Jessica Retis
Note: Title was current at time of award and may have changed.
Bilingual Journalism Education in the United States: Development, Implementation and Assessment
To date, there is no pedagogical research about bilingual journalism education in the U.S. This project seeks to fill this gap by bringing together and building on related research about bilingual education and language policies as well as critical perspectives in journalism education. The project will contribute to an area of study that has remained veiled as it moves between sociolinguistics, language policies, journalism studies, political economy of the media, and culturally responsive pedagogies in higher education. It focuses on learner-centered teaching and community academic praxis and seeks to contribute to scholarship on faculty adoption of innovative pedagogies. It also aims to develop the understanding of bilingual journalism education at a Hispanic Service Institution (HSI), specifically at the new Master’s in Bilingual Journalism Program at the University of Arizona. The project will offer a ground-breaking pedagogic model and collect useful information that will also serve other bilingual journalism programs in the country.
Project Outcomes
Throughout this CUES project, research endeavors converged at the connection of journalism studies, sociolinguistics, language policies, and media studies. Inspired by the collective insights garnered from the CUES fellows' learning community sessions, the scholarly trajectory centered on investigating the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) within the realm of bilingual journalism education practices. This expedition, while novel in its approach, allowed for a deep exploration of pedagogical paradigms, thus augmenting the foundational underpinnings of the research initiative. Central to this academic pursuit was the aspiration to contribute with a seminal theoretical lens to illuminate the oft-overlooked domain of bilingual journalism education in the United States. Guided by interdisciplinary feedback, particularly from scholars versed in university education scholarship, the research trajectory was honed to incorporate institutional ethnography. This methodological augmentation enabled a nuanced examination of the institutional dynamics shaping the establishment and evolution of Spanish-language provisions within journalism pedagogy. Concurrently, the launch and evaluation of a pioneering Bilingual Journalism M.A. program, alongside a comprehensive inquiry into the design and execution of an online variant, broadened the scholarly discourse on university education. The culmination of these endeavors, scheduled for publication in a forthcoming book, heralds a seminal contribution to the theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical perspectives of bilingual journalism education in the country.
Publications
Retis, J. (Accepted/Forthcoming). The critical understanding of Latina/o/x/s and the News Media in the global scenarios. In Rodriguez, C., et al. (Eds.), Mujeres de la Comunicación, Bogotá: Ebert Stiftung FES Comunicación.
Retis, J. & Cueva, L.M. (Accepted/Forthcoming). The Routledge Companion to Latino/a/x Journalism. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Sánchez-Muñoz, A. & Retis, J. (2023). Bilingual and Spanish Language Media in the U.S. as a Language Maintenance Tool Among Latinx Communities, Spanish as a Heritage Language, Vol. 3. No 2.
Chacón, L. M. C., & Retis, J. (2023). ¿Qué pasa with American News Media? How Digital-Native Latinx News Serves Community Information Needs Using Messaging Apps. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 707(1), 237-255.
Arocha, Z., Cueva Chacón, L.M., Retis, J., & Subervi-Vélez, F. (2023). NAHJ members in U.S. journalism and media education. National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Sánchez-Muñoz, A. & Retis, J., editors. (2022). Communicative Spaces and Media in Bilingual Contexts: Discourses, Synergies, and Counterflows in Spanish and English. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Puente, T., Retis, J., Aguilar, A. & Ayala Rico, J., editors. (2022). Reporting on Latino/a/x Communities: A Guide for Journalists. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Presentations
DEC 2023: Migrations, borders and human rights forum: Latin American experiences and scenarios of journalism teaching, Organized by Metropolitan Autonomous University, Cuajimalpa Unit, Division of Communication Sciences and Design, Miguel Ángel Granados Chapa Chair, Department of Communication Sciences, National Council for Teaching and Research in Communication Sciences (CONEICC), and National Council of the National Journalism Award, Mexico City, Mexico.
OCT 2023: Bilingual Journalism in the United States: Origins and Current Scenarios (Invited Lecture), Symposium on Current Issues of Mass Media, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Virtual.
SEP 2023: Hispanic Media Today: Historical perspectives and current trends (Invited Lecture), Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
SEP 2023: Latinas in Leadership: Journalism, Media and Academia (Invited Lecture), Columbia College, Chicago, IL.
SEP 2023: The Latinx Media Landscape in 2023, Hosted by Business Wire and Impremedia, Virtual.
SEP 2023: Investigative journalism and bilingual journalism in the United States (Invited Keynote Speaker), Cumbre Border Hub 2023, Sponsored by USAID, International Center for Journalists, and Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
JUL 2023: Charla-Coloquio sobre periodismo y migraciones (Colloquium on Journalism and Migration), Invited lecture hosted by Fundación PorCausa, Madrid, Spain.
MAY 2023: Transnational Media Communication Practices for Latino/a/x/s in the Global North. Panel: Media Technologies for/against Migrants, International Communications Association, Toronto, Canada.
MAY 2023: Creating Transnational Spaces across the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands. Panel: Digital borders: Between technological infrastructures and media imaginaries, International Communications Association, Toronto, Canada.
MAY 2023: The Right for Bilingual Voices in Communicative Spaces (Panel Organizer), 2023 Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Conference, Vancouver, Canada.
MAR 2023: Latino/a/x Cultures and Media: Going Global, Wonder House at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2023, Austin, TX.
NOV 2022: Hablamos Español: Shaping Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Bilingual Latinx Online Course Developments, 2022 Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Accelerate Conference, Orlando, FL (with Jessica Zeitler).
NOV 2022: Communicative Spaces in Bilingual Contexts, Book Presentation, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Virtual.
OCT 2022: Social Narratives: New Ways of Communicating and Participating, International Seminar: Bridges for Communication, University of Lima, Peru.
OCT 2022: Bilingual Journalism in the Borderlands: A Novel Approach to Teaching, Learning and Scholarship, CUES Inside UAZ-Funded Scholarship Series, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
OCT 2022: Covering Latino/a/x Communities: A Guide for Journalists, Reception, Book Launch, and Discussion, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Los Angeles, CA.
SEP 2022: Freedom of Expression and Democracy: Current Situation and Debates towards the Future, Latin American Association of Communication Researchers - XVI ALAIC 2022 Congress, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
SEP 2022: Academic Research on Latino Media Consumption Patterns, 2022 Latino Media Summit California, Los Angeles, CA.
AUG 2022: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead for Bilingual Journalism Programs in Higher Education Institutions, 2022 National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NABJ-NAHJ) Convention & Career Fair, Las Vegas, NV.
JUL 2022: Bilingual practices in transnational contexts: A glimpse into the challenges for digital-native Latino media in the United States, IAMCR 2022 (International Association for Media and Communication Research) Conference, Beijing, China.
MAY 2022: Communication Research From the U.S./Mexican Border Region, ICA 2022 (International Communication Association) Conference, Paris, France.
MAY 2022: Latinx Studies: A Look Back at the Discipline in the Pandemic Era, LASA 2022 (Latin American Studies Association) Virtual Congress, Virtual.
APR 2022: Enhancing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning through Mentor-Supported Research Design, CUES Inside UAZ-Funded Scholarship Series, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
APR 2022: Bilingualism and Connecting with Hispanic Audiences, ALMMACR 2022 Virtual Conference: (Re)solutions: Trust and Empowerment Through Communication, Virtual.
MAR 2022: A Critical Review of Bilingualism in the Context of Media and Journalism Practices, Guest Lecture, Hunter College, New York, NY.
MAR 2022: TV Bilingual Spaces in American News Media: Understanding translanguaging and media practices, Guest Lecture, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, NY.
FEB 2022: Media and bilingual audiences: Bridging the gap between linguists and journalists, 9th National Symposium on Spanish as a Heritage Language, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.
FEB 2022: Culturally Responsive Pedagogies and Servingness in Times of Changing Demographics, UNESCO Conference: Reimagining the Futures of Higher Education towards 2050, Virtual.
FEB 2022: The Missing Part of the Narrative: Hispanics in the US Media Industry, Hosted by the Bilingual Journalism M.A. and the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Virtual.
Broader Engagement
JAN 2023: University of Arizona School of Journalism and NBCUniversal News Group (Project-based Partnership).
- This multi-year partnership will bring together UArizona Bilingual Journalism students, UArizona faculty members, and NBCU professionals in collaborative projects for both NBC and Telemundo.
2023: Journalism Scholarships, Diversity High School Workshop and Jumpstart Program, Marshall Foundation, Tucson, AZ, $50,000.
2023: Journalism Scholarships, Bilingual Journalism and Border & Global Journalism programs at the University of Arizona, Hearst Foundation, Tucson, AZ, $125,000.
2022: Bilingual Journalism and Reporting, University of Arizona School of Journalism Student Scholarships ($125,000), New Course Curriculum Development on Bilingual Journalism and Reporting ($25,000), NBCU Academy, Total Award: $150,000.
2022: Outstanding Mentoring Award: Student Success & Retention, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
2022: Inclusive Excellence Award: Student Success & Retention, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.