The Ohio State University
3072 Derby Hall
154 North Oval Mall
Columbus, OH 43210-1339
Qualifications:
B.A., University of Washington
M.A., University of Washington
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Courses Taught:
101 History of Human Communication
500 Quantitative Reasoning for Journalists
597.01 Media and Terrorism
607 Media Law
807 Foundations of Communication Theory
841 Mass Communication and the Social System
Publications:
McCluskey, M. & Hmielowski, J. (in press). Opinion expression during social conflict: Comparing online reader comments and letters to the editor. Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism, formally accepted February 22, 2011.
Dylko, I. B., & McCluskey, M. R. (in press). Media effects in an era of rapid technological transformation: A case of user-generated content and political participation. Communication Theory, formally accepted August 30, 2011.
McCluskey, M. (in press). Social movements. In Oxford Bibliographies Online: Communication. New York: Oxford University Press. Formally accepted October 11, 2011.
Recent Presentations:
Ross, R. & McCluskey, M. (2011). Media Multitasking and Narrative Engagement: Multitasking as a Moderator of Transportation. Presented to Mass Communication & Society Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Louis, August 11.
McCluskey, M. & Kim, Y.M. (2011). Conflict in the news: Influences of proximity, importance and newspaper size. Presented to Newspaper Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Louis, August 10.
McCluskey, M. (2011). Web persistence, continuity and change on pro-white sites. Presented at International Communication Association, Boston, May 30.
Links:
http://www.comm.ohio-state.edu/People/Faculty/MichaelMcCluskeyAddlInfo.aspx
Quick Introduction:
Political communication, journalism, activism, new communication technologies.
Description:
My research interests in political communication revolve around activism and journalism, activists’ use of technology, entertainment television effects, and media and terrorism. The interrelationship of activist organizations, their communication strategies with political leaders, the public and journalists, and news coverage continues to be a topic of interest. An ongoing project is analyzing news content with activist group data, including organizational characteristics and their communication and lobbying strategies. This builds upon a previous project that compared environmental group characteristics and communication strategies with news coverage. Another ongoing project examines change and continuity of content on activist organization Web sites. I’ve previously conducted studies into anti-WTO demonstrations in Seattle and analysis of protests in Wisconsin over 40 years.
Another current research area is Terror Management Theory, in which I have been studying how fictional entertainment programming triggers death-related thoughts, which lead to changes in political attitudes. An experiment found that subjects exposed to clips from the TV show “24” were more likely to support torture, with a paper from that study earning a top three faculty paper award in 2009 from the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication. I am also investigating ideas for future research on Media and Terrorism.
I am also involved in the journalism program, including membership on the Publications Committee and designing a new multi-media journalism course. I am on the editorial board of the journal Mass Communication & Society, and regularly review manuscripts for several journals and conferences. I was research co-chair in 2008-2009 for the Mass Communication & Society division of AEJMC.
I joined the Ohio State faculty in 2006 after two years at California State University, Fresno. My background includes 16-plus years as a print journalist, including stints as editor of a weekly newspaper, a sports writer/editor/columnist for a daily and a news beat reporter for a daily. I’ve also written numerous free-lance articles and helped write the memoirs of a Vietnam War veteran. But my best preparation for the ups and downs of life was driving a taxi for 18 months in Seattle, my hometown. Away from the office, you might find me working out, hiking or watching horse races.