Epistemic Communities and FCC Policy: Case Study of African-American and Feminist Activism

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Ethnicity and Race in Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

The article extends Blevins and Martínez’s (2010) definition of epistemic communities by taking into account the interventionist aspects of scholarship associated with women and African Americans, both of whom have been marginalized by federal communications policies and both of whom have found organized ways to intervene in policy making through scholarly activism. Thus, the article shows that an epistemic community can move beyond its mainly “informational” role to enter into the shaping of more egalitarian media policy, regulations and administrative practices. The article examines the work of the Institute for Public Representation (IPR), at Georgetown Law Center, and Howard Media Group (HMG), at Howard University, since 2003 to show how two university-based public interest groups have expanded the notion of epistemic roles for women and people of color.

Authors

• Aitza M Haddad, Howard University

• Carolyn M. Byerly, Howard U