Elizabeth Whittington, PhD

Elizabeth Whittington, PhD
Associate Professor, Communication

Contact Information

Department Head, Communication
Associate Professor, Communication
Office: Hilliard Hall 106
Phone: (936) 261-xxxx
Email     CV     Website
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Executive Statement

Dr. Elizabeth Y. Whittington is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Prairie View A&M University whose teaching, scholarship, and service center on critical intercultural communication, Black feminist thought, identity, and social justice. With more than two decades of teaching experience, she is committed to creating engaging, student-centered learning environments that encourage critical thinking, meaningful dialogue, and real-world application. Her research explores race, gender, sexuality, family narratives, and media through interdisciplinary and community-engaged approaches. Dr. Whittington is an active leader in national communication organizations and is dedicated to mentoring students, advancing inclusive excellence, and preparing graduates to become ethical, effective communicators and leaders in an increasingly diverse society.

Teaching/Research Area of Interest

Research Areas of Interest:

  • Perinatal Mental Health in the Black Community
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Critical Cultural Communication
  • Sexual Consent & Narratives
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Race, gender, and sexuality
  • Feminist/Black Feminist Theory
  • Identity Negotiation
  • Black Feminist Liberation Pedagogy

Teaching Areas of Interest

  • Introduction to Communication Studies
  • Race, Culture, and Communication
  • Intercultural Communication
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Communication & Conflict
  • Advanced Interpersonal Communication
  • Introduction to Performance Studies
  • Storytelling
  • Voice and Performance

Education

  • Ph.D. Rhetoric & Intercultural Communication, Howard University, Washington, D.C. May 2011, Interdisciplinary Women’s Studies Program Certificate, Preparing Future Faculty Fellow
  • Ph.D., Marriage & Family Therapy, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, Expected Graduation May 2028
  • M.S., Marriage & Family Therapy, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN, December 2024
  • M.A., Communication Studies, Specialization: Performance Studies, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, May 2006
  • B.A., Communication Studies, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, August 2003

Credentials, Certificates, Memberships, and Badges

  • Delta Kappa (Pi Chapter, International Marriage & Family Therapy Honor Society), 2023-present
  • AAMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, 2022-present
  • TAMFT (Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapy), 2022-present
  • HAMFT (Houston Association of Marriage and Family Therapy), 2022-present
  • AABHE (American Association of Blacks in Higher Education), 2011-present
  • WSCA (Western States Communication Association), 2011-present
  • NCA (National Communication Association), 2005-present
  • ECA (Eastern Communication Association, 2009-present

Selection of Courses Taught

  • COMM 2351- Principles of Writing Across the Discipline
  • COMM 1311- Introduction to Speech Communication
  • COMM 1342- Voice and Diction
  • COMM 2375- Introduction to Performance Studies
  • COMM 4351- Rhetorical Criticism
  • COMM 1318- Interpersonal Communication
  • COMM 4371- Voice and Performance
  • COMM 3374- Principles of Advertising
  • COMM 4370- Professional Internship

Selected Research / Creative Activities

  • Whittington, E. Y. (in press) Decolonizing Supervision: A Critical Race and Queer Theory Framework for Marriage and Family Therapy. Contemporary Family Therapy.
  • Whittington, E. Y., Castle Bell, G., and Dapherede Otusanya., A. (2021). A Standpoint Theoretical Exploration of Discursive Challenges and Differences in Racial Consciousness between African Americans and African-born U.S. Immigrants. Southern Communication Journal.
  • Whittington, E. Y. (2021). “But is you fam(ily)?”: A Queer Autoethnography on finding my place and making my own space in the LGBTQ Community. QED: A Journal in GLTBQ Worldmaking 8(2), pp. 153-159. Published by Michigan State University Press.
  • Whittington, E. Y. (Fall 2021). Book Review of Honeypot: Black Southern Women Who Love Women. QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 8(3), pp. 228-231. Published by Michigan State University Press.
  • Hopson, M., Castle Bell, G., Whittington, E. Y., & Otusanya, A. (2022). Communicating Interculturally: Theories, Themes, and Practices for Societal Wellbeing, 1st edition. Kendall Hunt Publishing.
  • Whittington, E. Y. (2023). Re-imagining Queer Black Motherhood. Refiguring Motherhood Beyond Biology. Edited by Valerie Renegar and Kirsti Cole: Routledge.
  • Castle Bell, G. & Whittington, E. Y. (2023). “Racial Difference Matters: Impression Management in Political Debates.” Globalization, Human Rights and Populism: Reimagining People, Power, and Places. Springer Nature Global Publishers: New York/Switzerland. Editor: Adebowale Akande.
  • Whittington, E. Y. & Castle Bell, G. (2023). Teaching while Black, teaching while White: An autoethnographic experience of teaching Intercultural communication at an HBCU and a PWI. Edited by Ahmet Atay, Shinsuke Eguchi, & Gloria Pindi. Transnationalizing Critical Intercultural Communication: Legacy, Relevance, and Future. Peter Lang.
  • Whittington, E. Y. (December 2020). What difference does it Make?: Navigating the privileged halls of academia as a Queer Black Woman professor. Communication and Identity in the Classroom: Intersectional Perspectives of Critical Pedagogy: Lexington Books.

Grants & Awards

  • One
  • Two
  • Three