Alison Trope

Alison Trope is a Clinical Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, serving as Director of Undergraduate Studies and founder/director of the Critical Media Project. She holds a PhD in Critical Studies from USC (1999) and specializes in media literacy, popular culture, and social justice. Her research explores representation in media, gender studies, and the intersection of activism/philanthropy in Hollywood.

• Leadership roles include Director of the Institute for Diversity and Empowerment at Annenberg (IDEA) and Board Member of NAMLE.
• Notable works include Stardust Monuments (2012) and Critical Media Literacy in Diverse Communities (2018).
• Teaches courses on communication theory, fashion culture, and community engagement.

Her work emphasizes empowering youth through critical media literacy to challenge systemic inequities. The Critical Media Project is widely used in U.S. schools, fostering dialogue around race, gender, class, and ability.

Publications span visual culture, Hollywood history, and feminist critique, with recent focus on media’s role in social movements and racial justice frameworks.