Dr. Stine Eckert is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication.

Main Discipline(s):

Main Professional Societies:

Affiliation(s):

  • Communication and Media Studies
  • International Communication Association (ICA)
  • Association for Education in Journalism and Communication (AEJMC)
  • German Communication Association (DGPuK)
  • Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Wayne State University
What are your undergraduate and graduate degrees in and from where?
  • University of Leipzig, Germany, Journalism Studies and American Studies, Bachelor-Equivalent
  • Ohio University, USA, Broadcast Journalism, M.S.
  • University of Maryland, USA, Journalism Studies, Ph.D.
  • University of Maryland, USA, Graduate Women’s Studies, Certificate
Give a brief summary (250 words or less) of your current area of research.

My research focuses on media and gender; media and minorities; public spheres and counterpublics; the democratic potential of new and social media; online abuse and harassment; and women and minorities in journalism in the USA and Western Europe.

How did you arrive at your current area of research?

I studied to become a journalist and worked as a journalist during my studies, as I was always interested in so many different topics when I grew up, ranging from art to history to medicine to law and foreign countries. Working in journalism allowed me to learn about all kinds of themes and countries, but in the process I got fascinated by the process of how journalism is created and how media impact society and do so differently in the discourses of particular national contexts. During graduate school I learned more about the layers of gender and race impacting journalism, which became a big focus as I increasingly observed in studies that production and content is tied to people’s connected life worlds and standpoints.

What do you see as a current emerging area of research that you would like to participate in and why?

I am currently working on a study on the impact of gender on leadership in newsrooms and the changing workplaces and work conditions for journalists during the current transformation of the profession due to digitalization and globalization. I am also interested in learning more about the intersections of artificial intelligence and discourse in publics.

Tell us your (one) favorite STEM research paper or book.   Why it is your favorite?
One paper that changed how I approached research for theorizing how publics work that has deeply impacted me has been Nancy Fraser’s (1990) article “Rethinking the public sphere: A contribution to the critique of actually existing democracy.” It so clearly outlines the power dynamics that determine who is heard how in society and why publics have to be thought of in plural as well as containing ever-shifting systemic inequities across different publics.
Do you have a favorite scientist, engineer or other role model? Who is it and why?
I have been lucky to have had several scientists around me that I admire for the work that they have been doing. They have also pushed me to do better work. It would be difficult to name them all. smile
What do you do for fun outside of your role as a woman in STEM?
I love gardening! I am not getting tired of observing the fascinating process of planting a seed and seeing it germinate and grow to a full plant with blossoms unfolding and fruit growing. It is a lot of fun to try to grow new herbs and vegetable varieties.