Author: TheConversation

By Roger J. Kreuz, Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis During an interview with NASCAR driver Brandon Brown on October 2, NBC sportscaster Kelli Stavast made a curious observation. She reported that Talladega Superspeedway spectators were chanting “Let’s go Brandon” to celebrate the racing driver’s first Xfinity Series win. In reality, however, the crowd was shouting a very different phrase: “F–k Joe Biden,” a taunt that had become popular at college football games earlier in the fall. The deliberate misinterpretation of the crowd’s chant was a deft bit of verbal legerdemain on Stavast’s part. Although she...

By Dawn Pittman, PhD Student, Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland Older adults, especially those who live in rural areas, are affected by their isolation. In Newfoundland, 22 per cent of residents are over the age of 65. These older adults live in the sparsely populated coastal communities or in the small number of more urban centers that are scattered throughout the province. Social isolation and loneliness negatively influence the quality of life of older adults. Rurality of threatens older adults’ ability to engage with peers, their community and the health-care system. Arts-based programming The combination of an aging population...

By Peter C. Mancall, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences This year marks the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving in New England. Remembered and retold as an allegory for perseverance and cooperation, the story of that first Thanksgiving has become an important part of how Americans think about the founding of their country. But what happened four months later, starting in March 1622 about 600 miles south of Plymouth, is, I believe, far more reflective of the country’s origins – a story not of peaceful coexistence but of distrust,...

By Jeremy David Engels, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn State; and Elaine Hsieh, Professor, Communication, University of Oklahoma Families and friends traditionally gather to express gratitude during this time of year. Many also participate in acts of service and charity as a way of giving back to their local communities. As communication scholars who study intercultural communication, we have studied how the many languages around the world have their own unique words and expressions for saying “thank you.” In turn, these expressions reveal very different assumptions about how human beings relate to one another and about the...