A little about me
I am a communication scholar, educator, and public intellectual whose work examines how media systems shape and are shaped by democratic life. My research explores the relationship between institutions, culture, and public discourse, with particular attention to how communication systems and practices are situated between continuity and change in an increasingly interconnected world.
My work has appeared in Communication Theory and contributes to broader conversations in communication theory, comparative media systems, journalism studies, and democratic governance. While many of my projects draw insights from African and Global South contexts, my broader goal is to develop concepts and explanations that travel across societies and help illuminate communication phenomena in a global context.
Beyond research, I am deeply committed to teaching, mentorship, and public engagement. I view scholarship not only as a process of understanding the world but also as an opportunity to contribute to more informed, responsive, and democratic societies.
The interconnected questions that my research asks include but are not limited to:
1. How do media systems evolve?
I conduct research that examines how competing institutional traditions interact to shape media systems over time. My work challenges assumptions that media systems rest upon singular cultural foundations and instead examines how pluralism, conflict, accommodation , and institutional change influence communication structures.
2. How do societies define the role of journalism?
I investigate how different democratic societies understand the normative responsibilities of the press, including questions of accountability, public service, community, and democratic governance.
3. How does communication shape institutional change?
My research explores how public discourse, media power, and emerging communication technologies influence broader processes of social and institutional transformation.