Erik C Nisbet
Contact Information
School of Communication
The Ohio State University
3016 Derby Hall
154 North Oval Mall
Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: (614) 292-3400
Fax: (614) 292-2055
Qualifications
B.A., Government/International Relations, Cornell University
M.S., Communication, Cornell University
Ph.D., Communication, Cornell University (June 2008)
Profile
My primary research interest is comparative political communication and the media psychology of international relations, combining theory and research from both the fields of communication and political science. My theoretical focus is on how the interplay between media frames and social identity schema impact audience perceptions of international conflict and terrorism across national contexts. My current studies examine how foreign media not only directly shape public opinion toward the United States, but also how foreign media may embed anti-Americanism within national or cultural identity. I take a parallel approach with American media and public opinion, examining how the media environment in combination with American religious and/or political identities shapes public opinion about Islam/Muslims, terrorism, foreign policy, and civil liberties.
A secondary research focus centers on strategic framing processes and their impact on public opinion, both at the psychological and sociological levels of analysis. Past and present research includes examining how political actors and the media frame issues like globalization or global climate change, as well as the impact of these strategic framing attempts on audience perceptions about these issues. This interest in strategic communication partially stems from my seven years of industry experience in strategic marketing.
My teaching interests include a broad array of classes in the field of communication, including strategic communication, international communication, comparative political communication, public opinion, and science communication.
Recent Publications
Nisbet, E.C., Ostman, R., and Shanahan, J. (forthcoming). “Public Opinion toward Muslim Americans: Civil Liberties and the Role of Religiosity, Ideology, and Media Use.” In A. Sinno’s (ed.) Muslims in Western Politics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press
Nisbet, E.C. (forthcoming). “Islam and the American Public Sphere.” In J. Cesari’s (ed.) Muslims in Europe and the United States after 9/11. Oxford: Routledge.
Nisbet E.C. (2006). The engagement model of opinion leadership: testing validity within a European Context. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 18 (6), 3-30
Scheufele, D.A., Hardy, B., Brossard, D., Waisel-Manor, I.S., Nisbet, E.C., (2006) Democracy based on difference: examining the links between structural heterogeneity, heterogeneity of discussion networks, and democratic citizenship. Journal of Communication, 56(4), 728-753
Upcoming/Recent Presentations
Nisbet, E.C. and Miller, Y. (2008, May). “The Media Psychology of International Conflict: Anti-Americanism and Islamophobia.” Paper accepted to the 2008 American Association for Public Opinion Research Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Nisbet, E.C. and Shanahan, J. (2008, May). “Anti-Americanism as a Communication Problem? Media Effects, Public Opinion, and Public Diplomacy in Europe and the Middle East.” Paper accepted to the 2008 International Communication Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, ON.
Nisbet, E.C (2007, September). “Media, identity, and issue salience of democracy in the Arab Public Sphere.” Paper presented to the Comparative Democratization Division of the 2007 American Political Science Association Conference. Chicago, IL.
Nisbet, E.C. (2007, August). “The ‘New’ Arab Public Sphere: satellite news, political identity, and anti-Americanism.” Paper presented to the International Communication Division of the 2007 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.