Contact Information

Office Hours

• Monday 1:50 pm - 3:50 pm
• Tuesday 11:40 am - 3:40 pm
• Wednesday 1:50 pm - 3:50 pm
• Thursday 11:40 am - 3:40 pm
• Friday 1:50 pm - 3:50 pm
• Note:

Courses Taught

• MCOM 492 - Mass Communication Theories
• MCOM 395 - Special Issues: Journalism in the Age of Platforms
• MCOM 104 - Media, Ethics, and Society

About Me

I worked as a journalist for six years in India and the Middle East before graduating with a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia. After gaining valuable experience as a Capitol Hill intern with McClatchy’s Washington, D.C., bureau and a small town reporter in Missouri, I joined The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi as a business reporter, where I wrote hundreds of stories over a span of six years, including enterprise stories on Tunisia after Arab Spring. My newspaper, radio, and wire stories include political and business news and features. Later, as a Ph.D. student at the University of Western Ontario, I worked on media representation of violence. Around the same time, I developed an interest in the usage of artificial intelligence in governance and journalism. For the past few years, I have worked on a research project on automated decision-making systems using a multi technique approach, including mapping, interviews, and document analysis. My areas of interest span Critical Data Studies, Journalism, Media Studies, and technology law. When not in the classroom, I like spending time with my family, reading mostly non fiction, and hiking.

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests include bringing active reading and learning methods and technologies to Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, Critical Data Studies, and Media Studies. My teaching philosophy emphasizes diversity, inclusivity, engagement, and application in a safe learning environment. I aim to teach theories and concepts in a way that develops critical thinking and communication skills and builds a collaborative spirit.

Research Interests

My research goals at UNCA are twofold: academic and practical. Academically, I aim to contribute to Mass Communication, Journalism Studies, and related creative fields by building students’ research and writing skills. Practically, I aim to equip students with the skills they need to succeed in these fields, including teamwork, innovative methods, and the integration of academic and non academic writing. Students will learn to apply journalistic production and writing practices for platform publications and to use research skills to analyze social and political phenomena.

Education

• Ph.D. in Media Studies - The University of Western Ontario
• MA in Journalism - University of Missouri, Columbia
• M.Phil. in English Literature - Calcutta University, India

Publications

See Google Scholar for the list of publications.

X handle: @SanandaSahoo