Laurel Ahnert

Laurel Ahnert is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University. Her research focuses on ethical questions in global documentary films and nonfiction visual media, analyzing how filmmakers navigate relationships with subjects, audiences, and socio-historical contexts. She employs a film-philosophy approach to explore themes of truth, authenticity, and identity in documentary representation.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Communication, Georgia State University
• M.A. in English, Syracuse University
• B.A. in Film Studies, University of South Carolina

Her work interrogates the moral dimensions of documentary practices, including how films construct reality and engage with embodied identity. Though no specific awards or grants are listed in the provided texts, her scholarship emphasizes critical analysis of visual culture's ethical implications.