UOIT Communication students present at pop culture conference in Boston

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) was well-represented in Boston, Massachusetts at the 42^nd annual U.S. Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association (PCA/ACA) conference. Five talented fourth-year Communication students presented their papers to an audience attending from across Canada and the United States. This marked the first time UOIT has sent a panel of students to the conference.

Each year, the PCA/ACA invites people to come together to share ideas and their interest in a particular subject in popular culture. The organization is made up of scholars and enthusiasts who study pop culture and are interested in the world’s perception of certain subjects.

The UOIT students’ presentations centred on U.S. influence on Canadian media – a frequent topic in their media-related courses. The papers, which were a requirement in their courses on persuasion and rhetoric, included topics such as marketing the Blackberry to women, symbols of the American identity in the 9/11 memorial speech by former U.S. president George W. Bush, youth interpretation of Canadian Armed Forces advertisements, metaphors of author Neil Strauss’ book The Game, as well as persuasive messages in the television show Sex and the City.

“They did very well,” said Dr. Tess Pierce, Communication professor, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, UOIT, who moderated the discussion. “They had an audience who asked them difficult questions, but they really supported their papers. I am very proud of them.”

Congratulations to Natalie Dallaire, Henry Huang, Christian Julal, Nada Kabbara and Robert Sudak for being such great representatives of the many talented students who attend UOIT.