of specific techniques. 

Musgrave, Kevin, (he/him/his), and Jeff Tischauser (he/him/his). 2026. “Parasitism Reconsidered: Far-Right Relationality and the Rhetoric of Patriot Front.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, March, 1–27. doi:10.1080/00335630.2026.2636651. 

• Abstract: Taking an alternative theoretical route to the study of far-right and white nationalist rhetoric, this essay extends extant literature by attending the forms of relationality fashioned in the rhetoric of Patriot Front in order to make a more robust claim regarding white nationalist relationality more broadly. Such a focus on relationality, we contend, offers important lessons for scholars of far-right rhetoric, as well as for rhetorical theorists of the public. Specifically, we hope to extend Larson and McHendry’s notion of parasitic publics using Michel Serres’ work on the semantic possibilities of parasitism as a way of theorizing human relationality and of assembling the public world. Doing so nuances our understanding of parasitism and relationality, suggesting that what should be of primary concern are the ethical frameworks of our relationality. While the relationality of Patriot Front and white nationalism more generally is hostile towards difference and premised upon a logic of linearity and identity, a radically democratic relationality might instead be based upon a logic of becoming and be thankful for and hospitable to difference. The theoretical ambit of the parasite holds room for both possibilities, demanding ethical choice on behalf of the public itself. 

Rice, Jenny, (she/her). 2026. “‘It Will Change You’: Proxy Parrhesia, Bad Feelings, and the Far-Right’s Brave Reader.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 112 (1): 6–29. doi:10.1080/00335630.2025.2597313. 

• Abstract: This essay introduces the concept of proxy parrhesia, a rhetorical act that parallels more familiar forms of parrhesia while producing distinct effects, particularly within far-right contexts. I argue that proxy parrhesia operates through an assemblage of forces—including bravery, risk, bad feelings, and appeals to the marketplace of ideas—to cultivate the figure of the “brave reader.” Such self-fashioning positions the brave reader as virtuous through their willingness to endure discomfort in the name of intellectual bravery. Through an analysis of promotional discourses surrounding several popular White nationalist texts, I demonstrate how this dynamic reflects the far-right’s broader valorization of pain as a mechanism for reinforcing violent and oppressive rhetorical structures. Understanding how the elements of proxy parrhesia are mobilized is crucial to countering far-right rhetoric, as it reveals how certain forms of self-constitution do not liberate but instead amplify White nationalist and far-right affinities. Reckoning with these effects, I suggest, is a necessary step toward disrupting their hold on public discourse. 

Review of Communication

Adiprasetio, Justito. 2025. “The Chronic Impact of the Cold War and Authoritarian Regime on Communication Research.” Review of Communication 25 (3): 164–79. doi:10.1080/15358593.2025.2474643. 

• Abstract: There was a connection between America’s efforts to win the sociopolitical battle of the Cold War and Suharto’s New Order authoritarian regime, which influenced the dynamics and development of communication studies in Indonesia. This study shows how global geopolitical tensions synergized with the authoritarian regime, entangling and imparting chronic impacts on the development of communication studies. The discussion begins by highlighting how the Cold War was the foundation for the initial formation and development of communication studies. It continues elaborating on the intersection between American interests and the authoritarian regime’s instrumentalization of communication studies and research. Finally, to illustrate the chronic impact of the Cold War and the authoritarian regime on Indonesian communication scholarship, the author conducts a systematic review of Indonesian scientific publications post reformation from 2001 to 2020. The ambivalence of Indonesian communication academia, which during the New Order had to serve state interests in promoting modernization theory within the vision and programs of development while being prohibited from producing critical research, resulted in a blunted Indonesian communication scholarship. This has had chronic implications, even as reformation has been undertaken two decades later. 

Seelig, Michelle, Sandra Kuebler, Daniel Verdear, Ashley Hemm, Kamal Premaratne, John Funchion, Ruth Trego, et al. 2025. “White Genocide Conspiracy: A Rhetorical Vision of Fear and Hate on Twitter (Now X).” Review of Communication 25 (3): 125–48. doi:10.1080/15358593.2025.2517018.

• Abstract: Our study shifts the focus from social media and hate websites to explore how right-wing actors spread the “white genocide” conspiracy theory on a mainstream platform like Twitter (now X). Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyze #whitegenocide tweets from four weeks aligned with major news events during Trump’s first term (2019–2020). Our qualitative analysis uncovers how right-wing actors use “just enough” text or visual elements to articulate a rhetorical vision of fear that coalesces into three themes: Jews as the Chosen enemies, preserving whiteness, and reverse racism. We support our findings with quantitative content analysis, word co-occurrence analysis, and network analysis, highlighting which specific symbolic cues amplify the spread of the white genocide conspiracy. Combining approaches provides a more holistic and nuanced understanding of how right-wing actors frame the white genocide conspiracy theory in the paranoid style. This framing cultivates a fear that others (e.g., immigrants, Black people, or Jews) threaten white people’s rights, freedom, and culture. These narratives may resonate with those who share a similar identity, fostering a collective reality and group consciousness that encourages an “us versus them” mentality, hindering efforts to find common ground with those who hold different views.

Added Sept. 2026

Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies

Ali, Isra. 2025. “In Here and out There: Feminist Militarism and U.S. Presidential Politics.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 448–57. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539967.

• AI Summary: Ali critiques the rise and failure of “feminist militarism” in U.S. politics, exemplified by Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign. She defines feminist militarism as the belief that military power can advance women’s rights and equality both domestically and globally. Tracing its roots in the War on Terror and its use by politicians such as Harris and Clinton, Ali argues that this ideology collapses soft-power humanitarianism and hard-power dominance, producing a politics that upholds U.S. imperialism even as it speaks the language of care. The essay contrasts feminist militarism with Trump’s resurgent “hard power” ethos to reveal the gendered logics structuring contemporary militarism and misogyny.

Cloud, Dana L. “The Spiral of Survival.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 17, no. 4 (2020): 369-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2020.1829658

• AI Summary: “In “The Spiral of Survival”, Dana L. Cloud explores two contrasting responses to systemic oppression: resignation and revolutionary resistance. She argues that while many individuals succumb to despair and passivity in the face of global injustices such as climate change, racial violence, and economic inequality, there exists a transformative potential in the lived experiences of the oppressed. Drawing from Marxist theory and feminist perspectives, Cloud posits that subjugation can serve as a catalyst for consciousness-raising and collective action. She emphasizes the importance of solidarity and activism in reversing the spiral of survival from mere endurance to active resistance, advocating for a movement toward justice and human flourishing.”

Dunn, Tasha R. 2025. “Trump, the (Absent) ‘Father of IVF’: Interrogating Political Rhetoric, Capitalist Barriers, and Reproductive Realities in the 2024 US Presidential Election.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 437–47. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539972.

• AI Summary: Dunn analyzes Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign rhetoric around in-vitro fertilization (IVF) as an example of affective cruelty and patriarchal populism. Combining personal narrative with critical analysis, she argues that Trump’s promises to expand IVF access exploit reproductive desire while obscuring systemic inequalities and regulatory failures that keep treatment inaccessible. Framing himself as the “father of IVF,” Trump performs paternal care that reinforces authoritarian control over reproduction. Dunn situates IVF as a neoliberal infrastructure of desire—where hope for family becomes entangled with class anxiety and political manipulation.

Einertson, Kristen M. “The ‘Keys’ to Unlocking Eastern European (Neo)Nazism: The Search for Narrative Refuge.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22, no. 5 (2025): 199-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2025.2503814

• AI Summary: “In this article, Kristen M. Einertson examines the resurgence of neo-Nazism in Eastern Europe, particularly in the context of Russia’s campaign against Ukraine. She argues that understanding this phenomenon requires an analysis of the historical and cultural narratives that have shaped national identities in the region. Einertson explores how these narratives have been manipulated to foster a sense of victimhood and to justify aggressive nationalist ideologies. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing the role of media and political discourse in constructing these narratives and the need for critical engagement to counteract their influence.”

Girox, Henry A. “Cultural Politics and Public Intellectuals in the Age of Emerging Fascism.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 21, no. 1 (2024): 6-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2024.2304272

• AI Summary: “In this article, Henry A. Giroux examines the rise of a contemporary form of fascism characterized by extreme nativism and hostility toward racial integration, which he argues is central to U.S. politics. He contends that this “upgraded” fascism is propagated through mass media, increasingly controlled by a wealthy elite, and is legitimized by political leaders. Giroux emphasizes the critical role of public intellectuals in resisting this authoritarian shift by promoting democratic values, critical pedagogy, and civic engagement. He advocates for a renewed commitment to education as a means to challenge the growing fascist threat and to uphold democratic principles.”

Hallsby, Atilla,  “Psychoanalysis against WikiLeaks: Resisting the Demand for Transparency,” Review of Communication, 20:1 (2020): 68-86. [Fulltext Link]

• AI Summary: This article investigates the psychological forces behind the demand for transparency in authoritarian contexts. Hallsby argues that secrecy can sometimes serve as a necessary resistance against authoritarianism, challenging the simplistic dichotomy of transparency versus secrecy. This work explores the complex relationship between secrecy and power in authoritarian regimes

Hartzell, Stephanie L. “Whiteness Feels Good Here: Interrogating White Nationalist Rhetoric on Stormfront.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 17, no. 2 (2020): 129-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2020.1745858

• AI Summary: “In this article, Stephanie L. Hartzell employs a critical rhetorical framework to analyze white nationalist discourse on Stormfront, a prominent white nationalist online forum. Hartzell explores how Stormfront strategically constructs a sense of belonging and pride among white audiences by appealing to affective states such as common sense and communal identity. The study reveals how the platform navigates and challenges colorblind ideologies, differentiates itself from overt white supremacy, and subtly encourages white racial consciousness. Hartzell argues that these rhetorical strategies serve to normalize and mainstream white nationalism by presenting it as a legitimate and emotionally resonant identity.”

Levina, Marina. “Whiteness and the Joys of Cruelty.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 15, no. 1 (2018): 73-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2018.1435079

• AI Summary: “In “Whiteness and the Joys of Cruelty”, Marina Levina examines the affective dimensions of white supremacy, focusing on how cruelty is not merely a tool of oppression but also a source of pleasure for the oppressor. Drawing from affect theory and critical race studies, Levina explores how white individuals derive satisfaction from the subjugation of others, a phenomenon she terms the “hedonicity of hate.” This pleasure is not incidental but central to the maintenance of racial hierarchies. Levina’s analysis underscores the importance of addressing these emotional and psychological aspects in efforts to dismantle systemic racism.”

Levina, Marina. “Doing Critical Cultural Studies in the Age of Totalitarian Thought.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22, no. 1 (2025): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2025.2469935

• AI Summary: “In this editorial, Marina Levina reflects on the challenges and responsibilities of critical cultural studies scholars in an era marked by the resurgence of authoritarian ideologies and the erosion of democratic norms. Levina emphasizes the importance of maintaining a critical stance that interrogates power structures, media representations, and cultural narratives that contribute to the normalization of totalitarian thought. She advocates for an engaged scholarship that not only analyzes but also resists oppressive systems, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary approaches and solidarity with marginalized communities. Levina calls for a reinvigoration of critical cultural studies as a vital tool for understanding and combating the forces undermining democratic societies.”

Levina, Marina, and Kumarini Silva. “Cruel Intentions: Affect Theory in the Age of Trump.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 15, no. 1 (2018): 70-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2018.1435080

• AI Summary: “In this article, Levina and Silva analyze the rise of affective politics under Donald Trump’s presidency, focusing on how cruelty has become central to political discourse. They argue that Trump’s rhetoric and policies have cultivated an environment where cruelty is not only normalized but also celebrated, resonating with certain segments of the population. Drawing from affect theory, the authors explore how emotions like anger, fear, and joy are mobilized to foster division and reinforce power structures. They emphasize the importance of understanding these emotional dynamics to effectively resist authoritarian tendencies and promote more compassionate political engagement.”

Lizama, Jimmy. “The Trump Administration’s Framing of the MS-13 Gang: Narrowing the Borders of Belonging with Homeland maternity.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 20, no. 3 (2023): 358-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2023.2236187

• AI Summary: “In this article, Jimmy Lizama analyzes how the Trump administration utilized the MS-13 gang to construct an anti-immigrant narrative that specifically targeted Central American communities. He argues that this framing modified traditional anti-Mexican rhetoric by introducing the concept of “homeland maternity,” which redefined the boundaries of national belonging. This narrative positioned Central American immigrants as threats to national security and cultural identity, thereby justifying exclusionary policies and practices. Lizama examines the rhetorical strategies employed to depict these immigrants as inherently dangerous, emphasizing the role of media and political discourse in shaping public perception and policy. The study highlights the intersection of race, immigration, and national identity in the construction of political narratives.”

Mejia, Robert, Kay Beckerman, and Curtis Sullivan. “White Lies: A Racial History of the (Post)Truth.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 15, no. 2 (2018): 109-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2018.1456668

• AI Summary: “In this article, Mejia, Beckermann, and Sullivan critique the notion of a “post-truth era,” arguing that the current climate of misinformation and emotional appeals in political discourse is not a new phenomenon but rather a continuation of longstanding racial biases embedded in American society. They contend that the term “post-truth” obscures the historical realities of racism and the manipulation of truth to uphold white supremacy. Through case studies of American drug and housing policies, the authors demonstrate how these policies have been constructed and justified through narratives that marginalize people of color and reinforce racial hierarchies. By examining these historical contexts, the article challenges the idea that we are entering a new era of truth manipulation, highlighting instead that the manipulation of truth has always been a tool for maintaining racial inequality. “

Parks, Lisa, and Rahul Mukherjee. “From Platform Jumping to Self-Censorship: Internet Freedom, Social Media, and Circumvention Practices in Zambia.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 14, no. 3 (2017): 221-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2017.1290262

• AI Summary: “In this article, Parks and Mukherjee examine the evolving landscape of internet freedom in Zambia, focusing on the strategies employed by urban users to navigate and resist state-imposed digital censorship. Through qualitative interviews with 42 active ICT and social media users in Lusaka, the authors identify four primary circumvention practices: Platform Jumping: Users switch between different social media platforms to evade detection and suppression of their content; Anonymity: Employing pseudonyms and anonymous accounts to protect personal identity while engaging in online discourse; Self-Censorship: Deliberately withholding or modifying content to avoid potential repercussions from authorities; and Negotiation of Legal Challenges: Engaging with legal frameworks to contest or mitigate the impacts of censorship. The study emphasizes that these practices are not merely technical solutions but are deeply embedded in the socio-political context of Zambia. Rather than viewing circumvention as a set of techniques imported from the global north, the authors argue that it is a set of cultural practices that emerge within particular sociohistorical conditions and platforms of communication. This perspective highlights the agency of Zambian users in shaping their digital experiences and resisting authoritarian control over online spaces.”

Pyatovskaya, Evgeniya, and Julia Khrebran-Hörhager. “To Russia with(out) Love: Ukrainian War Refugees Migrating to the Land of the Aggressor.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22, no. 2 (2025): 220-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2025.2503822

• AI Summary: “In this article, Pyatovskaya and Khrebtan-Hörhager examine the complex experiences of Ukrainian war refugees who have sought asylum in Russia, the country responsible for the ongoing conflict. The authors explore the paradoxical nature of this migration, highlighting the challenges refugees face in a nation that is both their aggressor and their host. Through qualitative analysis, the study delves into the refugees’ narratives, shedding light on their coping mechanisms, the psychological toll of displacement, and the social dynamics within Russian society. The article contributes to the broader discourse on forced migration, identity, and the geopolitical implications of asylum-seeking in conflict zones.”

Rand, Erin J. 2025. “Affective Weapons: Targeting Trans Youth through Paternalistic Rhetorics of Care.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 425–36. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.25390

• AI Summary: Rand examines how U.S. conservative discourse has turned trans youth into “affective weapons”—symbolic flashpoints through which right-wing movements mobilize fear, grievance, and authoritarian control. Analyzing anti-trans legislation and campaign rhetoric, she argues that “paternalistic rhetorics of care” cloak coercion in the language of protection, converting cruelty into love. This framing not only dehumanizes trans youth but legitimates broader assaults on bodily autonomy, medical expertise, and democratic deliberation. Rand situates these dynamics within global patterns linking gender-restrictive politics to the rise of autocratic regimes.

Reeves, Joshua. “Rhetoric, Violence, and the Subject of Civility.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 19, no. 1 (2022): 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2022.2030062

• AI Summary: “In this article, Joshua Reeves examines the relationship between rhetoric and violence through the lens of cultural governance. He argues that authorities and institutions cultivate deliberative rhetorical norms to regulate citizens’ political conduct. The opposition between rhetoric and violence is utilized as a “police logic” to suppress radical political action. This logic not only suppresses physical violence but also expands the conceptual domain of violence, leading to the criminalization of certain subjects deemed as violent. Reeves’ analysis highlights how the construction of civility serves as a mechanism for maintaining social order and marginalizing dissenting voices.”

Silva, Kumarini. 2025. “Techno-Pastorality in the New ‘Golden Age.’” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 415–24. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539086.

• AI Summary: Silva theorizes the fusion of evangelical paternalism, capitalist privatization, and technological spectacle that marked Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign and early presidency. Centering a case study of post-hurricane relief in North Carolina involving Trump, Elon Musk, and Starlink, she develops the concept of techno-pastorality: the coupling of patriarchal Christian care with technocapitalist control. Drawing on Virilio’s dromocracy and critiques of capitalist paternalism, Silva shows how speed, spectacle, and privatized “care” transform authoritarian governance into a moral and technological crusade.

Van Schenck, Reed. “‘Remaking the World Memetically’: Interrogating White Nationalist Subject Formation through the Circulation of the ‘Wagecuck’ Meme.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 20, no. 3 (2023): 375-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2023.2228867

• AI Summary: “In this article, Reed Van Schenck examines the “wagecuck” meme—a 4chan-originated image featuring a white male character juxtaposed with a “NEET” (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) figure—to analyze how such digital artifacts contribute to white nationalist subject formation. Van Schenck employs a rhetorical materialist framework to explore how these memes circulate tropes of cuckoldry and wage slavery, positioning the white working-class male as a victim of societal structures. The study highlights how these memes encourage identification with a racialized victimhood, promoting a fantasy of agency rooted in antiblackness and class resentment. Van Schenck’s analysis underscores the role of digital media in constructing political identities that intertwine race, class, and gender anxieties to advance white supremacist ideologies.”

Willard, Zane Austin. “Ambivalent Surveillance: Teaching in the Times of Anti-Woke.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22, no. 1 (2025): 67-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2024.2439410

• AI Summary: “In this article, Zane Austin Willard examines the current landscape of public education in the United States, focusing on the impact of anti-woke legislation and its implications for educators. Willard introduces the concept of “ambivalent surveillance” to describe the dual role educators play under these laws: simultaneously complicit and resistant. He argues that such legislation, particularly in states like Florida, creates a racialized surveillance regime that censors discussions on race and racial issues, thereby enforcing a white-centric narrative in classrooms. Educators, especially those of color, find themselves navigating a precarious balance between adhering to institutional policies and upholding their commitment to teaching about race and racial justice. The article highlights the emotional and professional challenges faced by teachers under these constraints and discusses strategies for resistance within the classroom.”

Wood, Megan M. 2025. “Daddy’s Home: Sexual Politics, Authoritarian Desire, and the Re-Election of Donald Trump.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 22 (3): 408–14. doi:10.1080/14791420.2025.2539084

• AI Summary: This introduction to the Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies forum Authoritarian Sexual Politics situates Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election within a global resurgence of patriarchal, authoritarian movements. Wood argues that Trumpism functions through the orchestration of desire—mobilizing fantasies of the patriarchal family, gender hierarchy, and sexual regulation to bind affect to authoritarian power. Drawing on feminist and cultural theory, she traces how contemporary moral panics around gender, sexuality, and the family act as engines of authoritarian consolidation, linking intimate and geopolitical scales of power.

Zou, Sheng. “When Nationalism Meets Hip-Hop: Aestheticized Politics of Ideotainment in China.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 16, no. 3 (2019): 178-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2019.1637008

• AI Summary: “In this article, Sheng Zou examines the intersection of grassroots youth culture and state-led ideological efforts in China, focusing on the patriotic hip-hop music videos produced by the Chinese youth band CD Rev. Zou analyzes how the Chinese government co-opts popular cultural formats, particularly hip-hop, to promote state-centric ideology. By integrating symbols of both tradition and modernity, these music videos aim to localize and sanitize hip-hop as a medium of propaganda. The study discusses the limitations of such co-optative tactics, highlighting the tradeoff between ideological control and authentic expressivity, and the risk of de-sublimating cultural symbols for political persuasion.”

Communication and Democracy (previously First Amendment Studies)

Carlson, Caitlin Ring. “Hate Speech as a Structural Phenomenon.” First Amendment Studies 54, no. 2 (2020): 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/21689725.2020.1837649

• AI Summary: “In this article, Caitlin Ring Carlson argues that hate speech should be understood not merely as isolated instances of offensive language but as a structural phenomenon embedded within societal power dynamics. She posits that individuals in positions of power utilize verbal assaults and offensive imagery to maintain their preferred position in the existing social order, thereby perpetuating inequality and marginalization of certain groups. Carlson emphasizes the importance of recognizing this structural aspect to effectively address and mitigate the impact of hate speech in society.”

Chebrolu, E. “Free Speech and Loss in White Nationalist Rhetoric.” First Amendment Studies 54, no. 2 (2020): 197-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/21689725.2020.1837652

• AI Summary: “In this article, E. Chebrolu examines how white nationalist rhetoric employs the concept of free speech as a means to articulate a sense of loss, particularly in the context of anti-Blackness. Chebrolu argues that white nationalists frame their grievances around a perceived erosion of their right to free expression, which they attribute to societal changes and the marginalization of their views. This rhetoric positions their ideology as a countercultural stance, portraying themselves as victims of censorship and social exclusion. By analyzing this narrative, Chebrolu highlights the ways in which the invocation of free speech serves to legitimize and perpetuate white nationalist ideologies under the guise of defending constitutional rights.”

Elers, Christine Helen, and Pooja Jayan. “‘This Is Us’: Free Speech Embedded in Whiteness, Racism and Coloniality in Aotearoa, New Zealand.” First Amendment Studies 54, no. 2 (2020): 236-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/21689725.2020.1837654

• AI Summary: “Elers and Jayan critically examine the discourse surrounding free speech in Aotearoa (New Zealand), arguing that it is deeply embedded in structures of whiteness, racism, and coloniality. They contend that the prevailing liberal expressions of free speech often serve to dehumanize and marginalize Indigenous Māori and other minority groups. The authors highlight the ambivalence in New Zealand’s legislative acknowledgment of Māori sovereignty, as outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi, and how this reflects broader human rights violations. The article discusses instances where freedom of speech has been used as a shield to justify offensive and abusive attacks on Indigenous and minority communities, thereby perpetuating systemic inequalities. Elers and Jayan call for a re-examination of free speech that considers its implications on marginalized groups and challenges the dominant narratives that uphold white supremacy.”

Nasi, Francesco. “The Crisis of the Democratic Imaginary: How Anti-Democratic Imaginaries Foster Democratic Malaise.” Communication and Democracy 59, no. 1 (2025): 205-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2024.2434035

• AI Summary: “In this article, Francesco Nasi explores how certain contemporary social imaginaries—specifically the technocratic, neoliberal, and anti-political imaginaries—undermine the functioning of liberal democracies. He argues that while liberal democracy remains a widely accepted ideal, these anti-democratic imaginaries contribute to democratic malaise by fostering disillusionment and disengagement among citizens. Nasi emphasizes the importance of addressing these imaginaries to reinvigorate democratic practices and institutions.”

Salek, Thomas A. “Deflecting Deliberation through Rhetorical Nihilism: ‘Stop the Steal’ as an Unethical and Intransigent Rival Public.” Communication and Democracy 57, no. 1 (2023): 94-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2023.2202744

• AI Summary: “In this article, Thomas A. Salek analyzes the “Stop the Steal” movement, which emerged following the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and its impact on democratic deliberation. Salek argues that the movement constituted a “rival public”—an alternative discourse community that actively deflected rational debate and democratic engagement. He introduces the concept of “rhetorical nihilism” to describe the movement’s argumentative strategy, where any means are employed to discredit opposing viewpoints and institutions, thereby undermining the public sphere. Salek identifies three primary tactics used by the “Stop the Steal” movement: Conspiratorial Rhetoric: Promoting baseless claims about election fraud to sow distrust; Misinformation and Disinformation: Spreading false or misleading information to confuse and mislead the public; and Paralipsis via Rhetorical Questions: Using rhetorical questions to imply wrongdoing without providing evidence. Salek concludes that these strategies were employed not to foster democratic discourse but to disrupt it, highlighting the challenges posed by such movements to the functioning of a healthy democratic society.”

Sobre, Miriam S., and Mark P. Orbe. “Introduction: Academic Freedom and Critical Pedagogy in an Age of Educational Intimidation.” Communication and Democracy 59, no. 1 (2025): 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2025.2482595

• AI Summary: “In this article, Sobre and Orbe examine the contemporary challenges to academic freedom and critical pedagogy in educational environments increasingly characterized by political pressures and ideological control. They discuss how such pressures undermine the foundational principles of higher education, including the pursuit of knowledge, critical inquiry, and the fostering of democratic engagement. The authors call for a renewed commitment to defending academic freedom and promoting critical pedagogical practices that encourage open dialogue, diverse perspectives, and the questioning of dominant narratives. They argue that these efforts are essential for the health of democratic societies and the advancement of social justice.”

Sobre, Miriam S., and Ariel Seals. “The Rhetorical Strategies of Educational Intimidation: The Chilling Effects of Anti-DEI Legislation at a Hispanic Serving Institution in Texas.” Communication and Democracy 59, no. 1 (2025): 31-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2025.2488349

• AI Summary: “In this article, Sobre and Seals examine the impact of anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) legislation on a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Texas. They identify several rhetorical strategies employed by policymakers and institutional actors to intimidate educators and students, thereby suppressing open discourse on race, identity, and social justice in academic settings. The authors argue that these rhetorical tactics contribute to a “chilling effect,” where educators and students self-censor to avoid potential legal and professional consequences. This environment undermines the core values of higher education, particularly in institutions serving marginalized communities, by stifling critical dialogue and the pursuit of social justice.”

Vats, Anjali, and Mohan J. Dutta. “Locating Freedom of Speech in an Era of Global White Nationalism.” First Amendment Studies 54, no. 2 (2020): 156-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/21689725.2020.1838843

• AI Summary: “In this article, Vats and Dutta critically examine the concept of freedom of speech within the context of global white nationalism. They argue that traditional understandings of free speech often fail to account for how such freedoms can be exploited to perpetuate racist and exclusionary ideologies. The authors propose a reimagined framework that considers the social and political implications of free speech, emphasizing the need to balance individual rights with collective responsibility. By analyzing contemporary instances where free speech has been invoked to justify harmful rhetoric, Vats and Dutta call for a more nuanced approach that safeguards democratic values while addressing the challenges posed by white nationalist movements.”

Wentzel, Kayla, and Jennifer Lambe. “How Authoritarianism and Extraversion Relate to Censorship.” Communication and Democracy 59, no. 1 (2025): 245-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2025.2472640

• AI Summary: “In this study, Wentzel and Lambe investigate how personality traits—specifically extraversion and authoritarianism—correlate with individuals’ willingness to support censorship across various forms of expression. Utilizing a nationally representative sample of 2,850 U.S. adults, the researchers employed a revised version of Lambe’s Willingness to Censor scale, which assesses support for government censorship in categories such as pornography, hate speech, political speech, and more. The findings reveal that individuals exhibiting higher levels of left-wing authoritarianism (LWA) are more inclined to endorse censorship across all categories of expression. Conversely, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) shows a mixed relationship with censorship, being positively associated with support for censoring defamation, political speech, and pornography, but negatively associated with censoring abortion speech, hate speech, and privacy. Extraversion, a trait characterized by sociability and assertiveness, generally correlates negatively with support for censorship, suggesting that more extroverted individuals are less likely to favor restricting speech. However, when controlling for RWA, this negative association becomes more pronounced, indicating that extraverts may be particularly resistant to censorship when right-wing values are prevalent. The authors conclude that both LWA and RWA are linked to increased support for censorship, albeit in different ways, while extraversion tends to mitigate such support. These insights are timely, given the current media landscape’s shift towards dysregulation and uncensored content, and the contemporary alignment between Americans’ political and social identities. The study underscores the importance of considering individual personality traits in discussions about censorship and free speech.”

Zhang, Ningfeng, and Lily Díaz-Kommonen. “Toward a Rhetorical Understanding of Chinese Political Internet Memes Amid a Chinese Governance Crisis.” Communication and Democracy 58, no. 2 (2024): 226-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2024.2388647

• AI Summary: “In this empirical study, Zhang and Díaz-Kommonen explore the role of Chinese political internet memes as strategic rhetorical devices during a period of governance crisis in China. They argue that these memes enable civic ideological expressions within a constrained public sphere, serving as a form of resistance and commentary on political issues. The authors analyze the content and dissemination of these memes to understand how they function rhetorically in a highly controlled media environment.”

Communication and Race

Bulut, Ergin, and Basak Can. “The Persistence of Race, Violence, and State in a Post-Truth World.” Communication and Race 1, no. 1 (2024): 64-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/28346955.2024.2308885

• AI Summary: “In this article, Bulut and Can critically examine the interplay between race, state violence, and the dissemination of post-truth narratives, particularly within the context of Turkey. They argue that the nation-state plays a pivotal role in constructing and perpetuating racialized regimes of truth and post-truth, often through mechanisms that involve the creation of doubt, infliction of humiliation, and denial of dignity towards racialized others. Bulut and Can call for scholars of disinformation to centralize race in their analyses and to adopt more transnational perspectives, recognizing that imperial legacies in the Global South both visibly and subtly enable the infliction of state violence on racialized minorities and their media producers.”

Communication Education de Carvalho, Raiana, and Raquel Moreira. “Centering Latin America: Gender Politics, Attacks on Higher Education, and Lessons of Resistance from Brazil.” Communication Education 74, no. 2 (2025): 202-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2025.2489477

• AI Summary: “In this essay, de Carvalho and Moreira examine the intersection of gender politics and higher education in Brazil, focusing on the challenges posed by far-right political movements. They highlight how these movements have targeted academic institutions, particularly those promoting gender studies and feminist scholarship. The authors emphasize the resilience and strategies of resistance employed by academics and activists in response to these attacks. By centering Latin American perspectives, the essay offers insights into the global implications of political interference in education and the importance of safeguarding academic freedom.”

Lawless, Brandi, C. Kyle Rudick, and Kathryn Golsan. “Distinguishing (the) Right from Wrong: Knowledge, Curriculum, and Intellectual Responsibility.” Communication Education 68, no. 4 (2019): 481-495. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2019.1645871

• AI Summary: “In this article, Lawless, Rudick, and Golsan critically examine the political Right’s attacks on U.S. higher education, particularly the accusation that academics are too liberal. They argue that such claims often misuse arguments for freedom of speech and ideological diversity to undermine the mission of higher education. The authors assert that many ideas espoused by the political Right are deeply erroneous and harmful, rather than beneficial, to society’s ability to identify and address its problems. The article emphasizes the importance of safeguarding academic freedom and upholding the integrity of knowledge production and curriculum development in the face of these challenges.”

Soto-Vásquez, Arthur D. “Laboratory of Reaction: SB 17 in Texas, the Anti-DEI Movement, and Implications for Higher Education.” Communication Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2025.2522760

• AI Summary: “In this article, Soto-Vásquez examines Texas Senate Bill 17 (SB 17), legislation passed in 2023 that imposes significant restrictions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within public higher education institutions in Texas. The author contextualizes SB 17 within a broader national movement aimed at dismantling DEI programs, analyzing the ideological foundations and strategies employed by think tanks and political actors advocating for such policies. Soto-Vásquez discusses the implications of these legislative actions for higher education, particularly concerning academic freedom, curriculum development, and the inclusivity of educational environments. The article positions SB 17 as part of a larger reactionary effort to reshape the landscape of higher education by challenging the integration of social justice principles into academic institutions.”

Waltman, Michael S. “The Normalizing of Hate Speech and How Communication Educators Should Respond.” Communication Education 67, no. 2 (2018): 259-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2018.1430370

• AI Summary: “In this essay, Waltman examines the increasing normalization of hate speech in U.S. political discourse, highlighting its transition from fringe groups to mainstream political rhetoric. He attributes this shift to factors such as the rise of “alternative facts,” the rejection of fact-based truth claims, and political campaigns that intentionally divided Americans into tribes. Waltman argues that hate speech is not merely offensive language but a deliberate attempt to dehumanize others, rendering their identity and humanity questionable. He emphasizes the role of communication educators in addressing this issue, advocating for pedagogical strategies that promote critical thinking, foster inclusive dialogues, and challenge the normalization of hate in academic settings.”

Critical Studies in Media Communication

Neville-Shepard, Ryan. “Trump and the Truthers: Populist Demophobia and the Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory.” Critical Studies in Media Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2025.2517016

• AI Summary: “Neville-Shepard explores how Trump’s populist rhetoric, characterized by a distrust of elites and mainstream narratives, has contributed to the normalization and spread of conspiracy theories. He argues that Trump’s political discourse has emboldened conspiracy theorists, providing them with a platform and a sense of legitimacy. The article delves into the specific case of the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory, analyzing how it has been utilized within the broader context of populist demophobia—the fear and suspicion of elites and established institutions. By examining the rhetorical strategies employed by Trump and his supporters, Neville-Shepard highlights the dangers of populist demophobia in undermining public trust in factual information and democratic institutions. The article calls for a critical examination of the ways in which political rhetoric can facilitate the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, urging communication scholars and educators to address these issues in their work.”

Sahoo, Sananda. “India’s Internet Shutdowns as Biopolitics: The Formation of Political Will and Opinion through Collective Action under Attack.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 40, no. 5 (2023): 291-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2023.2265995

• AI Summary: “In this article, Sahoo examines India’s frequent use of internet shutdowns as a form of biopolitical control, analyzing how such measures suppress collective action and the formation of political will. The study highlights the state’s strategic use of digital disconnection to manage dissent and control public opinion, particularly in regions experiencing unrest. By disrupting communication channels, these shutdowns hinder the public’s ability to organize, share information, and engage in democratic processes. Sahoo argues that this practice not only infringes upon individual freedoms but also undermines the very foundation of democratic participation and collective agency.”

Serazio, Michael. “Encoding the Paranoid Style in American Politics: ‘Anti-Establishment’ Discourse and Power in Contemporary Spin.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 33, no. 2 (2016): 181-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295036.2016.1174338

• AI Summary: “In this article, Serazio analyzes how contemporary political discourse employs a “paranoid style”—a term coined by historian Richard Hofstadter in 1964 to describe a particular mode of political rhetoric characterized by suspicion, conspiracy theories, and a dichotomous worldview. Serazio examines how political figures and media outlets use this style to construct an “anti-establishment” narrative that positions elites as corrupt and the public as victims of manipulation. Through a combination of textual analysis and interviews with political consultants, he explores how this rhetoric serves to mobilize support by tapping into public fears and frustrations, thereby consolidating power and influencing public opinion.” Volčič, Zala. “Yugo-Nostalgia: Cultural Memory and Media in the Former Yugoslavia.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 24, no. 1 (2007) 21-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07393180701214496 AI Summary: “In this article, Volčič examines the phenomenon of Yugo-nostalgia—an emotional longing for the former country of Yugoslavia—experienced by some individuals in its successor countries. She explores how media and other cultural practices are mobilized in former-Yugoslav communities to recreate a shared cultural memory. Yugo-nostalgia paradoxically harkens back to a shared cultural history, even as it provides the raw material for new forms of national identities that continue to divide the former-Yugoslav republics. Volčič discusses how elements of the socialist past, such as the image of Josip Broz Tito, are appropriated in contemporary media and advertising to evoke a sense of unity and nostalgia. For instance, in 1999, a Slovenian advertisement used Tito’s image to market luxury cars, symbolizing the country’s transition to a consumer society while simultaneously invoking the utopian aspirations of the past. This appropriation reflects a complex relationship with the past, where nostalgia for a perceived better time is intertwined with current socio-political realities. The article delves into the complexities of collective memory, highlighting how media representations of the past can both unite and divide. While Yugo-nostalgia fosters a sense of shared history and identity, it also underscores the challenges of post-Yugoslav nationalisms and the ongoing process of redefining national identities in the region.”

Journal of International and Intercultural Communication

Aoki, Eric, and Kyle M. Jonas. “Collective Memory and Sacred Space in Post-Genocide Rwanda: Reconciliation and Rehumanization Processes in Mureithi’s ICYIZERE.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 9, no. 3 (2016): 240-258. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2016.1195007

• AI Summary: “In this article, Aoki and Jonas analyze Patrick Mureithi’s 2009 documentary, ICYIZERE: Hope, which captures a reconciliation workshop conducted by Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) in post-genocide Rwanda. The authors argue that the workshop depicted in the film creates a “sacred/secular space” where participants engage in a transformative process of rehumanization. This space is produced through negotiations of dialectical tensions between past and present, as well as individual and collective memory. The documentary showcases how participants reinterpret the “Other” through empathetic human interaction and identity-widening processes, facilitating a collective healing journey. The authors employ identity-widening theory to analyze how these interactions help expand participants’ identities to include broader, more inclusive understandings, moving beyond the divisive “us versus them” mentality.”

Bhat, Prashanth, and Kalyani Chadha. “Anti-Media Populism: Expressions of Media Distrust by Right-Wing Media in India.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 13, no. 2 (2020): 166-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2020.1739320

• AI Summary: “Bhat and Chadha analyze content from OpIndia, a prominent right-wing news website in India, to understand how it contributes to anti-media populism. The article outlines several strategies employed by OpIndia to delegitimize mainstream media. The study positions these tactics within the broader context of global anti-media populism, drawing parallels with similar movements in Western democracies. It also highlights the challenges faced by journalists in India, including self-censorship and threats, as a result of this hostile media environment.” de Souza, Rebecca, and Hussain, Syed Ali. “‘Howdy Modi!’: Mediatization, Hindutva, and Long Distance Ethnonationalism.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 16, no. 2 (2023): 138-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2021.1987505 AI Summary: “Rebecca de Souza and Syed Ali Hussain’s 2023 article, “Howdy Modi!”: Mediatization, Hindutva, and Long Distance Ethnonationalism, published in the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, analyzes the media coverage of the 2019 “Howdy Modi!” rally in Houston, Texas. The study examines how this heavily mediatized event advanced an ethnonationalist “American Hindutva” agenda. Through content and framing analysis of news articles from September 2019, the authors identify six key topics: spectacle, hype, and optics; Trump-Modi support; anti-Modi protests; negative coverage; anti-Islam/anti-Pakistan sentiments; and idealizing Modi. Frames such as “rock star Prime Minister” and “Modi as an embodiment of (Hindu) grace” were prevalent. The media coverage reinforced Hindu nationalism by drawing upon cultural pride and anti-Muslim sentiment, representing a new and “spreadable” venue for its proliferation.”

Graiouid, Said. “Critical International Communication and the Public Sphere: Theoretical Engagments with Tahakkum and Other-Interculturality.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 17, no. 4 (2024): 365-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2024.2389799

• AI Summary: “Graiouid argues that tahakkum (Arabic: التَّحَكُّمِ), meaning “domination,” hinders the functioning of the public sphere by reflecting the authoritarian state’s failure to foster plural deliberation and good governance. He illustrates this through two critical cases: the decline of Islamist influence and the Hirak movement against water privatization in a southeastern Moroccan oasis town. These cases demonstrate how power dynamics and state control impede open public discourse. In response, Graiouid proposes other-interculturality as an alternative epistemological and ethical framework. This approach emphasizes intercultural communication that interrogates embedded layers of power and domination, champions collective solidarity, and celebrates diversity without occluding difference. It seeks to create a more inclusive and equitable public sphere by recognizing and addressing systemic inequalities. The article contributes to the field of critical intercultural communication by integrating indigenous perspectives and challenging dominant paradigms that often overlook power structures and cultural nuances.”

Khrebtan-Hörhager, Julia, and Evgeniya Pyatovskaya. “Russian Women, Ukraine War, and (Neglected) Writing on the Wall: From the (Im)possibility of World Traveling to Failing Feminist Alliances. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 17, no. 1 (2024): 9-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2023.2265992

• AI Summary: “The article “Russian Women, Ukraine War, and (Neglected) Writing on the Wall: From the (Im)possibility of World Traveling to Failing Feminist Alliances” by Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager and Evgeniya Pyatovskaya, published in the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication in 2024, examines the role of Russian feminist and resistance groups during the Russia-Ukraine war. The authors highlight organizations such as Pussy Riot, the Feminist Antiwar Resistance (FAR), and its branch Les Pleureuses as significant agents of social change and cultural opposition. They argue that these groups have been instrumental in challenging the authoritarian and patriarchal structures within Russia, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict. The paper introduces the concept of “Second World Feminism,” positioning Russian feminism as a cultural product that offers a unique perspective within the broader framework of transnational feminism. The authors analyze how these feminist collectives have resisted militarism and authoritarianism, and they advocate for the inclusion of Russian feminist perspectives in global feminist alliances. Through their analysis, Khrebtan-Hörhager and Pyatovskaya emphasize the importance of recognizing the contributions of Russian feminist movements to peace and resistance efforts, challenging the narrative that confines women to roles of passive victims in times of war.”

Lacy, Michael G. “White Innocence Heroes: Recovery, Reversals, Paternalism, and David Duke.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 3, no. 3 (2010): 206-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2010.487221

• AI Summary: “Michael G. Lacy’s 2010 article, “White Innocence Heroes: Recovery, Reversals, Paternalism, and David Duke,” published in the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, critically examines the rhetorical strategies employed by David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader and Nazi sympathizer, to reframe his racist past and position himself as an antiracist advocate. Lacy analyzes a 1989 letter to the editor by Duke, written shortly before his Louisiana State Senate victory, in which Duke attempts to justify his previous support for white supremacy by invoking narratives of personal transformation and white paternalism. Duke’s rhetoric suggests that white individuals have a moral obligation to “rescue” Black communities from welfare dependency and to “save” white communities from affirmative action policies, thereby promoting a return to “rugged individualism.” Lacy argues that such narratives serve to sanitize histories of white supremacy, allowing individuals like Duke to maintain a facade of innocence and moral superiority. This process of “white innocence” is not unique to Duke but is also evident in broader political discourse, such as the 2008 McCain-Palin presidential campaign, where similar themes of recovery and paternalism were prevalent. By critically analyzing these rhetorical strategies, Lacy highlights how they perpetuate white privilege and obscure the ongoing legacies of racism in American society. In summary, Lacy’s article provides a critical examination of how white individuals and political figures can manipulate narratives of personal redemption and racial paternalism to obscure their racist histories and maintain positions of power and privilege.”

Quarterly Journal of Speech

Aronis, Carolin, and Eric Aoki. “Nooses and Nazi Swastikas on U.S. Campuses: An Anti-Racist Call for a Rhetorical Reframing of Hate Symbols as Violent Technologies.” Quarterly Journal of Speech. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2024.2377195

• AI Summary: “In their 2024 article, “Nooses and Nazi Swastikas on U.S. Campuses: An Anti-Racist Call for a Rhetorical Reframing of Hate Symbols as Violent Technologies,” Carolin Aronis and Eric Aoki critique how U.S. universities respond to hate incidents involving nooses and Nazi swastikas. They argue that university administrations often frame these acts as mere “symbols of hate,” which minimizes their impact and fails to address the material, spatial, and historical dimensions of the violence involved. By coining the term “technologies of violence,” the authors advocate for a rhetorical shift that recognizes these objects as active agents of oppression, deeply embedded in systemic racism and antisemitism. This approach calls for a more robust, anti-racist response to such incidents, emphasizing the need to treat them as acts of violence rather than symbolic expressions.”

Bosmajian, Haig A. “The Nazi Speaker’s Rhetoric.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 46, no. 4 (1960): 365-371. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335636009382435

• AI Summary: “Haig A. Bosmajian’s 1960 article, “The Nazi Speaker’s Rhetoric,” published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, offers a critical analysis of the rhetorical strategies employed by Nazi orators to manipulate public perception and facilitate the rise of totalitarianism. Bosmajian examines how Nazi speakers utilized persuasive language to dehumanize targeted groups, such as Jews, and to justify aggressive expansionism. He identifies specific rhetorical techniques, including the use of euphemisms, scapegoating, and appeals to nationalism, which served to legitimize violence and oppression. The analysis underscores the power of rhetoric in shaping public consciousness and enabling authoritarian regimes to gain and maintain power. This study contributes to the field of rhetorical criticism by illustrating the mechanisms through which language can be weaponized to support harmful ideologies. It serves as a cautionary reminder of the importance of critical engagement with political discourse to prevent the manipulation of public sentiment.”

Daniel, James Rushing. “Rewriting the Plan of the World: Peter Thiel’s Messianic Rhetoric and the End of Progressive Neoliberalism.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 111, no. 2 (2025): 272-295. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2024.2340046

• AI Summary: “James Rushing Daniel’s 2024 article, “Rewriting the Plan of the World: Peter Thiel’s Messianic Rhetoric and the End of Progressive Neoliberalism”, published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, critically examines how Peter Thiel, a prominent tech entrepreneur, employs messianic rhetoric to advocate for a radical reimagining of capitalism. Daniel argues that Thiel’s discourse seeks to dismantle the prevailing neoliberal order, which he characterizes as “progressive neoliberalism,” and replace it with a more exclusionary and aggressive form of capitalism. Drawing on Giorgio Agamben’s interpretation of Saint Paul’s theology, Daniel contends that Thiel adopts a Pauline stance to envision a “plērōma” (fullness) of capitalism—preserving the profit motive while discarding the progressive elements associated with neoliberalism. This analysis positions Thiel as a central figure in a broader far-right movement aiming to reshape global capitalism by blending theological language with economic ideology. By framing Thiel’s rhetoric within the context of contemporary neoliberal discourse, Daniel highlights the adaptability of neoliberalism as a rhetorical logic capable of incorporating arguments from across the political spectrum. The article underscores the significance of billionaire entrepreneurs as influential rhetors in shaping the ideological landscape of 21st-century capitalism.

Ghazal Aswad, Noor. “The U.S. American Left and Reverse Moral Exceptionalism: When Do Villains Become Heroes?.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 109, no. 4 (2023): 354-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2023.2250580

• AI Summary: “In her 2023 article, “The U.S. American Left and Reverse Moral Exceptionalism: When Do Villains Become Heroes?”, published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Noor Ghazal Aswad introduces the concept of “reverse moral exceptionalism” to critique how U.S. progressive discourses often center the United States as the sole agent of global harm, inadvertently marginalizing the voices of those directly affected by imperial actions. Aswad uses the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani as a case study. While many in the U.S. left viewed Soleimani’s death as a dangerous escalation, people in Iran, Iraq, and Syria celebrated it, seeing it as a moment of justice against a figure responsible for significant repression in their countries. This disparity highlighted a disconnect between U.S. leftist perspectives and the lived experiences of those in the Middle East. Aswad argues that reverse moral exceptionalism—an ideology that critiques U.S. imperialism but still centers U.S. narratives—obscures the agency and voices of those in revolutionary struggles abroad. This approach, she contends, inadvertently perpetuates a form of colonialism by failing to recognize the complexities of global resistance movements. Aswad’s analysis calls for a more nuanced understanding of international solidarity, one that listens to and amplifies the voices of those directly affected by imperial actions, rather than imposing external narratives that may not align with their realities.”

Ghazal Aswad, Noor. “Cultivating Radical Care and Otherwise Possibilities at the End of the World.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 110, no. 2 (2024): 313-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2024.2323672

• AI Summary: “In her 2024 essay, “Cultivating Radical Care and Otherwise Possibilities at the End of the World,” published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Noor Ghazal Aswad examines how radical subjects—individuals engaged in embodied resistance against oppressive systems—navigate and reimagine the world amid crises such as environmental degradation, patriarchy, and geopolitical conflict. Through these frameworks, Aswad advocates for a reimagining of how we might foster radical care and solidarities with those in pursuit of hope, justice, and liberation.”

Gilbert, Christopher J. “The Diapered Donald: Comic Infantilizations of a U.S. American President.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 107, no. 3 (2021): 328-353. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2021.1945132

• AI Summary: “Christopher J. Gilbert’s 2021 article, “The Diapered Donald: Comic Infantilizations of a U.S. American President,” published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, critically examines how satirical portrayals of Donald Trump utilize infantilization to diminish his presidential authority. Gilbert argues that such comedic representations serve to blunt the rhetorical force of Trump’s presidency by depicting him as a figure of ridicule rather than a formidable political leader. The analysis delves into how these portrayals function rhetorically, suggesting that they not only undermine Trump’s image but also reflect broader societal dynamics concerning power and authority. Gilbert’s work contributes to the understanding of political humor and its role in shaping public perception of political figures.”

Kelly, Casey Ryan. “Donald J. Trump and the Rhetoric of Ressentiment.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 106, no. 1 (2020): 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2019.1698756

• AI Summary: “In his 2020 article, “Donald J. Trump and the Rhetoric of Ressentiment,” published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Casey Ryan Kelly analyzes the emotional and moral dimensions of President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, focusing on how he employs ressentiment—a concept rooted in Nietzschean philosophy—to shape public discourse. Kelly defines ressentiment as a condition where individuals, feeling powerless and impotent, internalize their frustrations and transform them into a moral framework that justifies their victimhood and desire for revenge. In Trump’s speeches, this manifests as a narrative where he portrays himself and his supporters as victims of societal elites, media, and political opponents, thereby legitimizing their grievances and calls for retribution. Through rhetorical analysis of Trump’s rally speeches, Kelly demonstrates how he constructs a dichotomy between virtuous victims and corrupt adversaries. This inversion of moral values—where victimhood is seen as virtuous and the oppressed are depicted as morally superior—serves to mobilize support by appealing to emotions of anger and injustice. However, Kelly argues that this strategy ultimately undermines democratic values by promoting a cycle of grievance and revenge over constructive political engagement. By framing Trump’s rhetoric within the concept of ressentiment, Kelly provides a critical lens through which to understand the emotional undercurrents of his political appeal and the implications for democratic discourse.”

Lee, Michael J. “The Populist Chameleon: The People’s Party, Huey Long, George Wallace, and the Populist Argumentative Frame.” Quarterly Journal of Speech 92, no. 4 (2006): 355-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630601080385

• AI Summary: “Michael J. Lee’s 2006 article, “The Populist Chameleon: The People’s Party, Huey Long, George Wallace, and the Populist Argumentative Frame”, published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, explores the enduring structure of populist rhetoric in U.S. political history. Lee identifies a consistent “argumentative frame” that underpins various populist movements, despite their differing political content and contexts. Lee traces these themes through the rhetoric of the People’s Party, Huey Long, and George Wallace, illustrating how each adapted this frame to their specific political contexts. He concludes by analyzing the link between populism’s persistence in U.S. history and the nation’s Founding, suggesting that the populist frame taps into foundational narratives of American identity and democracy.”

Young, Michael. “Towards a Rhetorica Theory of Charisma: Corinthians, Cults, and Demagogic Criticism.” Quarterly Journal of Speech. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335630.2024.2427019

• AI Summary: “Michael Young’s 2024 article, “Towards a Rhetorical Theory of Charisma: Corinthians, Cults, and Demagogic Criticism”, published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, offers a critical examination of the concept of charisma within rhetorical studies. Young proposes that charisma is not merely an inherent quality of a leader but is constructed through rhetorical practices that violate established norms. He draws upon the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthians to illustrate how early Christian rhetoric employed unconventional strategies to establish authority and influence. This analysis extends to contemporary contexts, where similar rhetorical tactics are observed in cults and demagogic movements. By challenging traditional norms, these rhetorical practices create a sense of exceptionalism that can lead to the formation of charismatic authority. Young’s work contributes to a deeper understanding of how charisma functions rhetorically and its implications for both religious and political discourse.”