Plugged In: For UMaine Extension Staff and Volunteers

Building community is at the heart of every organization, but in particular the Cooperative Extension. With its focus on forming connections between farmers and consumers, experts and learners, policymakers and citizens, the Extension plays a vital role in supporting communities of people involved in the Maine food system. But what makes a community? And how do you create and sustain one, especially in an era where most people connect through digital platforms? In this talk, Dr. Judith Rosenbaum will dive into the contemporary meaning of community. She will provide insight into the principles behind community-building, discuss under what circumstances groups of people transform into communities, and explain what this looks like both in face-to-face and online settings. This talk will provide practitioners in the field with insight into the theory and practice of building communities in online spaces.

Speaker: Judith E. Rosenbaum, Assistant Professor of Media Studies, University of Maine

Judith E. Rosenbaum (Ph.D. Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands) has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on the theoretical foundations of mass communication, strategic communication, race, gender and the media, research methods, as well as courses on social media and digital cultures.

Her research interests include the impact of digital media on daily life, political dialogue and meaning making on social media platforms, media selection and enjoyment, and health and media usage. Her latest book, Constructing Digital Cultures: Tweets, Trends, Race and Gender, was published by Lexington in 2018.