Education

Ph.D. The University of Alabama

Specialization

• Public Speaking
• Rhetoric of Sports and Public Memory
• Contemporary Critical Theory
• Argumentation and Debate
• Athlete Civil Rights and Social Movements

Courses

SPCH 140 Public Communication

Research Projects

I am currently working on two projects: Turning my dissertation into a book, and investigating rhetorical hauntologies of NBA superstar Nikola Jokic. The dissertation, titled Inescapably Everywhere: Mythic, Ideological, and Material Public Memory of Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, explores how memorials, museums, and myths related to the infamous college football coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant contour the experience of college football fans today. The hauntology project critically analyzes discourses about 3-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and his relationship toward labor, basketball, and hobbies as a means to argue for broader athlete privacy rights.

Publications

   • Kevin G. Thompson, Gilbert Carter, Edwin S. Lee, Talal Alshamrani, & Andrew C. Billings, “‘We’re Human Too’: Media Coverage of Simone Biles’s Mental Health Disclosure during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” Electronic News, vol. 16, no. 3, 2022, pp. 187-201. DOI: 10.1177/19312431221095207
   • Kevin G. Thompson, “Ben McAdoo Illegally Uses a Walkie Talkie: A Rhetorical Crisis Perspective,” In J. Sanderson (1st ed.) Corruption and Scandal in American Sport: Causes and Consequences. ABC-CLIO Publishing. 2022. ISBN 9781440878374.
   • Kevin G. Thompson, “The Milwaukee Bucks’ Bubble Strike: Professional Athletic Labor’s Positionality” In T. L. Rentner and D.P. Burns (1st ed.) Social Issues in Sport Communication: You Make the Call. 2022. Routledge. ISBN 9781032288963.