Meredith Neville-Shepard, assistant professor of communication, examines women's athletic advocacy related to uniform regulations in an article funded by the Center for Communication Research at the U of A. Specifically, Neville-Shepard investigates controversies over sexist clothing standards that emerged as a hot topic in news headlines and on social media during the 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to COVID-19).

Her article, titled "Uniform Choices: Elastic Feminism and Rhetoric Surrounding the 2020 Olympic 'Pantywar,'" reveals how the language of individual choice was marshalled in a manner that was rhetorically effective but politically limiting. The essay is published in Feminist Media Studies, an interdisciplinary and transnational outlet currently ranked as the top journal in feminism and women's studies, according to Google Scholar's citation metrics.

In addition to funding from the Center for Communication Research, Neville-Shepard's work on this topic received grant support from the Organization for Research on Gender and Communication. An earlier version of her published essay was featured on the Feminist and Gender Studies Top Papers Panel at the 2023 National Communication Association Conference. The convention, held in National Harbor, Maryland, brought together over 4,000 scholars of communication from across the country.

Neville-Shepard joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas in 2016 and was promoted onto the tenure track in 2023. Her research blends rhetorical methods, cultural theory, and feminist perspectives to examine popular culture and mediated political discourse. In addition to Feminist Media Studies, her peer-reviewed journal articles can be found in top-ranking outlets such as Quarterly Journal of Speech, Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Women's Studies in Communication, and American Behavioral Scientist. Her work has been recognized with awards from the National Communication Association, the American Forensic Association, and the Southern States Communication Association.

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About the Center for Communication Research: The Center for Communication Research facilitates collaborative, interdisciplinary social research within the University of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas region, and broader intellectual community. Toward this end, the CCR seeks to stimulate and support interdisciplinary collaborations; provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate participation; engage regional, state, and national funding agencies; and acquire and maintain the equipment necessary to support research endeavors. The CCR manages a research lab space that includes state-of-the-art technology for studying all facets of communication.