Matthew McAllister

Matthew McAllister is a Professor in the Department of Film Production and Media Studies at the Penn State University’s Bellisario College of Communications. His research focuses on critical advertising studies, political economy of mass media, and popular culture. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and has been affiliated with the Department of Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies.

McAllister has authored books such as The Commercialization of American Culture and co-edited volumes like The Routledge Companion to Advertising and Promotional Culture. His work appears in journals including Advertising & Society Quarterly and Journal of Communication. He teaches courses on media and society, cultural aspects of advertising, and oversees the Ph.D. proseminar.

Recipient of prestigious awards including the National Communication Association Teaching Award (2011) and Penn State’s Graduate Faculty Teaching Award (2014), he was elected a Fellow of the International Communication Association in 2025. His research spans topics from Cold War-era UFO advertising to contemporary issues like hypercommercialism and media ethics.

McAllister’s work bridges academia and public engagement, reflected in features like his Research Unplugged presentation on superheroes in Hollywood. He is based in the 209 Carnegie Building, contactable at mpm15@psu.edu.