Ashley Smalls (she/her)
Assistant Professor College of Arts & Sciences Department of English Providence
Biography
Ashley Smalls is a college educator that specializes in media representation, social media, and popular culture. With years of experience managing social media for publications such as the New York Daily News and Forbes, she employs innovative teaching methods to enhance student engagement and comprehension. By integrating active learning techniques and educational technology into courses such as “Media and Popular Culture” and “Global Media”, her aim is to boost students’ digital literacy and critical thinking skills. She strives to foster a comprehensive understanding of media dynamics while encouraging analytical thinking and creative expression. Through her research and scholarly contributions, she aims to enrich academic discourse and inspire the next generation of media scholars and professionals.
Education
PhD, Pennsylvania State University
Mass Communications
MA, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Social Journalism
BA, Penn State University
Broadcast Journalism
“AI in the Classroom.” Smalls, A. (May 6, 2025)
https://www.jwu.edu/news/stories/magazine/2025/spring/ai-in-the-classroom/index.html
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
International Communication Association
National Communication Association
Smalls, A. (2024). Bonnie Bennett and the Magic of Fandom: The Vampire Diaries as Postmodern Storytelling: Essays on the Television Series and Novels. (Book Chapter).
McFarland, 115-128.
https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-vampire-diaries-as-postmodern-storytelling/
Smalls, A. (September 3, 2021). All new, all different? A history of race and the American superhero. (Journal Article).
Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 12(5), 1149-1151.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2020.1837897
International Communication Association, “The Role of Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen: A Reflection of Human Fears and Desires,” Denver, CO, United States. (June 16, 2025).
Eastern Communication Association, “Black Media Studies: A Catalyst for Change in Mass Communications,” Cambridge, MA, United States. (March 21, 2024).
International Communication Association, “Blerd Lines: Black Nerds and the Reshaping of Media Fandom,” Toronto, Canada. (2023).
National Communications Association, “What Mass Communications Can Learn From Black Studies,” New Orleans, LA, United States. (November, 2022).
International Communications Association, “Fangirling While Black: An Intersectional Analysis of Media Fandom,” Paris, France. (May, 2022).