John Sewell
Associate Professor & Journalism Head
Miller Hall - Room 2305
Office Hours
Tue 8:00-9:30am and 10:45am-2:15pm
and by appointment
As an educator my goal is twofold: to provide viable career training, and to foster critical thinking in hope of spurring progressive social change. Although my professional history and current focus at UWG is in journalism, I also have a strong background in critical theory, cultural studies and critical/rhetorical ethnography. My research interests include critical theory, rhetorical theory, affect theory, post-structuralism, postmodernism, identity studies, subculture studies, gender studies and queer studies. I am honored to serve as Program Head for the SCFM's Journalism track and as Advisor for The West Georgian student newspaper. I am presently at work on four research projects and expect to achieve multiple scholarly publications in the current academic cycle.
- B.S., Communication, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1997
- M.A., Professional Communication, East Tennessee State University, 2006
- Ph.D., Public Communication (Cultural Studies/Critical Theory), Georgia State University, 2012
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications)
- COMM-2254 (Media Ethics)
- COMM-3301 (Writing & Reptg for Newspapers)
- COMM-3302 (Public Affairs Reporting)
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing)
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian)
- COMM-4455 (Critical Issues in Mass Comm)
- COMM-5585 (Soc Media, Pop Cultr, Postmdrn)
- COMM-6055 (Collctv Idntities n Digtl Cltr)
- COMM-6600 (Digt & Soc Med Comm Theories)
Fall 2025 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Fundamentals of Newswriting) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6600 (DSMC Theories) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2025 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: E04 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6055 (Collect IDs in Digital Culture) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2025 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: 02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6600 (DSMC Theories) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2024 Sections
- COMM-2254 (Media Ethics) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2024 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6055 (Coll Ident & Digi Culture) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2024 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6600 (DSMC Theories) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2023 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Fundamentals of Newswriting) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6600 (DSMC Theories) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2023 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6055 (Collctv Idntities n Digtl Cltr) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2023 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Fundamentals of Newswriting) Section: 02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2022 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Fundamentals of Newswriting) Section: 02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-6600 (Digt & Soc Med Comm Theories) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2022 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2022 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Fundamentals of Newswriting) Section: 02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2021 Sections
- COMM-3302 (Public Affairs Reporting) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-5585 (Soc Media, Pop Cultr, Postmdrn) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2021 Sections
- COMM-1154 (Intro to Mass Communications) Section: E05 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-3302 (Public Affairs Reporting) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2021 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Writing & Reptg for Newspapers) Section: 02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4402 (Feature Writing) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2020 Sections
- COMM-3301 (Writing & Reptg for Newspapers) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4421N (Practicum-The West Georgian) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- COMM-4455 (Critical Issues in Mass Comm) Section: 01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
"Workin' on a Mystery": Tom Petty, Postmodernism, Post-Structuralism and Who We Are(n't) [View Publication (PDF)]
The Singular They and How it Works: A (More or Less) Structuralist Explanation of Transgender's Post-Structuralist, Pronominal R [View Publication (PDF)]
"Becoming Rather than Being": Queer's Double-Edged Discourse as Deconstructive Practice [View Publication (PDF)]
Video: "Becoming Rather than Being": Queer's Double-Edged Discourse as Deconstructive Practice
Numinous Fortune and Holy Money: Dave Ramsey's Cruel Optimism [View Publication (PDF)]