We are very pleased to announce that Alfred L. Martin, Jr., a renowned scholar of media and cultural studies, is joining the faculty of the University of Miami School of Communication. Dr. Martin’s research focuses on fans, texts, and production of television and film, through the lens of critical Black studies, and sexuality and gender studies. Having earned his Ph.D. in Media Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Martin comes to us having served as an associate professor of communication studies and African American studies at the University of Iowa.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Al Martin to our faculty. His scholarship offers an impressive contribution to how we understand the significance of television in our world. Dr. Martin elevates our critical work in communication scholarship with his thoughtful research, most recently publishing The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom (Indiana University Press),” according to Dean Wilkins.
His scholarly research on topics including Black studies, fandoms, and LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Critical Studies in Media Communication, Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, and Television and New Media. His journal article, Scripting Black Gayness: Television Authorship in Black-Cast Sitcoms, received the Outstanding Scholarly Article Award at the National Communication Association African American Culture and Communication Division. In addition, Martin has written for the Washington Post and Los Angeles Review of Books, and has been quoted in public-facing media including the New York Times, CNN, and Marketplace.
Dr. Martin comes to UM with not only an academic background, but also with years of expertise working in public relations and marketing for companies including Lava Brand Motion Lamps, Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, Wendy’s International, and SC Johnson. He was also the founder and president of What Works Communications, an independent marketing communications consultancy for 10 years.
Dean Wilkins commends Dr. Martin “not only for his excellent scholarship and industry experience, but also for his professional training in dance. He will excel in establishing the choreography we need to strengthen our faculty impact.”
