Isaac Blacksin

Isaac Blacksin is an Assistant Professor of Critical Media Studies in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on the intersection of media practices, cultural studies, and critical theory, particularly in contexts of global military conflict. He holds a Ph.D. from the History of Consciousness Department at UC Santa Cruz and an M.A. in Religious Studies from Stanford University. His work examines how news media constructs narratives that legitimize official war rationales through ethnographic studies of journalists in conflict zones like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

Blacksin’s first book, *Conflicted: Making News from Global War*, analyzes how war reportage inadvertently sanctions military actions despite its critical intent. His current project explores simulation, fantasy, and popular culture’s role in military training. His research has been supported by major foundations and appears in journals like *Public Culture*, *Journalism*, and *Media, War & Conflict*. Prior to Texas A&M, he held postdoctoral positions at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication.

His publications span topics including casualty count reporting, fixer-journalist dynamics, and humanitarian discourse in conflict zones. He teaches courses on global media and political communication.