Editorial Team

Maria Bakardjieva PhD. Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Maria Bakardjieva is a professor and the current Chair in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Calgary, Canada. Her research examines the social construction of communication technologies and the use of digital media in various cultural and practical contexts with a focus on user agency, critical reflexivity and emancipation. She has numerous publications in leading journals and influential anthologies. The books she has authored and co-edited include Internet Society: The Internet in Everyday Life (2005), Socialbots and Their Friends: Digital Media and the Automation of Sociality (2017), Digital Media and the Dynamics of Civil Society: Retooling Citizenship in New European Democracies (2021), and How Canadians Communicate (2004 and 2007). Between 2010 and 2013, she served as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Her current projects investigate the role digital media play in citizen engagement and democratic participation. Dr. Bakardjieva teaches courses in communication theory and research methodology, communication technology and society, digital media and democracy. She works to promote undergraduate research activities in Communication and Media Studies and engages in knowledge mobilization and community outreach intended to advance the public understanding of issues related to Communication and Media Studies.

Sheroog Kubur, Managing Editor

Sheroog Kubur is the Managing Editor of the Motley Undergraduate Journal of Communications. She is in her final year as a political science and communications student, with a background in journalism and community-focused volunteer work. She has become a longtime supporter and volunteer to the journal, looking forward to bringing her editorial and research experience together in this new role. Sheroog's journey into undergraduate research started after publishing her first article with the Motley into journalism studies and local practices, Clowning around in journalism: Exploring local journalistic practices by yyc.clowns. Since then, she has worked to combine her two disciplines in her studies, writing her honours thesis on digitally-mediated social movements and developing a PURE project looking into the social media practices of global right-wing leaders. This year she was also the recipient of the Best Undergraduate Paper in Political Science, writing about the ways in which digital technologies are used as tools of simplification for states.

The Motley Team grows and changes every year! For a full list of editorial contributors, please refer to the Meet the Editorial Team section of each respective issue.