GW Professor Wins Prestigious Research Prize

GW Political Communications Professor Robert Entman

Once again, GW faculty are leading the University's push into a new generation of research. This past week, Professor Robert Entman received the the Alexander von Humbolt Research Award for his research and contributions to the field of political communication. Professor Entman, who serves as the Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs and as a professor of international affairs at the Elliot School, is the first recipient of the prize in his field and now holds the distinction of being the world's first political communications scholar.

“I am delighted to be the first Humboldt Award recipient recognized for contributions to political communication scholarship,” said Dr. Entman. “I appreciate this acknowledgment of the media’s fundamental role in shaping politics and democracy.

The award is given to a researcher for “discoveries that have a serious impact on their profession,” according to the Humbolt Award website. Given the vast application of the award across a variety of fields, Professor Entman’s honor is very distinguished. He will spend the next year at the Free University of Berlin researching the effects of the media on social inequality in Europe, and how it consequently contrasts with that of the United States.

“Inequality hasn’t been on the agenda” he said regarding U.S politics and media coverage. Professor Entman went on to state that the decline of workers unions and the rise of globalization are two possible factors for the disparity in inequality in the Untied States as opposed to those of Europe.

Professor Entman began his career in media research while writing for his student newspaper at Duke University, where he received his B.A. in political science. He stated that this experience allowed him to see the large affect that media had on politics, leading him to develop interest in what is now the field of political communication.

For those who are prospectively looking to devote their lives to research as he did, Professor Entman gave this advice: One must be “fascinated by the human purpose” and “making the world better.”