Heidi Hamilton

Heidi Hamilton serves as Professor of Communication and Interim Associate Dean of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at Emporia State University, where she has been faculty in the Department of Communication and Theatre since 2004.

Her academic credentials include:

• Bachelor's in Government and International Affairs from Augustana College (now University), Sioux Falls, SD
• M.A. in Rhetorical Studies/Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina
• Ph.D. in Rhetorical Studies/Communication Studies from the University of Iowa

Dr. Hamilton's research program examines political rhetoric through dual lenses: foreign policy discourse (analyzing social protests against military actions from WW1 to Iraq War eras) and gendered rhetoric (investigating women in politics, celebrity activism, and advertising's role in consumer culture). Her notable projects include critical analyses of anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, the rhetorical strategies of Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice, and President Trump's hegemonic masculinity in foreign policy communications.

Her scholarly impact is recognized through:

• Ruth Schillinger Award (2015)
• ESU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Excellence in Service Award (2013)

Dr. Hamilton actively shapes her discipline as president of the American Forensic Association and editorial board member for Contemporary Argumentation and Debate. Her prior service includes directing Emporia State's Ethnic and Gender Studies program, while her teaching portfolio spans Public Speaking, Communication & Gender, Social Movements, and Critical Analysis of Advertising courses.