Caty Borum's latest book received a positive review in the new issue of Journal of Public Interest Communications, which focuses on the intersection of communication and social change. The review noted: "Caty Borum’s The Revolution Will Be Hilarious: Comedy for Social Change and Civic Power (NYU Press) demonstrates deep insight and years of dedication to comedy’s use as a tool to further social justice movements...With such an interdisciplinary perspective, Borum has authored an incredible resource for media professionals, social justice organizations, and public interest communicators alike."
Filippo Trevisan, together with Nanette Levinson (SIS) and Derrick Cogburn (SIS/Kogod), organized a mini-track on Culture, Identity, and Inclusion within the Digital and Social Media track at the 57th Hawai’i International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), which took place in Honolulu between January 3-6.
Kurt Braddock has been elected to the leadership of the National Communication Association's Political Communication Division. Beginning this year, Kurt will serve as Vice Chair-Elect for the PCD, after which he will serve as Vice Chair (2025), and finally Chair of the Division in 2026. This places Kurt in leadership positions for two divisions with NCA, as he is also currently Vice Chair of the Applied Communication Division.
Maya Livio's essay, "The Generative and the Generational", was commissioned and published in English as well as translated to Spanish by the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The text examines generative AI through a feminist lens, centering on a large-scale media artwork that premiered in NYC this fall by internationally renowned artist Michelle Ellsworth (Guggenheim Fellowship, Doris Duke Impact Award). The essay was commissioned for the catalogue Michelle Ellsworth: Evidence of Labor (2023).
Another of Maya's essays, "Mammal Meteorology: On Fauna as Forecasting Infrastructure", was published by FIBER Festival (Amsterdam) as part of their environmental initiative, Weatherscapes Lab. The short piece reflects on how nonhuman animals have been mobilized as climate sensors and surfaces questions about the uneven distribution of heat.
Maya also joined AU's Carbon Offsets Advisory, contributing to communal decision-making about the university's carbon offsets strategy.
Join Media in the Mix as we kick off the New Year with SOC's proud Alum, Eddie Leavy! Eddie is a Haitian-American actor, singer, voiceover artist, and writer based in Los Angeles and New York. With a background in musical theater and penchant for comedy, Eddie is best known for playing “Anthony” on the Lorne Michaels produced sitcom A.P. Bio, which ran for four seasons on NBC and Peacock. We dove into his time at SOC, being an actor in the 2023 Hollywood strike, and what life has been like the last few years. Listen here to our striking conversation and let us know what you think.
Scott Talan was quoted in a Forbes article about new shows with Don Lemon, Tulsi Gabbard, and Jim Rome planned to launch on X (formerly Twitter). "This makes a lot of sense, and it is one of the few smart moves Elon Musk has made since he bought Twitter in late 2022 for $44 billion," explained Scott Talan, assistant professor of Public Relations & Strategic Communication in the School of Communications at American University. "This move shows that X is trying to find a diverse mix of personalities for the platform," said Talan. "That said, Musk needs to do a lot more."
