David Domke

The study of communication is at the heart of understanding how we create, represent, and experience reality. Words are not just letters that we have decided happen to go together; rather, words are the means by which we communicate our values, persuade, encourage, or chastise others, pursue our ideals, and ultimately create the meaning of life that makes us fully human. These perspectives, communicated here and in my teaching and research, are why I am a professor of Communication. And, further, they are why I was a journalist before I became a professor, working for such newspapers as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Orange County Register, and why I continue to be particularly interested in the role of journalism in society.

I teach a variety of courses focusing on mass communication, journalism, politics, and public opinion. Because most of us have grown up in a mass media world, we often are not aware of the ways in which media shape our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, social relationships, and broader culture. In my courses, I explore these concerns from the perspectives of both media consumers and media producers. In 2002, I was honored to receive the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award. To see a syllabus from any of the courses I teach, visit my courses page.

I conduct research examining the relationships among political elites and news media, individual values and cognitions, and social change. This research suggests that how news media and societal elites interact to shape discourse about issues has considerable influence on individual perceptions and behavior. Among the topics examined in this research include: national identity in the aftermath of September 11, race relations including racial profiling, crime, immigration, abortion, gays in the military, health care, euthanasia, gun control, and education. For more information about this research, visit my research overview page