Mara K. Berkland

I am professor in the Department of Communication. As a socio-linguist who studies culture and socialization, I am fascinated by the way language and communication influence how we perceive the world.  My studies of Spanish, French and Arabic cultivated my love for travel and I am lucky to be able to do so freqently for both work and pleasure.  My favorite places to visit are Fez, Morocco, and the Pyrénées.  The movements against domestic violence  and sexual assualt are also very important to me, and I believe strongly in equal options and opportunities for everyone, regardless of race, class, or gender.  I am a voracious reader of fiction and I adore all things food.  Though I love living in Chicago's loop because I have immediate access to amazing restaurants, museums, and live music, I frequently leave the city to go camping and hiking.

Selected Scholarship

Berkland, M. & Keys, J. (2016). Putting a robe on the naked roommate: Exposing problematic socializing messages in college survival guides.  Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 27(1), p. 195-231.

Berkland, M. (2017).  Experience sampling method.  In M. Allen (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Berkland, M. & Jain, S. (2018).  Hollow Bahu: Indian daughter-in-law.  In J. Manning & J. Dunn (Eds.), Transgressing Feminist Theory and Discourse: Advancing Conversations Across Disciplines . New York, NY: Routledge.

Berkland, M. (2019). Differences in Approaching Assignments, Answers, and Truth.  In M. Mathison (Ed.), Sojourning in Disciplinary Cultures: A Case Study of Teaching and Writing in Engineering.  Logan, UT: Utah State University Press.

Mathison, M., & Berkland, M. (2019). Creating Cultural Awareness When Teaching Writing Across Disciplines.  In  M. Mathison (Ed.), Sojourning in Disciplinary Cultures: A Case Study of Teaching and Writing in Engineering.  Logan, UT: Utah State University Press.

Courses Taught

Intercultural Communication

Human Sexuality

Gender Studies

Communication Theory

Interpersonal Communication

Business and Professional Communication

Public Speaking