Dannagal G. Young grew up in New Hampshire and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire in 1998 with a double major in Political Science and French.  She moved to Philadelphia in 1999 to pursue her Ph.D. at the Annenberg School under Dr. Joseph Cappella.  She earned her PhD from Penn in 2007 and is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware where she teaches classes in mass communication, politics and entertainment, and media effects. 

Danna studies the content, audience, and effects of political humor. Her research on the psychology and influence of humor has been widely published including articles in Media Psychology, Political Communication, International Journal of Press/Politics, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and Mass Media and Society. [Go to CV]

In Spring 2011, she launched an online forum for the interdisciplinary study of politics and entertainment, Breaking Boundaries.

She is also an improvisational comedian, performing regularly with the improv comedy troupe, ComedySportz Philadelphia, since 1999.

dannagal g young