The UAB Department of Communication Studies will host an Annette Shelby Endowed Lecture titled "How Local News Can Slow Polarization" with Dr. Joshua P. Darr, Associate Professor in the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a Senior Researcher at Syracuse’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism, and Citizenship.

An antidote to the polarization that has overtaken American politics might be found in a seemingly unlikely place: local news. As national news flooded the marketplace and local newspapers closed, American politics became more bitterly divided and nationalized. In short, when people read news about their neighborhoods, schools and municipal services, they think like locals; when they read about national political conflict, they think like partisans. In his talk, he’ll describe his research showing why local news can influence political polarization and preview some of his current work on the future of local news and American politics.

More about the speaker: Dr. Darr's research focuses on political communication, with a focus on local media, campaign strategy, and political behavior. He is a 2022 recipient of an Andrew Carnegie Award and an author of the book Home Style Opinion (2021, with Matthew Hitt and Johanna Dunaway) from Cambridge University Press. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.