Eric Scott Jenkins , Ph.D.

Eric Jenkins, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in Communication at the University of Cincinnati. He studies media technology and rhetoric, with a particular focus on emotion and affect. His theoretical perspectives include cultural studies, media ecology, affect theory, and critical theory. He is the author of two books, Special Affects: Cinema, Animation, and the Translation of Consumer Culture (Edinburgh University Press: 2014) and Surfing the Anthropocene: Digital Affect and the Big Tension (Peter Lang: 2020). He has published articles in Critical Inquiry, Quarterly Review of Film & Video, Critical Studies in Media Communication, Games & Culture, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Quarterly Journal of Speech and Visual Communication Quarterly, among others, as well as presenting over 40 papers at national and international conferences. Eric teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in cultural studies, popular culture, digital media, visual rhetoric, postmodern media theory, and communication technology.

Ph.D.: University of Georgia Athens, GA, 2009 (Speech Communication)

M.A.: University of Texas Austin, TX, 2000 (Speech Communication)

B.A.: University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, MO, 1997 (Political Science)

Eric studies media and emotion, starting with his early work on animation and film and now extending into the digital world with scholarship on memes, videogames, and social media. His theoretical perspectives include cultural studies, media ecology, and critical theory. He has published articles in Critical Inquiry, Quarterly Review of Film & Video, Critical Studies in Media Communication, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and Visual Communication Quarterly, as well as two books (Special Affects, Edinburgh University Press 2014, and Surfing the Anthropocene, Peter Lang 2020).

08-01-2002 -06-01-2005 RTA Lecturer, Lecturer and basic course instructor as well as assistant debate coach., James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

08-01-2005 -06-01-2009 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Taught two courses per semester as the instructor of record while completing Ph.D. work., University of Georgia, Athens, GA

08-01-2009 -06-01-2010 Assistant Professor of Communication, Tenure-track Assistant Professor responsible mostly for teaching and service., Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX

09-01-2010 -To Present Assistant Professor of Communication, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Peer Reviewed Publications

Eric S. Jenkins (2008). My iPod, My iCon: How and Why Images Become Icons. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 25(5), 466-489.

Eric S. Jenkins (2007). Seeing Katrina: Perspectives of Judgment in a Cultural/Natural Disaster. Visual Communication Quarterly, 14(Spring), 90.

"Seeing Life in Disney's Mutual-Affection Images." Quarterly Review of Film and Video. Vol. 30, #3. May 2013. PP. 421-434.

"Another Punctum: Animation, Affect, and Ideology." Critical Inquiry. V. 39, #3. Spring 2013. P. 575-591

“The Modes of Visual Rhetoric: Circulating Memes as Expressions.” Quarterly Journal of Speech. Vol. 100, #4, November 2014. P. 442-466

"Death by PowerPoint? A Media Ecology Examination of the Debates Over Slideware." Explorations in Media Ecology. Vol. 10, #3-4. July 2010. p. 225-246

"The Affections of the American Pickers: Commodity Fetishism in Control Society." Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. 12:4, 347-366, DOI: 10.1080/14791420.2015.1068430

"Rhetoric and this Crazy Little 'Thing' Called Love." Written with Josue Cisneros. Review of Communication. Vol. 13, #2, April 2013. PP. 85-107.

"The Message is the Mode: Modes in Digital Media and Media Theory."  Explorations in Media Ecology. Vol 12., #1 & 2. PP 23-39.

"Updating Narcissus, the ur-Myth of Media, for the Digital Age." Games and Culture. Forthcoming

“Deleuze the Media Ecologist? Extensions of and Advances on McLuhan.” Co-author Peter Zhang. Explorations in Media Ecology. Forthcoming. This article is coming out very soon but I do not have the information yet.

Book Chapter

"Argumentation." In Persuasion in Your Life. Shawn T. Wahl (ed). Boston, MA: Pearson, 2012.

"Persuasive Presentation." In Persuasion in Your Life. Shawn T. Wahl, ed. Boston, MA: Pearson, 2012.

"Smooth Space." In Demystifying Deleuze: An Introductory Assemblage of Crucial Concepts. Mickey Valle, ed. Ottawa, ON: Red Quill Books. Expected Publication Date 2012.

"Striated Space." In Demystifying Deleuze: An Introductory Assemblage of Crucial Concepts. Mickey Valle, ed. Ottawa, ON: Red Quill Books. Expected Publication Date 2012.

"The War Machine." In Demystifying Deleuze: An Introductory Assemblage of Crucial Concepts. Mickey Valle, ed. Ottawa, ON: Red Quill Books. Expected Publication Date 2012.

"Of Memes, Modes, Minor Audiences, and Formal Cause." in McLuhan and Formal Cause: A Collection of Comments. Eds: Robert Logan, Corey Anton and Lance Strate.

Jenkins, Eric. “Digital Special Affects: On Exhilaration and the Stun in CGI Hollywood Blockbusters.” Forthcoming in Critical Concepts: Affect. Edited by Alex Houen. Cambridge University Press

Other Publication

"Bindings and Becomings: Korzbyski, Deleuze, and Ecological Thinking." Written with Peter Zhang. et Cetera, V. 69, #4, October 2012. P. 459-473

Book

Jenkins, Eric S. Special Affects: Cinema, Animation, and the Translation of Consumer Culture. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2014. 224 pages.

Work in Progress

“From the Attraction to Tracking: Wall-E as Media Ecological Allegory.” Planned to Submit to Critical Studies in Media Communication.

“The Art of Jujitsu in the Age of Digital Megamachines, or, How to Fight Facebook.” With Co-Author Peter Zhang. Planned to Submit to Media, Culture & Society or Continuum.

“Affect, Rhetoric, and the Sublime: Presencing the Past(s) of Rhetorical Theory.” With Co-Author Josue Cisneros. Planned to submit to Philosophy & Rhetoric.

Invited Publication

Jenkins, Eric. “Materialism(s) in Recent Visual Rhetorical Histories: A Commentary.” Rhetoric & Public Affairs. Vol. 21, #1, Spring 2018. 157-173

Invited Presentations

Eric S. Jenkins (04-20-2012. ) Mediated Minds: The Undergraduate Experience .TUC, University of Cincinnati. UC. . Level:Regional

Eric Jenkins (03-18-2013. ) Homo Modus: Digital Media, Mode Switching, and the Ethics of Conversation .James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. Conference. . Level:University

Eric Jenkins (06-28-2012. ) Interview with Figure/Ground .N/A, N/A. Level:International

Colloquium

Eric S. Jenkins (01-20-2012). The Modes of Visual Rhetoric . Department of Communication Colloquium Series, Arts & Sciences Hall. UC. Level:Department

Lecture

Eric Jenkins (11-23-2010. ) Digital Media and Media Ecology .620 Swift Hall. UC. Level:Department

Paper Presentations

Eric Jenkins (05-17-2011. ) Of Mice and Mimesis: Disney and the Commodity Fetish .Athens, Greece. Conference. Level:International

Eric Jenkins (04-08-2011. ) Disney Live-Action Movies as Cheesy Cliches of Consumerism .Cincinnati, OH. UC. Level:Regional

Eric Jenkins (06-24-2011. ) Animation's Other Punctum .Alberta. Edmonton, Canada. Conference. Level:International

Eric S. Jenkins (06-08-2012. ) “The Message is the Mode: Modes in Digital Media and Media Theory.” .Riverdale, NY. Conference. Level:International

Eric S. Jenkins (06-08-2012. ) Updating Narcissus, the ur-Myth of Media, for the Digital Age .Riverdale, NY. Conference. Level:International

Eric S. Jenkins and J. David Cisneros (05-26-2012. ) Love and Rhetoric: A Dear Josh Letter .Philadelphia, PA. Conference. Level:National

Eric S. Jenkins (11-19-2012. ) Life and Death of the American Pickers: Commodity Fetishism, Made for T.V. New Orleans, LA. Conference. Level:National

Eric Jenkins, Peter Zhang (06-20-2013. ) "Deleuze the Media Ecologist? Extensions of and Advances on McLuhan" .Grand Rapids, MI. Conference. Level:International

Eric Jenkins (06-20-2013. ) Of Extensions and Folds .Grand Rapids, MI. Conference. Level:International

Eric S. Jenkins (11-22-2013. ) The Modes of VIsual Rhetoric .Washington, DC. Conference. Level:National

Eric S. Jenkins (06-20-2014. ) From the Attraction to Tracking: Wall-E as Media Ecology Allegory .Toronto, Canada. Conference. Level:International

Eric S. Jenkins (06-20-2014. ) On Creases, Splits, and Fusions: Media, Affect, and the "Postmodern" Subject .Toronto, Canada. Other Institution. Level:International

Eric Jenkins (06-2015. ) Lewis Mumford: From Media Ecology to Machinic Ecology .Denver, CO. Conference. Level:International

Eric Jenkins and Peter Zhang (06-2015. ) The Art of Jujitsu in the Age of Digital Megamachines, or, How to Fight Facebook .Denver, CO. Conference. Level:International

Eric Jenkins (09-05-2015. ) The Affective Turn to Modes .Salt Lake City. Conference. Level:National

Eric Jenkins (10-10-2015. ) Addictions and Subscriptions: On the Waxing and Waning of Affect in Contemporary Capitalism .Millersville University. Conference. Level:International

Eric Jenkins, Josue Cisneros (11-21-2015. ) The Affective Dimension of Identification .Las Vegas. Conference. Level:National

Eric Jenkins (11-21-2015. ) Race, Social Media, and Affect .Las Vegas. Conference. Level:National

Jenkins, Eric (06-22-2018. ) Thinking through Gaming and Global Warming .Orono, ME. Conference. Level:International

Event Organized

Mediated Minds: Undergraduate Student Research Conference Conference 04-20-2012 04-20-2012 University of Cincinnati Level:Regional

06-23-2011 -06-26-2011 The 2011 MEA Convention Top Paper Award I received the Top Paper Award for the 2011 Media Ecology Association Annual Convention for my paper entitled "Another Punctum." The paper was blind-reviewed and competitively selected from amongst over 100 papers presented. Media Ecology Association Status:Recipient Level:International Type:Recognition

11-2012 -11-2012 Top 3 Papers in the Critical-Cultural Studies Division I received a Top 3 Paper award for my paper entitled "Life and Death of the American Pickers: Commodity Fetishism, Made for T.V." This was one of the top three papers in a division that received 189 submissions. National Communication Association Status:Recipient Level:National Type:Non-Monetary

06-07-2012 -06-09-2012 The Top Paper Award for the 2012 Media Ecology Association Convention This was the single top paper award from over 200 presenters. This is the first time the award has been presented to the same person, and I won the award in back to back years. For the paper entitled "Updating Narcissus, the ur-myth of Media, for the Digital Age." Media Ecology Association Status:Recipient Level:International Type:Recognition

11-22-2013 -11-22-2013 Top Paper in Visual Communication at the National Communication Association Conference For "The Modes of Visual Rhetoric" Status:Recipient Level:National Type:Non-Monetary

06-2014 -06-2015 The Marshall McLuhan Award for Outstanding Book in the Field of Media Ecology Semifinalist for my book Special Affects, The Media Ecology Association, 2014-2015. Media Ecology Association Status:Nomination Level:International Type:Non-Monetary

06-2014 -06-2015 The Lewis Mumford Award for Outstanding Scholarship in the Ecology of Technics Semifinalist for my book, Special Affects. Media Ecology Association Status:Nomination Level:International Type:Non-Monetary

Department of Communication (Graduate Admissions Committee ) Committee Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 10-01-2010 -08-31-2011

Media Ecology Association Reviewer Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:International 10-01-2010 -01-01-2011

Management Communication Quarterly Reviewer Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National 02-01-2011 -03-01-2011

American Behavioral Scientist Reviewer Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National 02-01-2011 -03-01-2011

(Media Communication Committee ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2010 -01-01-2011

Critical Visions Certificate (Critical Visions Certificate Committee ) Member Type:University/College Service Level:University 10-01-2010 -02-01-2011

(Graduate Recruitment Weekend ) Other Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 03-05-2011 -03-05-2011

McMicken Monthly Other Type:University/College Service Level:University 11-17-2010 -11-17-2010

Other Type:University/College Service Level:Department 02-01-2011 -03-01-2011

(Core Semester Conversion for COMM 371 ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 04-01-2011 -06-01-2011

(Graduate Program Admissions Committee ) Committee Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-2011 -04-2012

(Department of Communication Colloquium and Brown Bag Series ) Director Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-2011 -06-2012

Orange Band Faculty Sponsor Type:Service to Student Groups Level:University 09-01-2012 -05-01-2013

(Graduate Program Admissions Committee ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2012 -05-01-2013

(Research Group ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department

Rhetoric Society Quarterly Reviewer Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:International

Western Journal of Communication Reviewer Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National

(Colloquium and Brown Bag Series ) Director Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2012 -05-01-2013

(Pilot Program for Teaching/ Research Portfolios ) Member Type:University/College Service Level:University

Colloquium and Brown Bag Series Director Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2013 -05-01-2014

Department of Journalism (Search Committtee for Assistant Professor ) Committee Member Type:University/College Service Level:College 10-01-2013 -03-01-2014

The Orange Band Initiative Faculty Sponsor Type:University/College Service Level:University 09-01-2013 -05-01-2014

Brown Bag and Colloquium Series Director Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-2014 -05-2015

(Graduate Admissions ) Committee Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-2014 -05-2015

National Communication Association (Visual Communication Division ) President-Elect Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National 11-2014 -11-2017

National Communication Association (Visual Communication Division ) Reviewer Type:Other Level:National 03-2015 -03-2015

National Communication Association (Critical/Cultural Division ) Reviewer Type:Other Level:National 03-2015 -04-2015

Communication Design Quarterly Reviewer Type:Other Level:National 09-2014 -09-2014

Exploration in Media Ecology Reviewer Type:Other Level:National 09-2014 -05-2015

Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies Reviewer Type:Other Level:International 02-2015 -03-2015

(Colloquium and Brown Bag Series ) Conference Organizer Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2015 -05-01-2016

(Graduate Student Admissions Committee ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2015 -05-01-2016

National Communication Association (Visual Communication Division ) Vice-Chair Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National 09-01-2015 -05-01-2016

National Communication Association (Visual Communication Division ) Committee Chair Type:Service to Professional Associations Level:National 09-01-2017 -09-01-2018

(Diversity and Inclusion Committee ) Member Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 09-01-2017 -01-01-2018

Media Ecology, Consumer Culture, Cultural Studies, Popular Culture, Animation, Cinema, Film, Digital Media, New Media, Postmodern Capitalism, Consumerism, Modes, Visual Rhetoric, Visual Culture

09-01-2005 -To Present: Member National Communication Association,

04-01-2011 -To Present: Member Media Ecology Association,

10-01-2012: Society for Cinema and Media Studies

15-COMM-437 TOPICS IN COMMUNIC Digital Media Level:Undergraduate

15-COMM-228 COMM & POPULAR CULT Level:Undergraduate

15-COMM-429 COMM & TECHNOLOGY Level:Undergraduate

15-COMM-228 COMM & POPULAR CULT Level:Undergraduate

Communication Technology Level:Undergraduate

Communication and Popular Culture Level:Undergraduate

Communication Technology Level:Graduate

Communication Technology Level:Undergraduate

15-COMM-429 COMM & TECHNOLOGY Level:Undergraduate

Visual Culture and Visual Rhetoric Level:Graduate

15-COMM-228 COMM & POPULAR CULT Level:Undergraduate

Communicating Images: Rhetoric, Design, and Culture Level:Undergraduate

-COMM-2028 COMM & POP CULTURE Level:Undergraduate

Visual Rhetoric and Visual Culture Level:Undergraduate

Media and Technology Level:Undergraduate

Advanced Rhetorical Theory Level:Graduate

-COMM-2028 COMM & POP CULTURE Level:Undergraduate

Media and Technology Level:Undergraduate

Visual Culture and Visual Rhetoric Level:Undergraduate

15-CLAS-335 CELTIC NORSE MYTH Visual Rhetoric Level:Graduate

-COMM-2028 COMM & POP CULTURE Level:Undergraduate

Visual Rhetoric and Visual Culture Level:Undergraduate

Media and Technology Level:Undergraduate

Advanced Rhetorical Theory Level:Graduate

-COMM-1055 FSEM: COMM & SOC Level:Undergraduate

COMM 4029 Media & Technology Level:Undergraduate

09-01-2012 -05-01-2013 Pilot Program for Teaching/ Research Portfolios This was a pilot program to help new faculty develop professional websites, Directed by Wayne Hall Type:Workshop