Michael S.Waltman

Associate Professor
Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

Current Research: Social and Political Uses of Hate Speech; The Essential Features of Anti-Hate Discourse

Grant Funding: Spray-Randleigh Fellowship; Moister Fellowship in the Institute for Arts and Humanities

Recent Publications: Waltman, M. S., & Davis, M. J. (2005).  How to be a Proper Racist: Mythic Representations in The Turner Diaries. Journal of Intergroup Relations, 32, 19-39. (Refereed)

Waltman, M. S., & Davis, M. J. (2004).  Deadly Humor: How Racist Cartoons Further the Ideology of Hate and Create a Symbolic Code for Ethnoviolence. Journal of Intergroup Relations, 31, 3-23. (Refereed and lead article)

Waltman, M. S. (2003).  Stratagems and Heuristics in the Recruitment of Children into Communities of Hate:  The Fabric of Our Future Nightmares. Southern Communication Journal, 69, 22-36. (Refereed)

Courses Regularly Taught: Hate Speech (COMM 629), Theories of Interpersonal Communication (COMM 620), Communication and Social Memory (COMM 521), Persuasion (COMM 312)

Future/Projected Courses: Graduate Seminar in Persuasive Uses of Hate; First Year Seminar in Uncivil Speech

Areas of Specialization: Persuasion and social Influence

Honors:  Moister Fellow, Institute for the Arts and Humanities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Recipient of the Rose B. Johnson Award from the Southern States Communication Association for “Strategems and Heuristics in the Recruitment of Children into Communities of Hate.” The award goes to the article ranked by, scholarly peers, as the top article for volume 69 of Southern Communication Journal, April 2005.

Distinguished Article Award from the Applied Communication Division of the National Communication Association for “Stratagems and Heuristics in the Recruitment of Children into Communities of Hate” published in Southern Communication Journal.  This award is given for the article deemed most likely influence how scholars think about applied communication, November 2004.

1st Place Award Winner for the 2003-2004 Best Article Award from the Journal of Intergroup Relations. Deadly Humor: How Racist Cartoons Further the Ideology of Hate and Create a Symbolic Code for Ethnoviolence.

Recipient, Ueltschi Service Learning-Learning Course Development Grant, 2002.

Recipient, Carolina Center for Public Service Grant for teaching tolerance and respect for differences to Girls Scouts in the Pines of Carolina Girl Scout Council, April 2000

Recipient, Access Award, one of five awards to faculty for outstanding assistance to students with learning disabilities at the University of North Carolina, 1997.

Recipient, Favorite Faculty Award from the Senior Class of 1997, University of North Carolina.

Professional Service: Member of Editorial Boards for Southern Communication Journal and Communication Studies; Regularly conduct workshops and round-table discussions for Southern Communication Association.

Current/Recent Work with Graduate Students: Invited workshop director for Fighting Hatred and Racism Through the Communication Curriculum: A workshop conducted at the Southern States Communication Association, 2006; See recent Publications.

Community Service: Interviewed by WRAL News (television) and WCHL (radio) on the implications of discourse surrounding a rally of The New Black Panther Party to support an alleged victim of interracial rape by high profile young White men in Durham County. Interview appeared on the WRAL News, April 30, 2006, 6 and 11 p.m. Quoted in Members of New Black Panther Group March Near Duke,     www.wral.com, May 1, 2006.; Interview appeared on WCHL, May 2, 2006.

What Are the Desirable Features of Anti-Hate Discourse? Invited description of my Research, published in the newsletter of the Institute for Action Against Hate
(located at Gonzaga University).

Community workshops designed to teach tolerance and respect to children (ages 8-18). 

    Pines of Carolina Girl Scout Council (troops in Durham, NC)
    Massey Hill High School, Fayetteville, NC
    Siler City Teen Center, Siler City, NC
    Presbytarian Church of Chapel Hill (Youth Group