Judith Rosenbaum-Andre
- Dean
Contact Info
1435 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
Biography —
Judith E. Rosenbaum-Andre serves as Dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Prior to joining KU in 2026, Dean Rosenbaum-Andre held academic leadership positions at the University of Maine and Albany State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communications from Radboud University Nijmegen
Dean Rosenbaum-Andre’s research centers on understanding how and why people use digital and entertainment media as well as its impact on individuals and society at large. Research topics include spoilers and enjoyment, social media use, and media literacy. She has published more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, authored two books, and received several awards recognizing her research and teaching. Her teaching experience spans three institutions and includes undergraduate and graduate courses in media studies, communication, journalism, research methods, and ethics. She has also advised numerous undergraduate research projects, master's theses, and doctoral students, and remains committed to supporting student learning and scholarly development.
Education —
Selected Publications —
Rosenbaum, J.E. & Adams, S. (2026). AI in the classroom: Building reflexivity and critical literacy skills. In W. Holmes (Ed.), Handbook of Critical Studies of Artificial Intelligence and Education. Edward Elgar.
Rosenbaum, J.E., Ellithorpe, M., & Brookes, S. (2026). Does the dog die? Empathic distress and spoilers as self-protection. Psychology of Popular Media. Advance online publication.
Rosenbaum, J.E. (2025). Spoilers and the narrative experience: Lessons from ten years of empirical research. In S. Spiegel (Ed.), The Fear of Knowing: Spoilers in TV, Literature, and Gaming Culture. Rombach/Nomos.
Vear, A.M. & Rosenbaum, J.E. (2024). Identity for sale: Authenticity, commodification, and agency in YouTube influencers. Information & Culture, 59(3), 285–308.
Ellithorpe, M., Rosenbaum, J.E., & Brookes, S. (2024). That's not supposed to happen! Spoilers' impact on experience of narratives with (un)expected endings. Psychology of Popular Media, 13(3), 281–290.
Brookes, S., Rosenbaum, J.E., & Ellithorpe, M. (2024). Spoilers as self protection: Investigating the influence of empathic distress and concern for self on spoiler selection. International Journal of Communication, 18, 1745–1764.
Sherblom, J.C., & Rosenbaum, J.E. (2024). Computer mediated communication: Approaches and perspectives (2nd ed.). Cognella.
Bonnet, J.L., Rosenbaum, J.E., & Berry, R.A. (2023). Building a bridge to somewhere: A critical dialogue to further media and information literacy practice. Journal of Media Literacy.
Johnson, B.K., & Rosenbaum, J.E. (2023). Sharing brands on social media: The roles of behavioral commitment and modality in identity shift. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(3), 995–1010.
Ranzini, G., Rosenbaum, J.E., & Tybur, J. (2022). Assortative online dating: Insights into partner choice from an experimental online dating app. Computers in Human Behavior, 127, 107039.
Rosenbaum, J.E., Bonnet, J.L., & Berry, R.A. (2022). Rethinking the future of news literacy education: Results from a mixed methods study. The Media Education Research Journal, 11(2), 1–22.
Carr, C.T., Kim, Y., Valov, J.J., Rosenbaum, J.E., Johnson, B.K., Hancock, J.T., & Gonzales, A.L. (2021). An explication of identity shift theory: Getting our shift together. Journal of Media Psychology, 33(4), 202–214.
Bouvier, G., & Rosenbaum, J.E. (Eds.). (2020). The chaos of online deliberations on Twitter. Palgrave-Macmillan.
Rosenbaum, J.E. (2019). Degrees of freedom: Exploring agency, narratives, and technological affordances in the #TakeAKnee controversy. Social Media + Society, 5(2), 1–11.
Rosenbaum, J.E. (2018). Constructing digital cultures: Tweets, trends, race, and gender. Lexington.
Rosenbaum, J.E. & Johnson, B.K. (2016). Who's afraid of spoilers: Need for cognition, need for affect, and narrative selection and enjoyment. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 5(3), 273–289.
Johnson, B.K., & Rosenbaum, J.E. (2015). Spoiler alert: Consequences of narrative spoilers for dimensions of enjoyment, appreciation, and transportation. Communication Research, 42(8), 1068–1088.
Rosenbaum, J.E., Beentjes, J.W.J., & Konig, R.P. (2008). Mapping media literacy: Key concepts and future directions. In C.S. Beck (Ed.), Communication Yearbook, Volume 32 (pp. 313–355). Routledge.
Rosenbaum, J.E. (2006). 'This is what it must look like': An empirical study of The Lord of the Rings fandom and media literacy. In E. Mathijs (Ed.), Lord of the Rings: Popular Culture in Global Context (pp. 189–206). Wallflower Press.
Awards & Honors —
2025 – “You Can Lead a Horse to Water”: Leadership in Faculty Development Award, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, University of Maine.
2024 – Outstanding Faculty Award for Research and Creative Achievement, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Maine.
2021 – Best Reviewer Award, Communication Technology Division, Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
2020 – Top Paper in Communication and Social Cognition, “Challenge Accepted! The Role of Content Challenge and Self-Control in Spoiler Selection and Anticipated Entertainment,” Communication and Social Cognition Division, 106th Annual Convention of the National Communication Association, Indianapolis, IN.
2014 – Top Faculty Paper, “Who's Afraid of Spoilers: Need for Cognition, Need for Affect, and Narrative Selection and Enjoyment,” Communication Technology and Methodology Division, 97th Annual Convention, Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Montreal, Canada.
2012 – Excellence in Teaching Award, The National Society of Leadership and Success, Albany State University, GA.