- Communication Department
2000 University Ave
University of Dubuque
52001
Franklin Yartey
University of Dubuque, Communication, Faculty Member
- www.franklinyartey.comedit
This article draws on John Locke's theoretical conceptualisation of eavesdropping in examining the surgical, representational, and communicative practices of plastic surgeon and celebrity, Dr. Michael Salzhauer (aka Dr. Miami). I draw in... more
This article draws on John Locke's theoretical conceptualisation of eavesdropping in examining the surgical, representational, and communicative practices of plastic surgeon and celebrity, Dr. Michael Salzhauer (aka Dr. Miami). I draw in part on literature in surveillance and visual studies to critically examine the visual and auditory features of Dr. Miami's Snapchat stories, which, like reality television, are disseminated to audiences for their consumption. Through a critical visual analysis, I examine how the combination of social media (i.e., Snapchat) and visually documenting surgical practices has helped resurrect the Anatomical Theatres of the 13th to 18th centuries in digital forms through eavesdropping. Five themes emerged from the analysis: Resurrecting the Anatomical Theatre, Cosmetic Theatres, Technologically Mediated Gazes, Clinical Anatomical Objectification (CAO) and Anaesthetic Coma: Digitally Eavesdropping.
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This paper critically examines the visuals and texts on Kiva.org, using race in cyberspace and the notion of the subaltern as theoretical frameworks (Nakamura, 2002; 2008). The imbalances of the past still exist in digital forms on the... more
This paper critically examines the visuals and texts on Kiva.org, using race in cyberspace and the notion of the subaltern as theoretical frameworks (Nakamura, 2002; 2008). The imbalances of the past still exist in digital forms on the Internet. This paper argues that although organizations like Kiva seek to promote social change in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), the web 2.0 technologies they use generate some of the same inequalities they seek to address. These inequalities question the development and social change characteristic of these digital technologies. The study concludes that although the empowered appear to speak on socio-financial networks like Kiva.org, paradoxically, their voices are silenced through the same web 2.0 technologies used to empower them.
Key words: Subaltern, Web 2.0, Empowerment, Voice, Kiva, Representation.
Key words: Subaltern, Web 2.0, Empowerment, Voice, Kiva, Representation.
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Discourse surrounding the Trayvon Martin case spilled over to social media platforms with heated visual and textual exchanges. While supporters for Mr. Martin cried racial profiling, arguing for civil rights violation, others averred... more
Discourse surrounding the Trayvon Martin case spilled over to social media platforms with heated visual and textual exchanges. While supporters for Mr. Martin cried racial profiling, arguing for civil rights violation, others averred that Mr. Zimmerman's killing of Trayvon was justified because he shot him in self-defence. Many people have shared similar sentiments across the United States. Social curation site Pinterest displays thousands of images reflecting some of the national feelings on the State of Florida v. George Zimmerman. Using Lisa Nakamura's Race in Cyberspace theoretical framework, and drawing in part from semiotics, the present study critically examines some of the images of race, solidarity and dissent on Pinterest. Two themes emerged, performing white privilege and presenting a counter-discourse.
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This article provides a critical analysis in examining narratives on Zidisha.org, a microlending site that facilitates loans to the poor, building on media scholar Mark Andrejevic's conception of the digital enclosure and the critical... more
This article provides a critical analysis in examining narratives on Zidisha.org, a microlending site that facilitates loans to the poor, building on media scholar Mark Andrejevic's conception of the digital enclosure and the critical anthropology of development scholar Anke Schwittay's theorisation of financial inclusion. Online microlending sites like Zidisha have wide-reaching implications for policy and development initiatives. The study's findings suggest that perceptible signs of the contemporary neo-liberal effort to assemble ordinary people through Web 2.0 communication technologies to participate in the socio-financial enclosure are riddled with issues of control and surveillance, coupled with a paradoxical meaning of the financial inclusion concept.
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HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that is still pervasive globally. Through effective health communication campaigns, the disease may be contained. This paper is a rhetorical visual analysis of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief... more
HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that is still pervasive globally. Through effective health communication campaigns, the disease may be contained. This paper is a rhetorical visual analysis of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and its online presence. Global policy initiatives such as PEPFAR have wide reaching ramifications. Thus, the rhetoric of the George W. Bush administration as reflected in the PEPFAR initiative bears scrutiny. Both visual and discursive tropes reflected in the PEPFAR initiative offer an interesting contradiction. While the Bush administration's rhetoric purported to offer succor to those stricken with HIV/AIDS, the actual content and substance of PEPFAR belied its surface appearances by undercutting support for those in danger of being infected and those already ill with HIV/AIDS.
Keywords: Bush, PEPFAR, rhetoric, security, HIV/AIDS
Keywords: Bush, PEPFAR, rhetoric, security, HIV/AIDS
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This paper examines the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), a non-governmental organization within the larger HIV/AIDS movement. ACT UP is examined through the lens of new social movement network theory (Atkinson, 2009). Using... more
This paper examines the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), a non-governmental organization within the larger HIV/AIDS movement. ACT UP is examined through the lens of new social movement network theory (Atkinson, 2009). Using constitutive rhetoric (Charland, 1987), the narrative capacities of the rhetorical strategies that appear to be embodied on ACT UP’s Web site are reviewed. The impact that ACT UP has on health and social policy globally has wide reaching ramifications, making the current investigation into its rhetorical strategies viable and important. The findings suggest ACT UP employs constitutive rhetoric to affect a viable narrative capacity in its network.
Research Interests: Social Movements, African Studies, Communication, Media Studies, Intercultural Communication, and 31 moreNew Media, Rhetoric, Health Promotion, Digital Humanities, Globalization, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Networking, Digital Media, Global media, Computer Networks, HIV and AIDS education, HIV/AIDS, Global Health, Computer-Mediated Communication, Stigmatization, Rhetorical Criticism, Critical Media Studies, Public Health, HIV/AIDS policy, Databases, Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, History, politics, and culture of HIV/AIDS, Software, HIV / AIDS treatment, Health Comunication, Hiv Aids, ACT UP, Constitutive Rhetoric, Hiv and Aids Survival Analysis, Caribbean Africa India U.S.A. U.K. Turkey International Comparative Sociology Prevention Disability UNAIDS UN Oxford, and Science and Technology Studies
Using theoretical frameworks from Appadurai, (1990); Nakamura, (2008); and Gajjala and Birzescu, (2010), this study employs visual analysis to examine the communication processes used in acquiring loans for people of low socio-economic... more
Using theoretical frameworks from Appadurai, (1990); Nakamura, (2008); and Gajjala and Birzescu, (2010), this study employs visual analysis to examine the communication processes used in acquiring loans for people of low socio-economic status in developing countries. Images and narratives on online microfinance site, kiva.org, were examined in this study. The results suggest that though online microfinance through web 2.0 communication technologies is helping the poor, by providing people who otherwise would not have access to loan products with financial services, many of the so-called “poorest of the poor” do not have direct access to global communication tools used to represent them on sites such as kiva. This study suggests that the representation of borrowers from developing countries is riddled with representational issues.
Keywords: Kiva, microfinance, globalization, digital media, social change
Keywords: Kiva, microfinance, globalization, digital media, social change
Research Interests: African Studies, Development Economics, Communication, Intercultural Communication, Globalization, and 12 moreInternational Development, Postcolonial Studies, Digital Media, Global Governance, Visual Rhetoric, Global media, Microfinance, Information/Communication Technologies and Development, Social Media, Globalisation and Development, Critical and Cultural Theory, and Cultural Globalization
In this study, the authors examine the use of smart phones for self-broadcasting among college students based on motivation and network externalities theories. The authors propose that smartphones have changed telephones from a... more
In this study, the authors examine the use of smart phones for self-broadcasting among college students based on motivation and network externalities theories. The authors propose that smartphones have changed telephones from a point-to-point interpersonal medium to a broadcast medium for individuals to disseminate information to their networks through the use of social media. The authors hypothesized that the more friends and followers a student has on Facebook and Twitter respectively, the more likely the student will use friends and followers as self-broadcasting mediums from their smartphones. The hypothesis was supported based on survey data collected at a public university. The study also discusses the social implications of using smartphones as a broadcast and self-promotion medium.
Keywords: Facebook, Motivation Theory, Network Externalities Theory, Self-Broadcast, Self-Presentation, Self-Promotion, Smartphones, Twitter
Keywords: Facebook, Motivation Theory, Network Externalities Theory, Self-Broadcast, Self-Presentation, Self-Promotion, Smartphones, Twitter
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This study examined behavioral, cognitive, and emotional jealousy in India (N = 1,111) and the United States (N = 1,087). Significant differences were found between men and women for all dimensions of jealousy. Indians reported less... more
This study examined behavioral, cognitive, and emotional jealousy in India (N = 1,111) and the United States (N = 1,087). Significant differences were found between men and women for all dimensions of jealousy. Indians reported less cognitive and emotional jealousy than Americans. Religion was found to be a significant predictor of jealousy. Hindus were higher on
cognitive and emotional jealousy, while Christians were higher on cognitive jealousy than Muslims. Results also show the interaction of sex and religion affected jealousy. Results of this study indicate both biology and social context influence jealousy.
Keywords: Jealousy, Sex, Religion, Nationality, Cross-cultural
cognitive and emotional jealousy, while Christians were higher on cognitive jealousy than Muslims. Results also show the interaction of sex and religion affected jealousy. Results of this study indicate both biology and social context influence jealousy.
Keywords: Jealousy, Sex, Religion, Nationality, Cross-cultural
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“FEMA doesn't evacuate communities. FEMA does not do law enforcement. FEMA does not do communications...Many may be surprised to learn that, guess what, FEMA doesn't own fire trucks. We don't own ambulances. We don't own search and rescue... more
“FEMA doesn't evacuate communities. FEMA does not do law enforcement. FEMA does not do communications...Many may be surprised to learn that, guess what, FEMA doesn't own fire trucks. We don't own ambulances. We don't own search and rescue equipment. The people of FEMA are being tired of being beat up, and they don't deserve it.”
--Federal Emergency Management Agencies (FEMA) Director Michael D. Brown during a congressional hearing in January 2006
This study comparatively analyzes the Federal Emergency Management Agency's crisis public relations communication leading up to and during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav to determine what, if any, changes FEMA made to its communication strategy. Employing framing analysis, the authors discovered that, aside from an increase of more than double the number of words devoted to its Gustav crisis communication, the action statements within FEMA’s crisis rhetoric had significantly decreased since that before and during Katrina.
--Federal Emergency Management Agencies (FEMA) Director Michael D. Brown during a congressional hearing in January 2006
This study comparatively analyzes the Federal Emergency Management Agency's crisis public relations communication leading up to and during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav to determine what, if any, changes FEMA made to its communication strategy. Employing framing analysis, the authors discovered that, aside from an increase of more than double the number of words devoted to its Gustav crisis communication, the action statements within FEMA’s crisis rhetoric had significantly decreased since that before and during Katrina.
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Examines the narrative role of the humingbird in the Green Belt Movement
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This chapter examines the use of smartphones for self-broadcasting via social media among college students. Based on motivation and network externalities theories, our survey of a public university’s college students confirmed our... more
This chapter examines the use of smartphones for self-broadcasting via social media among college students. Based on motivation and network externalities theories, our survey of a public university’s college students confirmed our hypotheses that network size, years of experience using social media and the time spent on social media positively predict their frequency of self-broadcasting on their smartphones. The results suggest that 85.2% of college students self-broadcast at least once a month by updating their status on SNS and students are likely to self-broadcast within their network. Most students set their profile privacy setting as private or semi-private. But privacy setting does not affect self-broadcast frequency.
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Research Interests: Communication, Media Studies, New Media, Self and Identity, Virtual Reality (Computer Graphics), and 11 moreVirtual Environments, Virtual Communities, Identity (Culture), Social Media, Virtual Teams, Narrative and Identity, Virtual Worlds, New Media Studies, Second Life in Education, Mass Communication and New Media, and Avatars
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Research Interests: Communication, Journalism, Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict, Mass Communication, and 9 moreCitizen Journalism, Journalism Ethics, Ethnic Conflict, Online Journalism, Peace & Conflict Studies, Ethnic Conflict and Civil War, Journalism Studies, Broadcast Journalism, and Newspapers and online journalism
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Research Interests: Critical Theory, Cultural Studies, Development Economics, International Economics, Communication, and 11 moreIntercultural Communication, Feminist Theory, Globalization, Poverty, Postcolonial Studies, Microfinance, Social Media, Poscolonial studies, Poverty and Inequality, Microfinance and women's empowerment, and Postcolonialism
Research Interests: African Studies, Communication, Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, Health Communication, and 16 moreAfrican Diaspora Studies, HIV and AIDS education, HIV/AIDS, South African Politics and Society, African Politics, Health, Public Health, HIV/AIDS policy, Public Communication Campaigns, Africana Studies, Health communication and mass media, HIV and AIDS, Community health nursing, Communication Campaigns, South African social and cultural history, and Ebola
Microlending through online venues has introduced a new model of lending through web 2.0 communication technologies. I examined micro lending through online venues – such as kiva.org, MicroPlace.com, and ACCION.org. The theoretical... more
Microlending through online venues has introduced a new model of lending through web 2.0 communication technologies. I examined micro lending through online venues – such as kiva.org, MicroPlace.com, and ACCION.org. The theoretical framework is based in Critical Cyberculture Studies and Critical Development Communication using visual analysis (Brummett, 2010; 2011; Mirzoeff, 2009; Nakamura, 2008; Olsen, 2007; Sosale, 2007) as my method, which is supplemented with interviews. I draw in part from visual rhetoric to inform my critique of the interplay of visual images, symbols, texts, and other elements in the microfinance web sites. On the home pages of Kiva.org, ACCION.org and MicroPlace.com, I analyzed the layout, including visuals and texts on their respective homepages. I examined the communication processes in these web 2.0 portals, because while some sites may indeed empower the poor, other sites may be disempowering to the poor. Kiva, ACCION, and MicroPlace thus reproduce issues of race, identity, and representation online, becoming discursive and rhetorical spaces where race and identity are produced and reproduced in various forms (Nakamura, 2002). Understanding the representations of third-world identities/bodies on micro lending sites is important. Also, global development initiatives such as kiva.org, MicroPlace.com, and ACCION.org have wide reaching ramifications; thus, the notion of empowerment of the poor, as reflected on the web portals of kiva.org, MicroPlace.com, and ACCION.org, bears scrutiny.
Research Interests: Critical Theory, Social Movements, African Studies, Intercultural Communication, Rhetoric, and 16 moreDevelopment Studies, Feminist Theory, Globalization, International Business, International Development, Postcolonial Studies, Feminist Philosophy, Computer-Mediated Communication, Microfinance, Social Media, Development, Role of Microfinance in Poverty Reduction: Ghana as Case Studies, Visual Comunication, Rural Credit & Microfinance, Microfinance in India, and Microfinance and women's empowerment
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The move to living more of our lives on our screens presents us with charitable opportunities online. Helping others through microfinance may be an effective way to bring about positive transformation in the lives of others, but sometimes... more
The move to living more of our lives on our screens presents us with charitable opportunities online. Helping others through microfinance may be an effective way to bring about positive transformation in the lives of others, but sometimes aspects of online lending programs that are invisible to us, such as high interest rates, negatively affect borrowers. In this essay I provide a brief overview of microfinance and discuss why responsible lending is essential, using two online microfinance institutions as examples. I conclude by proposing a guide for lending intelligently and responsibly online.