Research Philosophy
With Kenneth Burke, I hold that humans are both symbol-using and symbol-abusing creatures and with the rise of a highly mediated society, the use and abuse of rhetorical symbols is now, more than ever, the use and abuse of media.
My writing and scholarly interest is in the process of signification that happens through mediating messages. Informed by Roland Barthes and Ferdinand de Saussure, I believe a textual analysis that would be traditional in rhetorical studies critiques only one signifying element; that analyzing mediated messages calls for a critique of the medium itself as a second signifying element; that identifying patterns of signification can only happen when both elements are understood and critiqued as a synergy.
Since coming to UNLV, three of my papers received awards in national and regional competitions: two at annual Broadcast Education Association (BEA) conferences in 2001 and 2002, and one at the Western States Communication Association conference to be held in 2003. Each of the three papers builds on my philosophy of finding the nexus of signifying messages and enabling technology. In all, I have seen six papers accepted for presentation at national or regional conferences since coming to UNLV.
My early scholarship was influenced by work in both the Internet and in journalism. This work significantly broadened my base of knowledge, but had the deleterious impact of splitting my energies over two broad subject areas. While I believe that these topics can (and should) be regarded as a converged area of study, I realize that I need to focus on one or the other to maximize any impact I want to have on the field. I feel I can best do this by continuing my studies and scholarship in journalism and broadcasting.
Current and Future Projects
I currently have one project in development: a chapter for a book that the Greenspun School faculty are collectively writing about divergent views of Las Vegas. We hope to publish the book in time for the grand opening of Greenspun Hall in 2008. My chapter deals with how Las Vegas is depicted to external audiences (those people not living here) on popular television series. Mine is a critical chapter that will springboard from a content analysis of two contemporary television series...CSI: Crime Scene Investigators, and Las Vegas. I hope to demonstrate how some depictions of our city cultivate a mindset among our millions of municipal visitors that promotes only the seamier side of Las Vegas.