David F Stephens Jr

David F Stephens Jr. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Film at the University of Memphis. He specializes in critical/cultural media studies, teaching courses on media literacy, television studies, internet and new media, and graduate-level critical media studies.

• Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
• M.A., University of New Orleans
• B.A., Alabama State University

His research examines how Black communities leverage new media platforms (podcasts, social media) to negotiate interpersonal/romantic relationships, challenging misogynistic and anti-Black discourses through frameworks of race, gender, sexuality, and affect theory. Current projects include analyzing Black nerd identity performance in digital spaces and the neoliberal dynamics of social media influencer culture. While no formal awards are listed, his publications in Communication, Culture & Critique and edited volumes demonstrate scholarly engagement with contemporary media issues.