Browsing by Author "Famulari, Umberto, committee member"

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Black feminist technosocial roleplay: exploring visual media representations of Black women's complex relationship with authoritative power
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Bollinger-Deters, Aaunterria, author; Arthur, Tori, advisor; Wolfgang, David, advisor; Famulari, Umberto, committee member; Attai, Nikoli, committee member; Snodgrass, Jeffrey, committee member
Using Black Feminist Technosocial Roleplay (BFTR) this study revealed the ways in which Black women are represented in visual narratives characterized by authoritative power as well as examining how Black women's relationship with violence can be transfigured in liberatory ways. The critical technocultural discourse analysis of 15 'viral murder videos', 2 'ebony public disgrace' films, and 2 'ebony evolved fights' as well as the examination of 121 viral murder video online surveys, 2 semi-structured interviews with Black women gamers, and a Black feminist gaming autoethnography revealed a.) rehumanized representations of Black women when they control their image, b.) extended public social scripts into technologically mediated fantasy roleplay, c.) violence as a main component of fortifying Black women in public memory, and d.) the cathartic/empowering ways in which video game roleplay can be utilized to reterritorialize Black women's public social roles, especially their proximity to and employment of authoritative power and violence. The analysis also showed how Black women's self-determined presentation and self-valuation is often imperfect, messy, and in some ways monstrous, yet these are still avenues of representation worthy of conscientious study. Additionally, data implications, future recommendations, and research limitations were also discussed in depth.
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Prime Time tweets: a thematic analysis of Deion Sanders's tweets and social media's role in shaping the construction and perceptions of sports figure authenticity
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Singer, Mara F., author; Champ, Joseph, advisor; Donavan, D. Todd, committee member; Famulari, Umberto, committee member; Hoffman, K. Doug, committee member; Johnson, Emily, committee member
This dissertation explores the intersection of social media, personal branding, and fan perceptions of authenticity in the context of modern sports figures, focusing on the case of Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders. Through two related studies, this research aims to better understand how Sanders leverages social media to build his personal brand and cultivate authentic connections with audiences. The first study employs focus groups and thematic analysis to examine how social media users perceive and construct Sanders's authenticity through his X (formerly Twitter) content. The second study conducts a qualitative thematic analysis of Sanders's X posts during his inaugural season as head football coach at the University of Colorado to identify authenticity management strategies. Ultimately framed by Actor-Network Theory, this research utilizes frameworks of perceived authenticity and authenticity management to provide a comprehensive understanding of the creation and reception of authenticity in sports figures' social media content. The findings offer insights into the factors influencing perceptions of sports figure authenticity on social media and the strategies employed to manage authentic self-presentation. This research contributes to digital sports media, personal branding, and fan engagement by addressing gaps in the literature regarding coaches' social media use and offering practical implications for sports organizations and figures aiming to build authentic connections with online audiences.