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Sean Baker, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Education:

Ph.D. Communication
University of Washington, School of Communication, 2000
Dissertation Title: Gender, crime and culture: Media coverage of the Mary Kay LeTourneau child rape case

M.S. Criminal Justice
Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice, 1997
Thesis Title: The effect of COPS on undergraduate students’ perceptions of law enforcement

B.A. Sociology
University of Minnesota, Department of Sociology, 1994
American Indian Studies minor

Academic Experience:

Associate Professor, Towson University, Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies (2001 to Present), tenure received 2007.
Graduate Program Director, Communication Management
-Using Information Effectively
-Mass Media and Society
-Mass Communication Research
-Cyberspace and Communication
-Research Methods in Mass Communication

Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky, School of Journalism and Telecommunications (2000-2001)
-Mass Communication Systems
-Telecommunications Program Analysis
-Media Criticism
-Cyberspace and Society

Teaching Assistant, University of Washington, School of Communication (Fall 1997 through Spring 2000)

Publications:

Baker, S. (forthcoming). Cultural and critical studies. In Sloan, D. Zhou, S. (Eds.), Research methods in mass communication. Vision Press.

Baker, S. (2007). The Mary Kay LeTourneau case: Media, gender and criminal justice. In Bailey, F & Chermak, S. (Eds.), Famous American trials of the twentieth century. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Baker, S. (2005). Review of Famous American crimes and trials: Volume 2, 1860-1912. American Journalism, 22, 139-140.

Baker, S. (2003). From Dragnet to Survivor: Historical and cultural perspectives on reality television. In Smith, M. Wood, A. (Eds.), Survivor lessons: Essays on Communication and Reality Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland Company.

Refereed Conference Papers:

Baker, S. Helou-Brown, D. (2007). News editorials and the Patriot Act. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference paper, Washington DC.

Baker, S. Helou-Brown, D. (2007). News, gender, crime, and the media: The case of Mary Kay LeTourneau. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference paper, Washington DC.

Baker, S. Pech, E. (2006). The social construction of race and gender in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. International Communication Association conference paper, Dresden, Germany.

Baker, S., Kane, K., Hennigan, J. Mengel, J. (2006). Social discourse about the Patriot Act: An analysis of news editorials. Eastern Communication Association conference paper, Philadelphia, PA.

Baker, S. (2005). Two wrongs do make a right: News analysis of a violent response to clergy sex abuse. National Communication Association conference paper, Boston, MA.

Baker, S. (2005). Framing of police brutality and racism: Historical perspectives on mainstream and minority newspapers. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference paper, San Antonio, TX.

Baker, S. (2004). From Dragnet to Survivor: Historical and cultural perspectives on reality television. National Communication Association panel presentation, Chicago, IL.

Baker, S. (2004). The effect of COPS on peoples’ perceptions of law enforcement. Eastern Communication Association conference paper, Boston MA.

Baker, S. (2002). Love or rape: Newspaper framing of child rape. International Communication Association conference paper, Seoul, Korea.

Baker, S. (2002). The reality of reality-based television. International Communication Association conference paper, Seoul, Korea.

Baker, S. (2001). From television news to tabloids: The iconization of a convicted rapist. International Communication Association conference paper, Washington D.C.

Baker, S. (2001). Popular representations of deviant sexual conduct: The case of Mary Kay LeTourneau. International Communication Association conference paper, Washington D.C.

Baker, S. (2000). The institutional relationship between the mass media and the criminal justice system. National Communication Association conference paper, Seattle WA.

Baker, S. (2000). Reality Television: The production of cultural ideology. International Communication Association conference paper, Acapulco, Mexico.

Baker, S. (2000). The Simpsons meet Baudrillard: Pedagogy and Cultural studies in the postmodern university. International Communication Association conference paper.

Baker, S. Halavais, A. (2000). Microsoft, friend or foe: News discourse on the Microsoft monopoly decision. Western Social Science Association conference paper, San Diego, CA.

Baker, S. (1999). An exploration into the haves and have-nots of electronic commerce. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference paper, New Orleans, LA.

Baker, S. (1999). A comparative frame analysis of two child rape cases in Washington State. International Communication Association conference paper, San Francisco, CA.

Baker, S. (1998). Public perceptions of a media saturated crime: The case of Mary Kay LeTourneau. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference paper, Baltimore, MD.

Manuscripts Under Review:

Baker, S. & Helou-Brown, D. News editorials and the Patriot Act. Submitted to the Newspaper Research Journal.

Baker, S. & Helou-Brown, D. News, gender, crime, and the media: The case of Mary Kay LeTourneau. Submitted to Critical Studies in Media Communication.

Baker, S. Framing of police brutality and racism: Historical perspectives on mainstream and minority newspapers. Submitted to American Journalism.

Current Research Projects:

Book length manuscript on female teachers who have been convicted of sexual assault of their students which examines the social and political aspects of these criminal events.

Using political economy, a content analysis of articles about hip-hop/rap music in USA Today during the years 1995, 2000, and 2005.

Other Research Experience:

Data Analyst for Elway Research Inc., May 1998 to August 2000.
Research proposal writing, data analysis, SPSS programming, analysis planning, report/presentation construction.

Research Consultant for the Joint Centers for Justice Studies, April 1997 to July 1997.
Primary tasks were: database construction, data cleaning, data analysis (SPSS), and result presentation.

Research Assistant for MSU School of Criminal Justice, 1995-97 academic years.
Duties included data analysis/entry, data processing (SPSS), graphics production, grading papers, and other tasks furthering departmental goals and objectives.

Honors and Awards:

Invited Guest Speaker. “What is New Media?” Society for Adventist Communicators International Conference. Baltimore, MD, October, 2006.

Faculty Research Grant from the University of Kentucky to implement a survey on Internet access and subsequent on-line purchases 2001.

Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student. Instructional and Development Division of the International Communication Association. Acapulco, Mexico, June, 2000.

Invited Guest Speaker. Net Exercise on Affirmative Action. Unity 99 Student Conference. Seattle, WA, July, 1999.

Top 3 Papers in the Graduate Education Interest Group at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference. Public perceptions of a media saturated crime: The case of Mary Kay LeTourneau. Baltimore, MD, August, 1998.

Technical Experience and Skills:

Webmaster for the Mass Communication and Communication Studies, Towson University, September 2004 to Present. Designed and maintained the school's website.

Extensive software knowledge including, Microsoft Office, Adobe, Macromedia, SPSS and other Windows and Macintosh applications. Knowledge of shooting, computerized design, and production principles in digital video and photography.

References provided upon request.

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