Game of Thrones Finale: Communication Scholars Available for Commentary
Millions of viewers will tune into the much-anticipated series finale of HBO’s Game of Thrones this Sunday night. National Communication Association scholars and media studies experts are available to provide insights on the show’s impact on pop culture and answer questions such as:
- How will the portrayal of strong, empowered women affect the roles women play in future programs?
- How has the show produced images of hypermasculinity, violence, and misogyny?
- Why and how has Game of Thrones gotten millions of viewers to tune in each week (to a subscription cable channel) in an era of binge-watching and streaming services?
- How has social media elevated viewers’ engagement of Game of Thrones? What’s the nature of fandom in an era of Game of Thrones?
- Author George R.R. Martin has yet to complete the book series on which Game of Thrones is based. What happens when a show breaks free of its source material?
If you are interested in exploring these questions or any other Communication-related GoT topics, the following scholars are available to provide commentary before, during, and after Sunday’s finale.
WHO
John Jordan
Associate Professor of Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
John Jordan, Ph.D., has published numerous works on the relationship between popular media and audiences, specifically studying how movies and television influence public communication, and vice versa. Dr. Jordan obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia in 2001.
Helen Morgan Parmett
Associate Professor in the Department of Theater, University of Vermont
Helen Morgan Parmett, Ph.D., is an Edwin W. Lawrence Endowed Professor of Forensics and Director of the Speech and Debate Program, as well as Affiliate Faculty in the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and Film and Television Studies Programs. Dr. Parmett’s research and teaching centers on critical media studies, especially on relationships among media, identity, and space/place. Dr. Parmett’s research is invested in how media’s production practices (particularly those of radio, film, TV, interactive new media, and sports media) are materially implicated in urban spatiality and the constitution of place and identity.
Brooks Oglesby
Doctoral Candidate, University of South Florida
Brooks Oglesby is a doctoral candidate in Communication at the University of South Florida, primarily focusing on performance and critical media studies. Oglesby recently presented a paper at the National Communication Association’s 2018 Annual Convention titled, "Weaponized Disability and Hypermasculinity in Game of Thrones."
CONTACT
To schedule an interview with any of these experts, please contact Sandra L. Rodriguez at srodriguez@natcom.org or 202-534-1104.
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