معرفی
Michael W. Wagner is the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea and Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He directs the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal (CCCR) and holds appointments in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Department of Political Science. His research examines how information ecosystems shape public opinion, political participation, and policy preferences, with a focus on mediated political messages, psychological factors, news logics, and industry-academy collaboration.
Education: B.S. in Journalism from the University of Nebraska (1998), Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University (2006). Former roles include faculty positions at the University of Delaware and University of Nebraska.
Research interests include political communication, public opinion dynamics, and civic engagement. He employs mixed methods: panel surveys, experiments, content analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches to address democratic health challenges. Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and books like Battleground: Asymmetric Communication Ecologies.
Teaching spans undergraduate to graduate levels, including courses on mass communication, political communication, and fact-checking. Recipient of five university-wide teaching awards, including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Scientific awards include the Ken and Linda Ciriacks Outstanding Alumni Outreach Award and co-founding the Elections Coverage and Democracy Network. Advised over 10 Ph.D. students, many placed at top institutions.
Led the CCCR with a team of 24+ faculty/students, producing dozens of articles, books, and conferences on mediated information and politics. Served on editorial boards for Public Opinion Quarterly and the International Journal of Public Opinion Research.
