Julia A. Spiker, Ph.D.

Julia A. Spiker, Ph.D.

Title: Professor
Dept/Program: School of Communication
Office: Kolbe 108C
Phone: 330-972-7198
Email: jspiker@uakron.edu
Curriculum Vitae: Download in PDF format

Biography

Julia A. Spiker (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is Professor of Communication at The University of Akron. Her areas of research include political communication, especially the rhetoric of women leaders and the political empowerment of women and girls. Her book entitled, Empowering Women: Global Voices of Rhetorical Influence (2019), presents an overarching, global picture of women’s empowerment through the lens of elite women political leaders’ speeches. She has over 20 journal and book chapter publications and more than 40 conference presentations.

Research

Political Communication, Rhetoric of Women Leaders and the Political Empowerment of Women and Girls

Publications

Book

Spiker, J. A. (2019). Empowering Women: Global Voices of Rhetorical Influence. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books.

 

Peer-Reviewed

Spiker, J. A. (2022). The Fearless Girl Story: Public Dialogue and the Cocreation of Meaning. National Social Science Journal, 59(1), 53-58.

Spiker, J. A. (2017). Conquering the unknown enemy: Sirleaf’s evolving rhetorical leadership during Liberia’s Ebola crisis. African Journal of Rhetoric, 9(1), 143-176.

Spiker, J. A. (2015). The Dawn rises: Women’s empowerment in Aung San Suu Kyi’s words. Asian Profile, 43(2), 225-236.

Spiker, J. A. (2015), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s rhetoric: Empowering women through four freedoms. National Social Science Journal, 45(1), 116-127.

Spiker, J. A. (2013). Speaking for women’s rights and empowerment in Pakistan: The Voice of Benazir Bhutto. Asian Profile, 41(6), 547-561.

Spiker, J. A. (2012). Palin, Bachman, Tea Party Rhetoric, and American Politics. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(16), 1-12.

Spiker, J. A. (2012). Gender and power in The Devil Wears Prada. International Journal of Business, Humanities and Technology, 2(3), 16-26.

Spiker, J. A. (2011). Patil on enabling environment, education & equality. Asian Profile, 39(2), 163-174.

Spiker, J. A. (2011). Motherhood, God & country: Sarah Palin’s 68 days in 2008. In M. S. McKinney & M. C. Banwart (Eds.), Communication in the 2008 U.S. election: Digital natives elect a president (pp. 241-254). New York: Peter Lang.

Spiker, J. A. (2009). It takes a village to win: A Rhetorical analysis of “Hillary for President.” In T. F. Sheckels (Ed.), Cracked but not shattered: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s unsuccessful campaign for the presidency (pp. 99-124). Lanham, Michigan: Lexington Books.

Spiker, J. A. (2008). Ohio’s rhetorical “Road to Renewal”: Governor Ted Strickland’s 2007 Inaugural address. Ohio Communication Journal, 46, 131-144.

Spiker, J. A. (2005). Engaging the disengaged: Understanding young citizens’ political malaise. In M. S. McKinney, L. L. Kaid, D. G. Bystrom, D. B. Carlin (Eds.), Communicating politics: Engaging the public in democratic life (pp. 299-309). New York: Peter Lang.

Spiker, J. A., Lin, Y, & Wells, S. D. (2003). The Voice of young citizens: A Study of political malaise in campaign 2000. In L. L. Kaid, J. C. Tedesco, D. G. Bystrom, & M. S. McKinney (Eds.), The Millennium election: Communication in the 2000 campaign (pp. 243-256). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Spiker, J. A. (2002). The development of radio. Encyclopedia of life support systems (EOLSS). Theme: Journalism and Mass Communication. Oxford: UK. http://www.eolss.net

Triece, M. E., Hill, P. S., Clark, K. D., Lin, Y., & Spiker, J. A. (2002). Pedagogies of empowerment: A Framework for promoting the success of students of color. [Monograph]. In J. S. Trent (Ed.), Included in communication: Learning climates that cultivate racial and ethnic diversity. Washington D.C.: The American Association for Higher Education/National Communication Association. 57-75.

Turrell, W. A., Spiker, J. A., & Lin, Y. (2001). Issues influencing citizens voting behavior: A Case study of a city council election. Ohio Speech Journal, 39, 7-29.

Spiker, J. A. (1999). Jane Pauley. In M. Murray (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of television news. (pp. 186). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Spiker, J. A. (1999). Vanderbilt Television News Archive. In M. Murray (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of television news. (pp. 267-268). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Spiker, J. A. & McKinney, M. S. (1999). Measuring political malaise in the 1996 presidential election. In L. L. Kaid, & D. G. Bystrom (Eds.), The Electronic election: Perspectives on the 1996 campaign communication (pp. 319-334). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Tedesco, J. C., Miller, J. L., & Spiker, J. A. (1999). Presidential campaigning on the information super highway: An Exploration of content and form. In L. L. Kaid, & D. G. Bystrom (Eds.), The Electronic election: Perspectives on the 1996 campaign communication (pp. 51-63). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

McKinney, M. S., & Spiker, J. A., & Kaid L. L. (1998). DebateWatch ’96 and citizen engagement: Building Democracy through citizen communication. In T. J. Johnson, C. E. Hays, & S. P. Hays (Eds.), Engaging the public: How government and the media can reinvigorate American Democracy (pp. 185-193). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Kaid, L. L., Tedesco, J. C. & Spiker, J. A. (1996). Media conflicts over Clinton policies: Political advertising and the battle for public opinion. In R. E. Denton, Jr. & R. L. Holloway (Eds.), The Clinton presidency: Images, issues, and communication strategies (pp. 103-121). Westport, Connecticut: Praeger.

 

Invited

Spiker, J. A. (2004). Book Review of Congress, the press, and political accountability. By R. Douglas Arnold, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 81(4): 933-934.

 

Published Proceedings

Ritchey, D., Love, A. G., Spiker, J. A., & Rhoades, E. (2000, October). Learning communities and student retention. Published proceedings from the annual meeting of The International Society for Exploring Teaching Alternatives, Redondo Beach, California.

Education

Ph.D., University of Oklahoma
M.S., University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly University of Southwestern Louisiana)
B.A., John Carroll University

Courses

Courses Taught:

Undergraduate Courses

  • Advanced Public Relations Theory
  • Business & Professional Speaking
  • Contemporary Public Relations
  • Effective Oral Communication
  • Freedom of Speech
  • Honors Colloquium
  • Intercultural Communication
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Introduction to Mass Communication
  • Introduction to Public Relations
  • Introduction to Public Speaking
  • Persuasion
  • Political Communication
  • Public Relations Cases
  • Public Relations Theory
  • Public Speaking in America
  • Public Relations Strategies
  • Survey of Communication Theory

Graduate Courses

  • Advanced Communication Studies: Contemporary Public Relations Theory
  • Communication Pedagogy
  • Crisis Communication
  • Introduction to Graduate Study in Communication
  • Political Communication

Areas of Responsibility

Political Communication, Public Relations