Biography
Intercultural Communication, Performance, Language and Cultural Studies, Communication Education, Feminist Theory, Gender and Communication, Global Peace and Justice
Ph.D. 1999, University of New Mexico
Email: kathryn.sorrells@csun.edu
Office: MZ 338
Phone: TBA
Professor Kathryn Sorrells is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at California State University, Northridge. She has a passion for teaching and learning about issues of culture, gender, race, and social justice with people of all ages and in a variety of educational settings. Kathryn combines approaches from critical, cultural studies, feminist and post-colonial theory to investigate these issues, balancing both political and aesthetic dimensions. As a potter and artist, she brings her creative interests and energy into the classroom and scholarly work. Kathryn teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in intercultural communication, critical pedagogy, communication education, performance, language and cultural studies, gender and communication, and feminist rhetoric and theory. She has also developed and taught a course on women, art, and culture for the Department of Women Studies and an interdisciplinary course on Global Peace and Justice.
Kathryn received her B.A. from Carleton College in Religion, M.A. from Antioch University in Whole Systems Design and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Intercultural Communication from the University of New Mexico. She is the recipient of the Cheris Kramarae 2000 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Organization for the Study of Gender, Language, and Communication for her dissertation entitled “Women Creating New Mexico: Intercultural Communication Processes in Southwest Forms of Creative Expression.” Her diverse research interests include investigating the commodification of culture as a continuation of colonization, intercultural conflict, artistic forms of social protest, and integrating social justice into the study of intercultural communication. Dr. Sorrells is author of a forthcoming book titled Globalizing Intercultural Communication and has published a variety of articles related to intercultural communication, gender, and social justice.
Professor Sorrells has received numerous national, state and local community service awards for founding and directing the Communicating Common Ground Project, an innovative community action research project that allows CSUN students the opportunity to develop creative alternatives to intercultural and interethnic conflict. In additions, Kathryn has experience as a consultant and trainer for businesses and educational organizations in the field of intercultural and multicultural learning. Dr. Sorrells has facilitated change processes for individuals, groups, and institutions in the areas of diversity, gender, and intercultural conflict.