Legal Communication Students Present Research at Multiple Conferences

Essays from three legal communication research teams were accepted for presentation at the most recent meetings of the Central States Communication Association, Southern States Communication Association and Western States Communication Association. These teams completed their respective projects during the fall 2022 semester. Their goal was to execute a research program about legal rhetoric and the values of diversity, equity and inclusivity.

The first team featured Elizabeth Berry, Holly Marr, Margot Reemtsen and Elizabeth White. Their research, “The Business of Interviewing: The HIPAA Metaphor in Sports Journalism,” explored how privacy law in the healthcare industry impacts the media’s portrayal of Black athletes. This project was named to the top papers panel for the Sports Communication division of the Central States Communication Association.

The second team included Alondra Gilbrech and Reaves Robinson. Their research, “The Case Against Leftist Lunacy: A Metonymic Criticism of Libs of TikTok’s Forensic Rhetoric,” charted how conservative influencer Chayna Raichik appropriates courtroom argument to degrade people who support transgender rights. This paper was presented as part of the Theodore Clevenger Undergraduate Honors Conference, held concurrently with the Southern States Communication Association conference.

The third team’s members were Reece-Mallory Couch, Emma Hawkins, McLean Leech, Braeden Moening and Peter Welcher. Their research, “Operation Varsity Blues: How to Teach Qualitative Research Methods and Raise Consciousness about Neoliberal Racism in Education,” provided a guideline for instructing wannabe lawyers about the confluence of neoliberalism and racism in documentary media about law. This paper was presented as part of the Undergraduate Scholars Research Conference, held concurrently with the Western States Communication Association conference.

Terrell Jake Dionne, a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Communication, directed these projects. Dionne designs the legal communication seminar with the U of A’s high-impact teaching practices in mind. Specifically, Dionne’s class provide students with an opportunity to collaborate on writing-intensive research projects about U.S. and global diversity. Dionne is proud of his students for seizing the opportunity to produce knowledge about legal rhetoric, oppression and liberation.

This story also appeared in the University of Arkansas News publication.