Lauren Sowa

Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication

Communication Division, Seaver College

CCB 220

310.506.6004

Biography

Lauren Alexandra Sowa is a visiting assistant professor of communication at Seaver College. Her research focuses on intersectional feminism and representation within production cultures, television, and popular culture. Inspired by her several-decade career in the entertainment industry as an actor in SAG/AFTRA and AEA, she combines her research interests and media experience through her work as a public speaking coach and media consultant. She has sole-authored articles published in the International Journal of Communication and Communication, Culture, and Critique and is on the editorial committee for Henry Jenkins’s Confessions of An Aca-Fan.

Education

PhD Communication, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2022
MA Communication, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2019
Master of Communication Management, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2015
BFA Theatre, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts 2010

Research
Presentations

Sowa, L. A. (2022). Beyond Benson: From Law & Order: SVU to Holland’s Grenslanders, Female Masculinity in Crime Dramas Fall Victim to Feminized Tropes. Communication, Culture, and Critique.
Sowa, L. A. (2022) Historical and Contemporary Representations of Youth and Teens in Media Fictions. International Journal of Communication.
Sowa, L. A. (2021). Breaking Stereotypes or Stereotypical Breakdowns?: Analyzing Television Casting Breakdowns for Latina Characters. International Journal of Communication. 15: 3358-3378.

Sowa, L. A. & Gomez, M. “Director John Chu’s Management of Representation: Audience Reactions to ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘In the Heights.’” Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference. Chicago, IL. April 2022
Sowa, L. A. “Un/Bridgerton-ing Racial Divides: A Critical Look at Bridgerton’s Colorblind Casting.” National Communication Association Conference (Theatre, Film, and New Multi-Media Division). Seattle, WA. Nov 2021
Sowa, L. A. “These are Their Stories: A Conjunctural Analysis of Law & Order: SVU’s Cultural Perspectives” National Communication Association Conference. Seattle, WA. Nov 2021
Sowa, L. A. “Breaking stereotypes or stereotypical breakdowns?: Analyzing television casting breakdowns for Latina Characters.” International Communication Association Conference (Ethnicity & Race Division), Washington DC. May 2019
Sowa, L. A. “From gendered products to gender politics: How beauty-vloggers turned UN change ambassadors engage intersectionality.” International Communication Association Conference (Feminist Scholarship Division), Washington DC. May 2019
Sowa, L. A. “Do you hear the people rap?: Broadway’s broadening of the public sphere through Les Miserables and Hamilton.” International Communication Association Conference (Visual Studies Division), Washington DC. May 2019
Sowa, L. A. “A dream is a wish your brain manifests into reality: A comparative analysis of Disney princess’ autonomy and the Dream Big, Princess campaign.” Pop Culture Conference. DePaul University, Chicago, IL. May 2019
Sowa, L. A. “Breaking down casting: A deeper look at the breakdown services descriptions for roles.” USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Research Seminar. Los Angeles, CA Sept 2018
Sowa, L. A. “Women in media: Investigating the representation of women in crime drama television.” International Communication Association Conference (Visual Studies Division), Prague, Czech Republic. May 2018

Topics

Cultural Studies
Public Speaking
Television Studies
Fandom Studies
Production Cultures
Intersectional Feminism

Courses

SART 305: History of Screen Arts
COM 180: Public Speaking and Rhetorical Analysis