Abstract
The April 2021 issue of the Journal of Communication Inquiry starts with research regarding the presentation of minority groups in television series and ends with two book reviews about being an antiracist and the state cultural producers in Iran. In other articles published in this issue, a new perspective about research methodology is brought up, animal liberation activists talk about their experiences with violent images, two signature Scottish movies are socioeconomically contextualized, and academic public journalism articles are criticized.
David Sramps argues that recent American series show a shift in the depiction of Black men. This research challenges academics to look at current media representation of Black males and examine how their depictions have changed over time to a more favorable image. According to Stamps, these series can become forms of cultural capital for minority audiences and counter negative characterizations that once vilified the group. This research shows a significant change in the depiction of a minority group and prescribes a new path for scholars to investigate minority audiences’ engagement with affirmative media characters.
Perry Parks gives us a new perspective regarding research methodology in journalism and media communication. Unlike the widespread belief in academia that research questions should precede choosing research methods, Parks argues that scholars who prioritize choosing their favorite research methods might ask creative questions they never expected. Parks argues that choosing a research method close to the heart of scholars can enrich their research with enthusiasm and inspiration for their colleagues and peers.
Laura Fernández interviews animal liberation activists in three European countries and shows that exposure to moral shock has been decisive in the adoption of veganism and involvement in activism. This research shows the importance of images in enhancing moral perception and creating strong emotions and responses to cruelty against animals. However, interviewees also shared their concern that overusing these pictures might normalize violence against animals.
Brian Goss examines two signature Scottish films and argues that they are the symptoms of the United Kingdom’s post-1970s neoliberal economic program. Goss shows that these movies made in two different milestone eras are the symptoms of the socioeconomic that they were produced in, and the symbol of a request for changing a society burdened by poverty and injustice.
St. John and Johnson argue that academic public journalism articles from 1991 to 2018 have significant gaps in identifying the public sphere and acknowledging public journalism efforts’ credibility. This article shows that research in this area suffers from incoherence and a lack of agreement regarding major issues. This paper suggests that focusing more on the audiences’ perspective can enrich contemporary public journalism research.
Adams, in her review of Kendi’s book “How to Be an Antiracist,” praises the way Kendi presents concepts through the lens of his life. Adams argues that this book presents racism and antiracism alongside other elements of identity and in a versatile format for various audiences with different levels of education. Rahimi, in her review of Bajoghli’s book “Iran Reframed: Anxieties of Power in the Islamic Republic,” expresses her fascination with the book’s narrative of personal stories of the state cultural producers in Iran. However, she criticizes the book to simplify the Iranian state cultural apparatus by looking at a small and liberal portion of pro-regime producers.
Finally, I would like to thank the authors, reviewers, editorial board, advisory board, and SAGE publishing for their work in making this issue possible. I would especially like to thank the authors and reviewers who diligently worked on their manuscripts and patiently cooperated with us throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.