Not a day goes by when someone does not blame a problem on social media. A top journalist at The Financial Times wrote about the ‘social media ‘monster’’, in this case focusing on the use of mobile and social media can be addictive for some users (Thornhill 2025). Its squares with common sense, right? Our … Continue reading Before you Demonize Social Media: Researchers are at Work
Internet Studies
The Training of America’s Apprentice President
The Training of America’s Apprentice President: An Explanation of the Crisis in American Pluralism? American presidents have come from a variety of backgrounds, from military leaders to lawyers and more. Many local politicians have been real estate agents as both involved working with residents and businesses. Arguably, however, Donald Trump has come into his office … Continue reading The Training of America’s Apprentice President
The Fulbright Program: Why Should We Care?
The resignations of all but one member of the board of the US Fulbright Program is concerning. Their resignations followed claims of political interference with the Program from the White House.[1] Let me explain why everyone should care about its future, even if you are not a ‘Fulbrighter’. When I was a professor at the … Continue reading The Fulbright Program: Why Should We Care?
Short Listening Spans
Short Listening Spans: The Lost Art of Conversation in the Social Media Age? Our world is rich with distractions – maybe too rich. It used to be TV, now blame is more often focused on social media. Many people find it difficult to focus on reading a book or even an email, or writing a … Continue reading Short Listening Spans
Technology, Society, and Power
Technology & Society Meets Power A new book by Professor Jan van Dijk signals a major shift in debate on technology and society – the increasing centrality of power. I’ve endorsed his book, which is aptly entitled Power and Technology (Polity 2024). Jan van Dijk, an emeritus professor at the University of Twente, has been … Continue reading Technology, Society, and Power
Telegram: A Valuable Platform to the People of Ukraine
William H. Dutton and Lisa Chernenko The arrest of Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, has generated a raft of commentaries, generally attacking Durov, Telegram’s moderation policies and its role in Russia. It has been characterized as a ‘platform for the Kremlin to convey its narrative of the war to ordinary Russians’ (Murphy & Klasa 2024; Foy … Continue reading Telegram: A Valuable Platform to the People of Ukraine
Portulans’ New Team of Fellows
I had the pleasure of attending an introduction – an ‘onboarding’ – of this year’s new Fellows of The Portulans Institute. There is nothing like meeting a group of talented early career academics and professionals to reinforce my optimism about the future. Our fellows are a clear example of this promise. Screen shot from the … Continue reading Portulans’ New Team of Fellows
Ukraine’s Networked Resilience
I have just finished an online discussion at Mariupol State University. It was an American-Ukrainian panel discussion on the development of public studies [public communication in the US] in Ukrainian higher educational institutions (HEIs). In addition to myself, it involved faculty from the Cambridge Judge Business School, Mariupol State University, the MIT-Ukraine Program at the … Continue reading Ukraine’s Networked Resilience
Professor Steve Jones Awarded the Williams Prize for Contribution to the Study of Communication and Technology
My congratulations to Professor Steve Jones, the UIC Distinguished Professor of Communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), who has been awarded the Williams Prize for Contribution to the Study of Communication and Technology. The award was announced at the 74th Annual International Communication Association (ICA) Conference, held in Australia from 20-24 June … Continue reading Professor Steve Jones Awarded the Williams Prize for Contribution to the Study of Communication and Technology
Courtney Bower Joins the Ukraine Case Studies
The Ukraine Case Studies Team is delighted to be joined by Courtney Bower, a Ph.D. candidate in regional science at Cornell University and a Senior Fellow at the Portulans Institute. Courtney’s research examines technological resilience and regional innovation systems. Related topics of his research include the circular economy, post-war reconstruction, infrastructure policy, and Black Sea … Continue reading Courtney Bower Joins the Ukraine Case Studies