Sarah J. Jackson, Presidential Associate Professor and co-director of the Media, Inequality & Change Center in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, recently received the 2021 Diamond Anniversary Book Award from the National Communication Association (NCA). 

The award recognizes the most outstanding scholarly book published during the previous calendar year. Dr. Jackson received the award for the book, #HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice, co-authored with Moya Bailey, Northwestern University, and Brooke Foucault Welles, Northeastern University. The book provides excellent insight into the ways in which technology, social media, and generational communication practices contribute to social change. The methodological rigor and sophisticated analysis using hashtags as data reveals the growing phenomenon of social media activism, particularly as it relates to race, gender, and social justice issues. 

“NCA’s annual awards honor communication scholars’ teaching, scholarship, and service,” NCA interim executive director Linda Taliaferro said. “NCA is proud to recognize Jackson’s significant contributions to the communication discipline with this award.”

Dr. Jackson’s award will be presented on November 20 at the NCA 107th Annual Convention in Seattle, WA.