Kara N. Dillard
M.A., Communication, Eastern New Mexico University, 2005
B.S., Communication, Southern Utah University 2002
B.S., Communication, Southern Utah University 2002
Subfields:
Political Sociology, Social Movements, Public Sphere, Social Change, Rural Sociology
Research Interests and Current Research:
My primary areas of sociological research focus on the general topics of political sociology and social change with emphases in democracy, the public sphere and social movements. I am particularly interested in what I consider is the workings of the public sphere – what forms of democracy work in engaging the public in policymaking and how social activism disrupts or influences democracy. I am interested in the mechanics of deliberation, inequality within the public sphere and deliberative democracy and public opinion.
Grants and Awards:
Timothy Donoghue Leadership Fellowship, The Graduate School, Kansas State University, 2009-2010
Timothy Donoghue Leadership Fellowship, The Graduate School, Kansas State University, 2008-2009
Academic Travel Grant, Graduate Student Council, Winter 2007
Academic Travel Grant, Graduate Student Council, Winter 2009
Conference Presentations:
National Communication Association, Chicago, CA 11/2009
Title: Purchasing motherhood: Baby food, “mompreneurs” and the quest for ideal motherhood. Feminist and Women’s Studies Division regular session panel.
Title: The Role and Function of Rhetoric in Framing Analysis: A Clarification, a Development and a Case Study (with M.C. Souders). Political Communication Division regular session panel.
National Communication Association, San Diego, CA 11/2008
Title: The role of personal narratives in creating satisfactory outcomes using the National Issues Forum deliberation model (with K. Rubiano, K. Keatley and K. Chapman). Argumentation and Forensics Division panel.
American Sociological Association, Boston, MA 9/2008
Title: The mobilization efforts of the media in framing the 2005 anti-war protests. Media and Sociology regular session panel.
Midwest Sociological Association, Chicago, IL 04/2007
Title: Rhetoric of invitation: A new direction for social movement theory.
Midwest Sociological Association, Omaha, NE 04/2006
Title: Methods of social control of the LDS Church: A Foucauldian perspective.
Western Social Science Association, Albuquerque, NM 4/2005
Title: Understanding fear appeals: From Aristotle to Burke.
Title: Cathartic or effective: Get Your War On as a rallying point for the liberal left (with M.C. Souders).
Western States Communication Association, San Francisco, CA 3/2005
Title: A Quantitative analysis of the affect of biological sex on the participation and success of women in American Forensics Association District IX policy debate (with M.C. Souders).
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Sociology
Social Organization
Political Sociology, Social Movements, Public Sphere, Social Change, Rural Sociology
Research Interests and Current Research:
My primary areas of sociological research focus on the general topics of political sociology and social change with emphases in democracy, the public sphere and social movements. I am particularly interested in what I consider is the workings of the public sphere – what forms of democracy work in engaging the public in policymaking and how social activism disrupts or influences democracy. I am interested in the mechanics of deliberation, inequality within the public sphere and deliberative democracy and public opinion.
Grants and Awards:
Timothy Donoghue Leadership Fellowship, The Graduate School, Kansas State University, 2009-2010
Timothy Donoghue Leadership Fellowship, The Graduate School, Kansas State University, 2008-2009
Academic Travel Grant, Graduate Student Council, Winter 2007
Academic Travel Grant, Graduate Student Council, Winter 2009
Conference Presentations:
National Communication Association, Chicago, CA 11/2009
Title: Purchasing motherhood: Baby food, “mompreneurs” and the quest for ideal motherhood. Feminist and Women’s Studies Division regular session panel.
Title: The Role and Function of Rhetoric in Framing Analysis: A Clarification, a Development and a Case Study (with M.C. Souders). Political Communication Division regular session panel.
National Communication Association, San Diego, CA 11/2008
Title: The role of personal narratives in creating satisfactory outcomes using the National Issues Forum deliberation model (with K. Rubiano, K. Keatley and K. Chapman). Argumentation and Forensics Division panel.
American Sociological Association, Boston, MA 9/2008
Title: The mobilization efforts of the media in framing the 2005 anti-war protests. Media and Sociology regular session panel.
Midwest Sociological Association, Chicago, IL 04/2007
Title: Rhetoric of invitation: A new direction for social movement theory.
Midwest Sociological Association, Omaha, NE 04/2006
Title: Methods of social control of the LDS Church: A Foucauldian perspective.
Western Social Science Association, Albuquerque, NM 4/2005
Title: Understanding fear appeals: From Aristotle to Burke.
Title: Cathartic or effective: Get Your War On as a rallying point for the liberal left (with M.C. Souders).
Western States Communication Association, San Francisco, CA 3/2005
Title: A Quantitative analysis of the affect of biological sex on the participation and success of women in American Forensics Association District IX policy debate (with M.C. Souders).
Courses Taught:
Introduction to Sociology
Social Organization