Rim Chaif

Rim Chaif
  • Ph.D. Student

Contact Info

Biography —

Rim H. Chaif is a doctoral student and Graduate Teaching Assistant at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. She holds a master’s in Intercultural Studies and Media Education from the University of Calabria, Italy, and a master’s in Institutional and Enterprise Communication from the National School of Journalism and Information Sciences, Algeria.

Before pursuing her Ph.D., Rim worked as a humanitarian journalist, reporting on marginalized communities and social issues across Europe and North Africa. She has also worked as a media researcher, research consultant, and investigative journalist, collaborating with international organizations such as the European Union Agency for Asylum, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, and Global Press Institute.

Rim has independently taught a range of courses including, Writing for Media Audiences, Public Speaking and Strategic Research at the University of Kansas. Rim is fluent in English, Arabic, Italian and French. Her research focuses on the intersection of social media, health communication, and marginalized voices, with a particular interest in how digital platforms shape reproductive health narratives among marginalized and vulnerable communities. Her work has been recognized with four research awards from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in 2023-2024. Rim was awarded the Outstanding Instructor Award at the University of Kansas for her dedication to student engagement and innovative pedagogy.

Research —

Rim’s research explores the intersection of health justice, digital advocacy, and public relations, focusing on how marginalized communities, particularly women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and migrant populations, engage with digital platforms to navigate health disparities, advocate for reproductive rights, and challenge dominant health narratives. Her work examines how health communication, media industries, and NGOs influence public health literacy and reshape conversations around stigmatized health issues, empowering marginalized voices in the fight for equitable healthcare access.

Research interests:

  • Health literacy
  • Social media and media Industries
  • Social movement/advocacy
  • Gender and Sexuality
  • Reproductive Justice

Teaching —

Rim is a student-centered educator who emphasizes critical thinking, inclusivity, and real-world application in media writing, public relations, and strategic communication. She equips students with the skills to research, craft compelling narratives, and engage audiences across traditional and digital platforms, integrating hands-on projects and experiential learning to prepare them for the evolving media landscape.

Teaching interests:

  • Media Writing
  • Strategic Communication
  • Social Media Strategy
  • Health Communication
  • Media Studies/criticism

Selected Publications —

  • Chaif, R. H., & Finneman, T. (2024). “My Place Isn’t in the Kitchen”: Examining Feminist Facebook Framing of an Algerian Social Movement. Social Media + Society, 10(3).
  • Chaif, R. H., & Etheridge, C. (2025). “Reforming the Reformers: Shaping Pro-Democratic Attitudes and Beliefs through Discussions of Online Violence Against Women.” Social Media + Society. [Accepted for publication].
  • Da Silva, F., Baines, A., Seo, H., Burkett, M., Chaif, R. H., Izhar, N., & Gracia, V. (2023). “Comparative Analysis of Online Social Support in Health: Brazilian and U.S. Facebook Groups on Diabetes.” International Communication Research Journal, 59(1), 46-66.
  • Seo, H., Burkett, M., Okocha, M., Ha, H., Chaif, R. H., Izhar, N., Barros, M., Jona, B., & Iqbal, A. (2024). “Social Media Activism and Women’s Health: Endometriosis as a Feminist Issue.” Digital Health. [Accepted for publication].
  • Diwanji, V., Geana, M., Pei, J., Nguyen, N., Izhar, N., & Chaif, R. H. (2025). “Consumers’ Emotional Responses to AI-Generated versus Human-Generated Content: The Role of Perceived Agency, Affect, and Gaze in Health Marketing.” International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. [Accepted/In print].

Under-review 

  • Chaif, R. H., & Ibrahim, A. K. (2024). “Redefining Femininity and Defying Traditional Gender Norms: An In-Depth Visual Analysis of North African Women Athletes’ Instagram Branding.” Third Place Faculty Award, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
  • Diwanji, V. S., Conlin, J., Barros, M. N., Burkett, M., & Chaif, R. H. (2025). “Influencing through Diversity: The Impact of Gender and Racial Representation on Consumer Evaluations of Virtual Influencers.”
  • Chaif, R. H., & Diwanji, V. S. (2025). “It is Not Just a Joke: An Experimental Study on the Role of Feminist Humor Memes in Motivating Collective Action for Gender Equality in Algeria.”
  • Chaif, R. H. (2024). “Expressing Identity, Navigating Stigma, and Fostering Activism: Facebook Use Among LGBTQIA+ Individuals in the Maghreb.”
  • Diwanji, V., Nguyen, N., Chaif, R. H., Burkett, K. M., Barros, M., & Okocha, M. (2024). “Keep Colors Bright All Year Long: A Big-Data-Based Cross-Cultural Analysis of Consumer Discourses About Rainbow Washing.”
  • Ding, H., Vu, H., Lee, T.-T., & Chaif, R. H. (2024). “The Role of Culture in Audiences’ Trust in Mainstream Media: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual- and Country-Level Factors Influences on Trust.”
  • Diwanji, V., Seo, H., Conlin, J., Baines, A., Pei, J., Bauer, F., Chaif, R. H., Clark, K., Silva, F., Burkett, M., & Nguyen, N. (2023). “Application of Virtual Reality for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training in Advertising and Public Relations.”

Selected Presentations —

  • Chaif, R. H., & Wang, Y. (2025). “My Brain Blocked the Memory: A Computational Analysis of Reddit Framing Around Social Norms and Women’s Experiences with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.” Accepted for presentation in the Global Communication and Social Change Division at the 75th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, June 12–16, 2025, Colorado.
  • Diwanji, V., Conlin, J., Burkett, M., Coelho, M., & Chaif, R. H. (2025). “Disrupting Stereotypes, Uncovering Authenticity: An Investigation of Diversity and Representation in Virtual Influencer-Human Communications.” Paper accepted for presentation at the 75th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, June 12–16, 2025, Colorado.
  • Chaif, R. H., & Izhar, N. (2024). “I am Too Afraid of Them Messing Me Up: A Computational Analysis of Social Support in Online Discussions Among Women on Birth Control Pills’ Side Effects.” Extended abstract accepted for presentation in the Health Communication Division at the 2024 National Communication Association Conference, November 21–24, New Orleans.
  • Chaif, R. H., & Finneman, T. (2024). “My Place Isn’t in the Kitchen: Examining Feminist Facebook Framing of an Algerian Social Movement.” Paper accepted for presentation in the Commission on the Status of Women at the 2024 Annual Convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), August 7–11, Philadelphia. Top Student-Faculty Award.
  • Chaif, R. H., & Ibrahim, A. K. (2024). “Redefining Femininity and Defying Traditional Gender Norms: An In-Depth Visual Analysis of North African Women Athletes’ Instagram Branding.” Paper accepted for presentation in the Visual Communication Division at the 2024 AEJMC Annual Convention, August 7–11, Philadelphia, PA. Third Place Faculty Award.
  • Chaif, R. H. (2024). “Exploring Public Support of Female Athletes Engaged in Traditionally Male-Dominated Sports in Social Media.” Extended abstract accepted for presentation in the Critical and Cultural Studies Division at the 2024 AEJMC Annual Convention, August 7–11, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Ding, H., Vu, H., Lee, T.-T., & Chaif, R. H. (2024). “The Role of Culture in Audiences’ Trust in Mainstream Media: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual and Country-Level Factors Influences on Trust.” Paper accepted for presentation in the International Communication Division at the 2024 AEJMC Annual Convention, August 7–11, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Seo, H., Burkett, M., Okocha, M., Ha, H., Chaif, R. H., Izhar, N., Barros, M., Jona, B., & Iqbal, A. (2024). “Social Media Activism and Women’s Health: Endometriosis as a Feminist Issue.” Paper accepted for presentation in the Commission on the Status of Women at the 2024 AEJMC Annual Convention, August 7–11, Philadelphia, PA. Second-Place Top Faculty Paper.