Professor Hoover's research focuses on the relationship between media and religion in domestic and international contexts. As an expert in media audience studies, he employs qualitative, interpretive, and ethnographic field methodologies as well as critical reception analysis to study the ways that religion is being changed in the media age. He has a growing international reputation for his work in this new and emerging field, and is a frequent lecturer, commentator and consultant on this topic both domestically and globally.
keywords
media audiences; media systems, policy, regulation, practice, and media audience measurement; qualitative and interpretive methods; humanistic analysis including hermeneutic, semiotic, historical; media and religion
MDST 2002 - Media and Communication History
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2019
Examines the historical development of communication forms, tools, technologies and institutions (orality, writing, printing, photography, film, radio, television, computers, internet); their influence on culture (forms of expression and social relationships); and their impact on social and individual experience. Applies knowledge of communication history to contemporary social issues and problems in media and society, domestically and internationally.
MDST 4371 - Media and Religion
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2018
Examines the way religion uses media as a social and political force. Introduces the major themes and trends in the mediation of religion and the religious inflection of the media in professional, popular, and emerging media contexts.
MDST 6671 - Media, Myth, and Ritual
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2021
Explores cultural practices of media audiences. Addresses theoretical and methodological implications of studying audiences from a culturalist perspective, with particular focus on media audience practices. Students engage in field research projects related to course content. Formerly MDST 6671.
MDST 7011 - Proseminar in Media Communication Theory 1
Primary Instructor
-
Fall 2018 / Fall 2023
Introduces the principal concepts, literature, and theoretical and paradigmatic perspectives of media studies and mass communication and their ties and contributions to parallel domains in the social sciences and humanities. Formerly MDST 7011.
MDST 7021 - Proseminar in Media and Communication Theory 2
Primary Instructor
-
Spring 2021
Continues the introduction of principle concepts, literature, and theoretical and paradigmatic perspectives of media studies and mass communication and their ties and contributions to parallel domains in the social sciences and humanities. Formerly MDST 7021.
