Ali Erol
Associate Professor of the Practice
Biography
Ali E. Erol is an associate professor of the practice in the Department of Communication, teaching courses related to intercultural communication, gender & sexuality, consumerism & capitalism, digital gaming, and research methods. Dr. Erol’s research covers various areas of interest. His current book project is an introduction to the field of Intercultural Communication from a critical perspective. Another strand of his research engages in a historical retelling of the emergence and development of food systems in the US as they have been defined by urbanization and suburbanization. The main concern of this project is to develop models of food production and consumption that can strengthen local communities while addressing social injustices at the intersection of food security, racism, and classism. His first book, “LGBTQ Activism in Turkey During 2010s: Queer Talkback” (Palgrave, 2021) investigated how LGBTQ activists in Turkey endured the increasing social, legal, and cultural pressures through three case studies: Gezi Park Protests in 2013, Pride Parade Ban in Istanbul in 2016, and the indefinite ban on LGBTQ events in Ankara in 2017. His scholarly articles were published in Sexualities Journal, International Journal of Communication, Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Investigaciones Feministas, Confero, Oxford Journal of Sociolegal Studies, Journal of Narrative and Conflict, KAOSQ+, and others. Erol received his Ph.D. in intercultural communication from Howard University, where he won the National Communication Association’s Dissertation Honors Program and Graduate Symposium Prize in Arts and Humanities. He holds a B.A in philosophy and international politics from Penn State University, and an M.A. in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University, where he was trained as a mediator.