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Biography
Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk served as MSU's Provost Fellow for Public Affairs for 2015-2016. As Provost Fellow for Public Affairs, Dr. Dudash-Buskirk was responsible for the Public Affairs Conference in April 2016 and promoting the Public Affairs mission of the University. The topic for the 2016 Conference was the university-wide Public Affairs theme “Building Healthy Communities: Body, Mind and Spirit.”
According to Dr. Dudash-Buskirk, “Building healthy communities is not about the health of individuals in body, mind, and spirit, but about the process of building communities in a healthy way. The Public Affairs theme for 2015-2016 is an invitation for people from all perspectives--biological, psychological, sociological, political, environmental, religious and so on--to talk about building healthier communities. The focus on health of the body, mind, and spirit as a theme is important, but the emphasis on the process of building healthy communities is something that we can all engage in no matter our background, interest or career practice.”
She is most interested in studying how individuals create themselves as part of or outside of the social system through language. Language creates and upholds social institutions such as the Presidency, the electorate and our class system. Understanding how individuals decide to participate, enact their citizenship or promote their own life agenda is best answered through a close examination of their communicative activities. Therefore, most work is centered on rhetorical acts and requires answers found through rhetorical criticism, focus group participation, close textual analysis and critical approaches. She also enjoys exploring film from critical perspectives, particularly examining gender issues and using psychoanalytical approaches.
Industry Expertise (2)
Public Relations and Communications
Education/Learning
Areas of Expertise (5)
Communications
Rhetoric
Social Movement Communication
Rhetorical Analysis
Language
Accomplishments (5)
Graduate Faculty Member of the Year, Communication Department (professional)
Missouri State University April 2008
Summer Faculty Fellowship Grant (professional)
Missouri State University 2007
The Chancellor’s List for Graduate Students (professional)
2005
Research Assistantship/Grant (professional)
University of Missouri 2002
The Gilman Award for Excellence in Rhetorical Studies (professional)
University of Missouri 2001
Education (3)
University of Missouri-Columbia: PhD, Political Communication/Rhetoric 2007
Miami University: MA, Communication
John Carroll University: BA, Communication 1996
Links (2)
Languages (1)
- English
Media Appearances (8)
Student Guide to Healthy Dialog & Debate
Accredited Schools Online online
2018-02-28
Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk offer tips for effective communication and disagreeing respectfully in college.
Election analysis: Challengers got 'trounced' despite outsider message
Springfield News-Leader print
2017-04-05
Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk provides her insight on the local election results.
Be Civil Be Heard: Local Organization Promotes Progress Through Civility
KSMU radio
2017-01-05
On this episode of "Making Democracy Work", host Crystal Brigman Mahney speaks with Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk.
'Unpresidented': Do typos make Trump seem more authentic?
The Christian Science Monitor online
2016-12-19
Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk weighs in on President Trump's typos.
Political Discussions Can be Civil, Says Professor
KSMU radio
2016-07-19
As a young child, Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk learned about politics handing out fliers for family members running for office or joining her father at political rallies. Now an associate professor of socio-political communication at Missouri State University, she teaches about political messages, commentary, debates and so much more.
Hope Is Powerful Medicine
Social Justice Solutions online
2016-05-13
I met so many wonderful people in my three days there that I would need to write another post to talk about them all. A few I need to identify: Dr. Mary Ann Jennings who was my escort, drove me around the city and schooled me on the city’s history. It was a delight to meet conference chair Dr. Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk and conference coordinator Candace Fisk. Meeting Father Marc Boisevert was a treat and listening to him talk about his work over the past 18 years trying to engender hope in people in Haiti. I made many acquaintances with other panelists and conference participants—too many to name. I spoke to a class of BSW students and a group of local social workers.
Raasch: Trump-Clinton is the 'unpopularity contest' for the ages
St. Louis Post-Dispatch online
2016-05-05
“The fact that Trump and Sanders both have used the same term, that the elections are ‘rigged,’ is really divisive, and I don’t think people realize that,” said Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk, a communications professor at Missouri State University. “It doesn’t just mean that they are outsiders, it means that they don’t believe in a system” that would elect Clinton, who has been involved in national politics for 25 years.
Harvard's Robert Putnam addresses Springfield's poverty alleviation efforts
Springfield News-Leader online
2016-04-08
Elizabeth Dudash-Buskirk, who helped organize the conference, said inequality in Springfield is obvious when driving from the north side of town to the south side. “Springfield acknowledges its problems. We don’t run from them and we don’t hide from them,” said Dudash-Buskirk, pointing to the mass of programs and organizations that are trying to tackle poverty in the city.
Articles (3)
New Kids on the Block: My First Time in a Political Community
American Behavioral Scientist
2011 A historic election in 2008 brings up new questions about why there is a generational difference in political engagement. Younger generations became more involved in the latest election, and it is important for scholars to understand why this change occurred.
Wha'd'ya know? Examining young voters' political information and efficacy in the 2004 election
American Behavioral Scientist
2007 The problem of youth participation in elections remains largely a mystery and solutions to reengage the disengaged seem elusive. Yet an examination of young citizens' political talk may help illuminate their civic attitudes and behaviors.
Generational shifts and the creation of political selves: A focus group investigation
University of Missouri
2007 A preponderance of research in political communication has centered on the lack of voter mobilization and indicates that the youth of the nation do not participate in the democratic process. In 2000, national research teams collected data about this problem and the results indicated that there is a generational difference in how citizens define their roles in civic engagement.
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