Roger Aden

Roger Aden, Ph.D., is the Charles E. Zumkehr Professor of Speech Communication at the School of Communication Studies, part of Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication. His research focuses on rhetoric, public memory, and the interplay between physical and imagined spaces. He holds a faculty position in a department emphasizing communication studies with a strong focus on cultural and spatial analysis.

Aden’s work explores how places—both physical and conceptual—are shaped by rhetorical narratives and cultural memory. His notable publications include studies on fan communities, college football’s cultural impact, and public memory projects like the President’s House installation in Philadelphia. Current research under the Zumkehr Professorship examines childhood memory spaces and national mall symbolism.

His academic contributions span books and edited volumes addressing topics such as cultural geography, media narratives, and historical memory. His work bridges qualitative methods with rhetorical analysis, offering interdisciplinary insights into how spaces and places are socially constructed through discourse.

Aden’s current projects, accessible via his Zumkehr Professorship page, further explore memory and place through collaborative and community-engaged research frameworks.