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James S. Dyer

Assistant Professor and Chair of Journalism

James Dyer

In Memoriam 

Years at Knox: 2013 to 2023

"For 20 years I have been studying stories, how they've been told over the centuries, how they've affected and impacted lives, what medium was used to tell the story and what effect it may have had on the audience's reception. My research interests include narrative journalism and oral history and the broad overlap between their respective approaches to information gathering. I'm also fascinated by the role that digital technologies and multimedia journalism are playing in the evolution of the Fourth Estate."

Education

Ph.D., Spanish, 2017, University of Iowa.
M.A., Spanish, 2006, University of Iowa.
M.A., Journalism, 2002, University of Iowa.
B.A., Spanish, 1989, University of Minnesota.

Teaching Interests

Narrative Feature Writing, Media Law and Ethics, Multimedia Journalism, and Oral History

Selected Professional Accomplishments

Honors/Grants

  • External Grant: Center for News Literacy - Bringing News Literacy to Knox College and Galesburg Area, February 2014.
  • T. Anne Cleary International Dissertation Research Fellowship, Summer 2012.
  • Sandra H. Barkan Graduate Student Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Iowa, 2009.
  • Pulitzer Prize nominee for investigative journalism, 2001 and 1997.
  • Pulitzer Prize nominee for feature writing, 1999.
  • Pulitzer Prize nominee for explanatory journalism, 1999.
  • Best of Gannett, 2nd Place Investigative Reporting, 1997.
  • Detroit Press Foundation Public Service Award, 1997.
  • National Press Foundation's Spanish Fellowship Abroad, Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1996.
  • A.P.M.E. 1st Place, Human Interest, 1996.
  • Inland Press Association, 1st Place Community Service, 1994.
  • W. Earl Hall Award for Interpretive Writing, 1992.

Publications

"Talking to home staging services: How they prepare a home to sell," Chicago Tribune, June 23, 2016.

"Dick Blick expands merchandise to stay competitive," Galesburg Register-Mail, September 13, 2016.

Consultant: Documentary film, Coming of Age in Aging America, Vital Pictures, Brighton, MA. Summer 2016.

Presentations

"Fear and Loathing in College Among the Brightest Undocumented Latino Scholars," Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, San Diego, CA. April 12-15, 2017.

"'My Father, the Hero!' The Challenges of Oral Historians Whose Sources Refashion their Personal Histories Out of Family Loyalty," Humber Liberal Arts of Toronto, Canada, with the International Festival of Authors Conference. October 28-30, 2016.

"The Almighty Click: The Dangerous Emergence of Clickbait Web Content in Newspapers," Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Chicago, IL. October 7, 2016.

"Effective Public Relations: Writing the press release." Public Speaking class, Augustana College.

"Los Desaparecidos: A multimedia project on Hispanic Culture." Intermediate Spanish Class, Augustana College, 2011.

"Emulating the Western Free Press Without Going Soft, Sensational or Bankrupt: A case study on Spain's El Pais." James F. Jakobsen Graduate Conference, University of Iowa, 2009.

"Stiffing the Jewish Loan Sharks: The legalities behind why the Cid conned Rachel y Vidas." Heroes and Anti-Heroes: A Celebration of the Cid, University of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2008.

Guest Lecturer. "Baudelaire, Rimbaud y el simbolismo." Spanish American Poetry of the 19th Century, University of Iowa, 2007.

Guest Lecturer. "Las dos amantes poéticas de Pablo Neruda." Spanish American Love Poetry, University of Iowa, 2007.

Campus & Community Involvement

Member, Society of Professional Journalists.

Member, Modern Language Association.