Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
2021
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department / School
School of Communication and Journalism
First Advisor
Rebecca A. Kuehl
Keywords
Black Lives Matter, Black/African American identity, media, Race, sport
Abstract
This study was conducted to understand how communication and identity are experienced by Black university athletes in asking about their experiences and how they gauge mainstream media portrayals of Black NFL athletes making verbal or physical statements about or in protest of social injustice, racism, and inequality in America. I interviewed five university athletes identifying as Black/African American or Mixed- Race using media representations of Black NFL athletes’ protests since the NFL has dominated mainstream media headlines regarding recent athletes’ protests, especially in connection to the Black Lives Matter social movement. I also used several theories to interpret the data after collection, including Communication Theory of Identity, Social Identity Theory, Threshold Identity, and Cultural Identity Theory.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
African American college athletes.
African American athletes -- Press coverage.
African American athletes -- Political activity.
African American athletes -- Social conditions.
Sports -- Social aspects.
Identity (Psychology)
Social justice.
Racial justice.
Black lives matter movement.
Mass media and sports.
Number of Pages
102
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
VanWalleghen, Madison Remi, "Encroachment: College Athletes’ Experiences with Identity Development as Affected By Media Representations of Social Justice Demonstrations" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5745.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/5745
Included in
Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, Mass Communication Commons
Rights Statement
