I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at St. Francis College.
My work primarily focuses on (1) the ways that mass media, information technology, and political rhetoric reinforce normative power structures while shaping collective understandings of criminal and deviant identity, inequality, and social control, and (2) capital punishment.
Check out my Amazon author page and Google Scholar profile
More information about my work can be found at Academia and ResearchGate
I also have a Goodreads author page
It's Not a Lie if You Believe It: Donald Trumps Gonzo Expertise as Dramaturgical Performance
The American Sociologist (2024)
This study introduces the concept of gonzo expertise to contextualize the rhetorical techniques used by Donald Trump to frame himself as a credible expert on any topic regardless of his intellectual interest or actual knowledge of those matters. Using a sample of 57 interview and public event transcripts, four rhetorical framing techniques are identified that validate Trump’s problem-solving expertise and authenticate himself as the primary definer of what is real and represents truth for millions of Americans, while simultaneously casting doubt on social reality by attacking facts and delegitimizing the social actors and institutions that confer status and legitimacy on traditional experts who validate those facts. First, Trump establishes hyper-masculine dominance over factual reality. Second, he directs focus away from rationality and logic by appealing to emotion, outrage, and fear. Third, Trump uses populist savior imagery to foster cohesion, trust, and compliance among supporters. Finally, Trump articulates an us-versus-them worldview that frames his truth as a moral imperative that must be believed without equivocation.
The Art of the Spiel: Analyzing Donald Trump's Tweets as Gonzo Storytelling
This article examines the rhetorical structure of Donald Trump's Twitter communication during the 2016 presidential campaign. Several recurring frames and themes are identified and the analysis traces how these elements intersect with one another to build and advance a narrative that depicts a world overrun with dire threats, thus providing a symbolic backdrop for outlandish rhetoric and espousal of far-reaching policies portrayed as necessary to protect idealized morality and social order. Findings suggest new ways to assess the content of Trump's frequent tweets, as well as the need to better understand what the success of his "gonzo" story may reveal about modern political communication and the media ecosystem.
