Dr. Kristen Landreville, an assistant professor in the COJO Department, received funding from The Malcolm Wallop Fund for Conversations on Democracy to study Wyoming residents’ feelings of connection and engagement, media use, and political knowledge. The project was titled “Small Town, Big Election: A Look at New, Alternative, and Emerging Media Sources Used by Rural Residents during the 2012 Presidential Campaign”.
The study took place over the summer at various communities within Wyoming. The focus groups revealed where Wyoming residents learn about politics through media, including how residents use new media for politics. The study also showed how residents use and negotiate information within a rural state during a presidential campaign. A second part to the study will examine how 2012 presidential debates influence young Wyoming voters and how these voters use new media to communicate about the presidential debates. The findings will be reported to a symposium on Nov. 14 that will be held in the Wyoming Union.
