Changing Global Media Landscapes: Convergence, Fragmentation, and Polarization

Jabbar Al-Obaidi received his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a master’s degree from Hartford University, and a bachelor's degree from Baghdad University. Currently, Professor Al-Obaidi is the Academic Director of International Student Recruitment and Global Partnerships, Academic Affairs. Dr. Al- Obaidi served as the academic director of Global Programs (2018-2023), the director of the Center of Middle East Studies (2011-2018) at Bridgewater State, the chairperson of the Department of Communication Studies (2005-2011), Acting Chair 2019-2020 and 2021-2022. Professor Al- Obaidi served as the co-academic director of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 2021-2023. Al-Obaidi served as the co-chair of NECHE Self-Study Steering Committee, Bridgewater State University 2021-2023. In addition to the U.S., Dr. Al-Obaidi taught in Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, and China. His research focuses on Middle Eastern media and socio-political and cultural issues, and he offers courses on intercultural communication, media ethics and law, and diversity in U.S. Media (race, class, and gender. Al-Obaidi produces and hosts a weekly TV program INFOCUS Bridgewater Cable TV. His latest co-edited book titled The Role of Educators as Agents and Conveyors for Positive Change in Global Education was published by IGI Global 2023. Al-Obaidi presented a research paper titled Agenda-Setting and Framing Theories: Perspectives on Digital and Social Media Fragmentation and Convergence to the Twenty-Seventh Annual Conference of the Arab-US Association for Communication Educators held at the University of Kuwait, Kuwait, October 2023. In 2022 Al-Obaidi published a chapter titled An Opinion: What the Qur’an Says That Disqualifies the Perspectives of Militant Radical Muslims in Islamophobia and Acts of Violence, (edit) Carolyn Turpin-Petrosino. Oxford University Press.