Benjamin Powell

Associate Professor
Deputy Chairperson
Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts

Office: S-628H

Office Hours:

Phone: +1 (212) 220-8000;ext=5118

Benjamin Powell received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 2008 in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Performance Studies. His M.A. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Performance Studies and B.A. in Theatre are both from the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to teaching at BMCC he taught at Bowling Green State University as an Instructor in the Department of Theatre and Film. His research has appeared in Text and Performance Quarterly, Theatre Annual, Communication Currents, Kaleidoscope, and Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies.His research considers the intersection of performance and everyday life, digital storytelling, and digital representations of self.

Expertise

Digital Communication, Social Media, Digital Storytelling

Degrees

B.A. University of Northern Iowa, Theatre,2002
M.A. University of Northern Iowa, Communication Studies,2004
Ph.D. Louisiana State University , Communication Studies,2008

Courses Taught

3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. COM 240 COM 240 (Interpersonal Communication): The course introduces the basic concepts and theories of interpersonal communication in personal, educational and business settings. This includes a study of self as communicator, the effect of language on others, verbal and nonverbal expression of thoughts and feelings, and factors which contribute to effective communication. Prerequisite: SPE 100 or permission of department
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. SPE 100 SPE 100 (Fundamentals of Public Speaking): The aim of this course is to develop effective skills in speech communication. The student examines how to generate topics and organized ideas, masters elements of audience psychology and practices techniques of speech presentation in a public forum. All elements of speech production and presentation are considered.
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. SPE 210 SPE 210 (Oral Interpretation): This course is devoted to the reading aloud of various works of literature, such as poetry, prose or drama, in order to develop an awareness of the voice and body as an instrument of communication, and to instill an appreciation of the beauty and sensitivity of the English language.
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. COM 245 COM 245 (The Mass Media): The focus of this course is to provide an understanding of the influence and impact on our lives and society by the mass media. The course examines the history, law, technology, economics and politics of the mass media through independent study, field trips, etc. Students are encouraged to be aware of techniques of influence used by the mass media to influence and determine social and political values. In addition, students learn to develop tools for critical analysis of and standards for discriminating consumption of the mass media.
Prerequisite: SPE 100 or permission of department
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. COM 100 COM 100 (Introduction to Communication Studies): Introduction to Communication Studies is a survey course that examines major research areas, perspectives, and theories within the field of communication studies. The course will introduce and review key approaches to the study of human interaction, rhetoric, language, persuasion, and cultural processes across diverse contexts. Specifically, the course provides an interdisciplinary framework from which students will think seriously about how culture and society are constructed in our communicative practices, explore how language and meaning structure our reality, as well as examine the social, cultural, and political impacts of human communication as it unfolds in varied fields including interpersonal communication and conflict resolution, intercultural communication, rhetoric, media studies, as well as organizational and small-group communication.
3 CRS.3 HRS. COM 150 COM 150 (Introduction to Digital Communication and Culture): This course introduces students to the major critical methods, policy issues, and creative forms involved in contemporary digital media in the United States and across the globe. The course will foster discussion regarding the ways digital media affects ways of thinking, availability and access to ideas and cultures, ways of storing knowledge and memory, and avenues for cultural resistance and activism.
Students will engage with academic and popular texts to analyze the history and evolution of the role of digital communication in human interaction and culture. Through written reflections, analysis of media, lectures, and films, students will consider how digital media functions in educational, professional, and social contexts.

Research and Projects

Digital Performance of Everyday Life
This ongoing project invistigates the ways in which banal or everyday aspects of self are performed or enacted online in order to create, connect, and communicate with other individuals. Examples include ASMR videos, makeup tutorial videos, tumblr, hashtags, etc.
Digital Storytelling
Ongoing mentoring and facilitation of digital storytelling practices at various universities, community organizations, and government agencies in conjunction with Storycenter.

Publications

Honors, Awards and Affiliations

2013 CUNY C3IRG Grant
This collaborative research grant was awarded to look at the impact of digital storytelling in the public speaking classroom. Specifically we analyzed how the use of digital storytelling could reduce communication apprehension for students in the public speaking classroom.