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Christopher Chávez

Carolyn Silva Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising
Interim Director, Advertising and Brand Responsibility Program; Director, Center for Latina/o and Latin American Studies
Phone: 541-346-9141
Office: 207 Allen Hall
City: Eugene
Research Interests: Advertising, TV Commercials, Communication Theory, Persuasive Communication, Cultural Studies, Gender and Race In Media, Media and Diversity, Popular Culture, Media Studies and Globalization

Biography

Chris is the Carolyn S. Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising and the Director of the Center for Latina/o and Latin American Studies. His research lies at the intersection of globalization, media, and culture. Specifically, his research explores two main themes: the ways in which global media industries organize and re-organize collective identity, and the degree to which marginalized communities can be empowered within the constraints of marketplace dynamics. Chris is the author of Reinventing the Latino Television Viewer: Language Ideology and Practice, and co-editor of Identity: Beyond Tradition and McWorld Neoliberalism. Chris’ research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including Consumption, Markets and Culture, International Journal of Communication, and Critical Studies in Media Communication.

Prior to coming to the UO, Chris worked as an assistant professor at St. Louis University. Before conducting his doctoral work, he worked as an advertising executive at several agencies, including Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, TBWA Chiat/Day, and Venebles Bell & Partners. In 2022, Chris was recognized with the university's Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Research Award. In 2018 Chris received the University of Oregon's Faculty Excellence Award, and in 2015 he received the University of Oregon’s Early Career Award in Research Excellence.

Education

  • PhD, University of Southern California, 2009
  • MA, University of Southern California, 2006
  • MA, University of Southern California, 1995
  • BS, California State Polytechnic, Pomona, 1993

Honors and Awards:

  • 2018, University of Oregon's Faculty Excellence Award
  • 2015, University of Oregon’s Early Career Award in Research Excellence

Areas of Expertise:

  • Latinx Media
  • Advertising
  • Communication theory
  • Globalization
  • Cultural studies
  • Gender and race in media
  • Popular culture
  • Media studies