From the Editor

From Super Bowls to Storms: Students Unpack the Stories Shaping Our World

From Super Bowl halftime shows to Hurricane Helene, celebrity defamation trials to book bans, Elon undergraduates tackle a wide-ranging spectrum of current media topics in the latest edition of the journal.

Caroline Bienfang’s analysis of Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the Super Bowl reveals how he incorporated coded messages through cross-referencing audience discourse, media reception, and frameworks such as African American folklore and “Poetics of Inversion.” Meanwhile, Lydia Cohen’s study of Hurricane Helene finds that mainstream news headlines may not produce significant shifts in audience perception but may play a role in maintaining public dialogue about climate change and extreme weather.

Focusing on recent trials such as Depp v. Heard, Elizabeth Flieger examines how online commenters reacted to prominent defamation cases and finds that opinions were often influenced by emotional authenticity, ethical considerations, and contextual framing rather than strict legal outcomes. Through interviews with K-12 educators about book bans, Audrey Geib discovers recurring themes of professional tension, fear of retaliation and a commitment to students’ right to access diverse perspectives through literature.

Two researchers focused on challenges in the rapidly changing world of work. Betsy Schlehuber conducted in-depth interviews with autistic journalists, revealing obstacles they face in the field and exploring which accommodations employers should provide. Analyzing online discussion threads, Ashley Josey explores how digital nomads build and sustain social connections and suggests what kinds of communication tools or systems might better support them.

In other studies, Joey Fisher’s examination of editing in recent films uncovers distinct pacing patterns aligned with traditional genre expectations, although some films deviate from expected norms. Angelina Giallella’s analysis of how media covered Kamala Harris’s sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha reveals primary themes of historical significance, political influence, and Black women’s empowerment. Angela Pecora’s research focuses on parents who share online content about their special needs children and identifies ethical challenges such as the lack of informed consent and the perpetuation of stereotypes. Charlotte Turner’s study of online privacy policies employed eye-tracking technology and finds that the presence of icons improves user engagement and memory of online privacy policy content, while consistent left-aligned placement of icons supports a more focused reading experience.

Please enjoy the fine work of these young scholars.

Harlen Makemson
Professor
Editor, Elon Journal