Newswise — Washington, DC (June 4, 2013) — One could argue that the word “queer” carries so much baggage that its use can cause confusion as to how it should be spoken, who can speak it, and what it really means. The month of June, Gay Pride Month, provides an opportunity to re-examine and offer some context to the evolution of the “Q” word.
Members of the National Communication Association who study rhetorical and cultural theory, social movements, gender and communication, and queer studies can provide insight into the following:
•How has the word “queer” evolved from meaning “strange” or “unusual” and having a long history of being a homophobic epithet, to becoming an institutionalized and respected area of academic study?•What is “queer theory?”•Has “queer” become mainstream? How does “queer” politics and communication differ from “mainstream” GLBTQ political discourse?
WHO:Charles E. Morris III, Ph.D. Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Syracuse UniversityDr. Morris’s research interests include rhetorical criticism, GLBTQ rhetorics, public memory, and social protest. He is a co-editor of the recently published anthology, An Archive of Hope: Harvey Milk’s Speech and Writings.
Alyssa A. Samek, Ph.D.Department for the Study of Culture & Society, Drake UniversityDr. Samek’s research blends her interest in rhetoric, gender, and sexuality with the study of social movement activism and politics. Her recent work investigates 1970s lesbian-feminist activism and coalition building in the U.S.
Isaac West, Ph.D.Department of Communication Studies, University of IowaDr. West’s research interests include rhetorical, legal, cultural, and queer studies. His most recent book, Transforming Citizenships: Transgender Articulations of the Law (NYU Press) will be published in December 2013.
CONTACT:To schedule an interview with an expert, please contact Arlyn G. Riskind at [email protected] or 202-534-1104.
###About National Communication AssociationThe National Communication Association (NCA) advances communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry. The NCA serves the scholars, teachers, and practitioners who are its members by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching. Dedicated to fostering and promoting free and ethical communication, the NCA promotes the widespread appreciation of the importance of communication in public and private life, the application of competent communication to improve the quality of human life and relationships, and the use of knowledge about communication to solve human problems.
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