WJEC Syndicate on Gender and Journalism Education

Together with colleagues Ingrid Bachmann and Mia Moody, I will again lead a syndicate or working group at this year's World Journalism Education Congress.  This syndicate will build on and develop discussions from the previous WJEC in Paris (2019), where a group of scholars considered the same topic.  At that meeting, participants agreed that good journalism should be sensitive to gender and inequality, that coursework should address these issues, and that schools must make broader commitments to gender equality and diversity. The 2025 syndicate will consider progress over the past six years, while acknowledging new threats to this type of work. Our question this year is: What, if any, progress has been made over the past six years in educating journalism students globally on gender and related inequality issues? This conference will take place in San Francisco from August 8 to 10. See this website for more information about the WJEC. 

Becoming a Quality Matters Peer Reviewer

Butler University decided to implement Quality Matters criteria for online and hybrid courses over the next few years. In April, I participated in a workshop, "Applying the QM Rubric," and then decided to sign up for the QM Peer Reviewer course. I am currently halfway through this 3-week online course and have learned so much! My first goal is to improve my courses, but I will also be able to support other faculty members in improving their courses. 

And Here It Is: The Front Cover for my New Textbook

With the publication date of August coming closer, I am happy to share the front cover for my new textbook with Routledge. 

 

Call for Chapters: Edited Research Collection on Journalism and Gender in the Global South

I am now working on an edited research collection on journalism and gender in the Global South. Here is the call for chapters:

Title: Journalism and Gender: Perspectives from the Global South

Editor: Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

Potential Publisher: Routledge

Overview

To address gaps identified in my forthcoming textbook, Journalism and Gender: Global Perspectives (Routledge, 2025), I invite contributions to an edited research collection that focuses on the intersections of journalism and gender in the academic peripheries of the Global South. This volume seeks to advance the decolonization of scholarship on gender and journalism by foregrounding narratives that have historically been marginalized in dominant research discourses. By critically examining how gender influences journalistic practices and how the news media represent gender, this collection aims to provide a nuanced analysis of gender’s role in shaping journalism across media landscapes in the regional and national contexts of countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. This project challenges hegemonic frameworks and seeks to contribute to more inclusive and equitable global media and gender scholarship.

Within the context of the Global South, topics to be considered include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Theoretical perspectives on journalism and gender;
• Histories of women’s access to and participation in journalism;
• National/regional studies on the participation of women in news production;
• Violence against women reporters;
• Newsroom cultures and newswork;
• News representations of gender in various contexts;
• Gender and media development projects;
• Gender and media activism; and
• Gender and journalism education.

Submission guidelines

Please submit an abstract of 250-300 words outlining the proposed chapter’s scope and contribution to the field. Include a brief author biography (100-150 words) with institutional affiliation and attach a curriculum vitae. While the preference is for original research contributions, other types of scholarship will also be considered. Completed chapters will be about 6,000 words each.

Abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2025

Notification of acceptance: August 15, 2025

Full chapter submission deadline: January 15, 2026

Submission & contact information: Send abstracts and inquiries to Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh at mgeertse@butler.edu.

I look forward to receiving your proposals and contributing to a critical dialogue on journalism and gender in the Global South.

Research Presentation at IU Bloomington

At the end of February, I had the opportunity to talk with graduate students at the Media School of Indiana University in Bloomington about my research in gender and journalism over the past twenty years. This was a great way of reflecting on my adventures in this field. And of course, this is all culminating in the forthcoming publication of my textbook, Journalism and Gender: Global Perspectives, in July. A big thank you to the wonderful Dr. Radhika Parameswaran for the invitation. 

New Textbook Information now Available

I am excited to see that information for my new textbook, "Journalism and Gender: Global Perspectives," is now available on the Routledge website. Publication date is July 28, 2025. 

Launching an online master's degree in Sports Management

We are excited to announce the launch of a new online master's degree in Sports Management in the College of Communication. We plan to welcome our first cohort in Fall 2025. Here is a media release about the new degree: 

Butler University is set to launch an online Master of Science in Sports Management program in August 2025, providing aspiring sports industry professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the highly competitive field. With a strategic location in Indianapolis—internationally recognized as a major hub for professional and amateur sports organizations—Butler offers students unparalleled opportunities to connect with influential industry leaders and experts, positioning them for success in collegiate and professional sports roles. 

“The sports industry is a $485 billion market, providing a wealth of opportunities for graduates of Butler’s Sports Management program,” said Dr. Joseph Valenzano, Dean of Butler’s College of Communication. “With Indianapolis serving as the home to the NCAA, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, multiple professional sports teams, and national governing bodies like USA Gymnastics, USA Track and Field, and USA Diving, students will have access to a vibrant sports ecosystem. Our graduates—whether they are starting their careers or looking to advance—will have a distinctive advantage when pursuing job opportunities.” 

The program’s 30-credit-hour curriculum includes six required core courses and four elective courses that allow students to tailor their education to their career goals. Core coursework covers essential areas such as sports management principles, legal and ethical considerations, strategic communication, and leadership. Elective options offer students the opportunity to explore specialized topics such as sports marketing, fundraising, event management, and facility operations. 

Designed with flexibility in mind, Butler’s online M.S. in Sports Management program caters to working professionals and individuals seeking a dynamic learning experience that can be tailored to their schedules. The program combines asynchronous coursework with opportunities for live engagement with faculty and industry mentors, ensuring students receive a comprehensive and interactive educational experience. 

In developing the curriculum, Butler University collaborated closely with Indianapolis sports industry professionals, ensuring that coursework remains relevant and aligned with the evolving demands of the industry. Faculty members and industry partners have crafted a program that balances theoretical foundations with practical applications, equipping students with the skills required to navigate the complex landscape of sports management. 

Butler’s strong connections within the sports community provide students with access to exclusive internships, networking events, and mentorship opportunities with key figures in the field. Whether students aim to pursue careers in professional sports organizations, collegiate athletics, sports marketing agencies, or nonprofit sports associations, the program is designed to prepare them for a wide range of roles in the industry. 

Prospective students can now apply for the fall 2025 cohort, with an application deadline of August 1, 2025. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit Butler University’s website for more information on admission requirements, tuition, and program details. Butler University alumni are eligible for a 20 percent tuition discount. 

Also see our website for more information: https://www.butler.edu/communication/masters-in-sports-management/

Textbook Manuscript Submitted

I submitted the full manuscript for my textbook, "Journalism and Gender: Global Perspectives," to Routledge on Friday. This is an amazing feeling after having worked on this every weekday since August 2023. The book will be out around July 2025.

Here is the blurb:

Informed by global and intersectional feminist perspectives, this textbook offers a broad introduction to the role of gender in journalism and considers how women in particular are represented in the news. 

This book begins by introducing theoretical approaches to journalism and diversity, feminisms and intersectionality, and media sociology. With reference to more than 90 countries and an emphasis on the Global South, it offers an expansive history of gender in journalism and insights from multiple global reports. The next part deals with women’s participation in news production, highlighting the challenges of men-dominated newsroom cultures. From there, the focus shifts to the ways news media represent women in the news, including in relation to politics, violence, and war. The book concludes with a discussion of gender in international media development, gender and media activism, and gender in journalism education. Students are supported by chapter summaries, discussion questions, and a glossary of key terms to help reinforce knowledge and understanding.

Inspiring students to incite positive change in the industry, Journalism and Gender is an essential text for those approaching this topic for the first time.

This textbook features an e-book+ with interactive features such as links to websites, quizzes, and flash cards.

Study Abroad Course to the UK: May 2025

I participated in Butler University's Study-Abroad Fair yesterday to promote my College of Communication study-abroad course, "Media and Culture in the United Kingdom," in May 2025. The group will primarily be based at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University, with visits to Edinburgh and London. Highlights include a visit to the BBC, a lecture and site visit related to Doctor Who, a Harry Potter tour, and an Outlander tour. 

Teaching a History of Women in Journalism

In my Gender and News class, we are today talking about the history of women in journalism. I found an amazing lecture by Dr. Tracy Lucht: https://www.c-span.org/video/?416372-2/women-journalists-turn-20th-century

Students are participating in a class activity to discuss concepts from Dr. Lucht's lecture: 

What were newspapers like in the United States by the 1800s?

American Newspapers, 1800-1860Links to an external site.

History of Newspapers in AmericaLinks to an external site.

A History Timeline About Newspaper IndustryLinks to an external site.

History of American newspapersLinks to an external site.

What was the penny press?

Penny PressLinks to an external site.

Penny Press: Cutting the price of newspapers to a penny was a startling innovationLinks to an external site.

How the penny press brought great journalism to populist AmericaLinks to an external site.

How does Dr. Lucht explain the separation of the spheres between private and public?

Understanding private and public spheresLinks to an external site.

What was the Cult of True Womanhood?

Cult of True WomanhoodLinks to an external site.

The Cult of Domesticity: Definition and HistoryLinks to an external site.

The Cult of DomesticityLinks to an external site.

How did Sarah Josepha Hale and Margaret Fuller differ in their journalistic roles?

Biography: Sarah Josepha HaleLinks to an external site.

Sarah Josepha HaleLinks to an external site.

Sarah Josepha Hale: American authorLinks to an external site.

Margaret FullerLinks to an external site.

Margaret Fuller: American author and educatorLinks to an external site.

What was stunt journalism? And what were sob sisters?

The lost legacy of the girl stunt reporterLinks to an external site.

The pioneering narrative work of "girl stunt reporters"Links to an external site.

Nellie Bly's "Ten Days in a Mad-House" and the Rise of Girl Stunt ReportinLinks to an external site.g

The "Sob Sisters" who dared to cover the trial of the centuryLinks to an external site.

Sob sisterLinks to an external site.

What happened at the end of the 1890s for women in journalism in the United States? Why?

The Women's Pages: A hard look at "soft news"Links to an external site.

Women's Page HistoryLinks to an external site.