Capstone
Impassioned by my Celtic heritage, my capstone "Who died and made you Queen? Fuair An Stair Mícheart” looks at the first-century Celtic Queen Boudica and her construction over time with the application of communication theory. This capstone dives deep into the riveting story of Boudica, the queen who defied the powerful Roman Empire to better understand the social memory of women in leadership positions, native populations, and Celtic oppression. Critiquing Boudica’s social memory, my capstone serves as a powerful tool for breaking down inequitable power structures that disservice female and native identities from positions of power. Never before working with websites or interactive timelines, I took considerable risk when deciding to complete a website and interactive timeline as my capstone’s intervention. Through these risks, I gained the ability to create websites and navigate a complex, evolving digital world. I will use my newfound critical thinking abilities and digital proficiencies to fight social injustices and inequality moving forward.
Digital Ethnography
In my digital ethnography, “Whoniverse as a Lense for the Universe” I gathered and analyzed information from a diverse array of sources and individuals to understand communication phenomenon. Focusing on the r/doctorwho subreddit, I employed careful observation and interviews with community members to unravel the multifaceted dimensions of meaning-making practices and identity formation within the Doctor Who fandom. Creating my digital ethnography, I learned to analyze communities to uncover communication phenomenon, such as identity formation, meaning-making, and practices and habits. By incorporating life-course perspectives and exploring generational fan knowledge, my work sheds light on how evolving dynamics within the Doctor Who fandom influence identity and meaning construction. As I enter the workforce, the skills in communication and critical thinking developed through this digital ethnography will enable me to effectively navigate professional environments.
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