[Air-L] Wallis is winner of 2013 James Carey Award

[Mark D. Johns]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 12, 2013

Contact: Dr. Mark D. Johns, Executive Director
Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research
c/o Department of Communication Studies
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa 52101 USA
Tel: (563) 387-1347
email: mjohns at luther.edu

Wallis is winner of 2013 James Carey Award

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Dr. Cara Wallis of Texas A & M University is the
winner of the 2013 James W. Carey Media Research Award competition
sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research
(www.cccsir.com).

Wallis is author of the book, Technomobility in China: Young Migrant
Women and Mobile Phones, published in January by New York University
Press.

The Carey Award, established in 2004, is presented annually from among
nominated or submitted books or journal articles published in the
previous year. The award honors the late Dr. James W. Carey
(1934-2006). Dr. Carey was recognized as one of the North American
pioneers in applying cultural approaches to the study of mass media.

To be worthy of the award, the work must be of highest quality and
employ Carey's theories to focus on communication and public life,
journalism, or popular culture. The winning entry this year was chosen
from an exceptionally strong field of works submitted by a long list
of outstanding scholars.

"Wallis explores the way in which the cell phone has been integrated
into the transforming social structures and practices of contemporary
China, and the ways in which mobile technology enables rural young
women -- a population that has been traditionally marginalized and
deemed as 'backward' and 'other' -- to participate in and create
culture."

A member of the review committee commented, "I appreciated Wallis's
demonstration that technology, social relations, and personal identity
must always be considered together. This is a way of thinking about
technology that I think would resonate with Carey."

The Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research is a non-profit
organization established to promote the scholarship of the late Carl
J. Couch and his academic associates. Couch is recognized as the
founder of The New Iowa School in sociological and communication
inquiry, and was a pioneer in the qualitative research of information
technologies.

The Center provides networking opportunities for students and scholars
who conduct social and Internet research, inspired by Couch's work.

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--
Mark D. Johns, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Communication Studies
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa USA
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