Volume 2018 (2018)

Issue Summary

The student essays featured in this edition address topics in African American Studies, Communications, and English. They include research on salient issues around race, depictions of women in pop culture, and the role and power of media. In her paper, Meghan Costello challenges her own preconceptions in an effort to understand how the national anthem can be used to protest racism. Meleah Hartnett investigates a popular situation comedy and reveals the problematic nature of its success—a humorous, but disturbingly representative depiction of society’s often degrading view of women. Mark Walsh discusses partisan bias evident today in media outlets and uncovers the dangerous potential result of magnifying polarized views among media consumers. Finally, Kara Woglom examines the lasting negative impact of an academically segregated education system on Black students.