Ralph Hanson

Ralph Hanson is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Previously, he held faculty positions at West Virginia University and Northern Arizona University. His expertise spans Media Literacy, narrative reporting, and vocabularies of motive. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and anthropology from Iowa State University, a master's in journalism from Iowa State, and a Ph.D. in sociology from Arizona State University.

**Education**:

• Bachelor's in Journalism and Anthropology, Iowa State University
• Master's in Journalism, Iowa State University
• Ph.D. in Sociology, Arizona State University

**Research Philosophy**: Hanson emphasizes self-awareness in media studies, critiquing agendas behind media narratives. His work challenges simplistic views of media effects, as exemplified by his textbook Mass Communication: Living in a Media World (Sage Publications). He has also developed online curricula and maintained a long-running mass communication blog since 2004 at ralphehanson.com.

**Teaching**: Courses include ethics, reporting, new media, mass media and society, research methods, editorial writing, and introductory mass communication.

No specific scientific awards or grants are listed in the provided text.