eRiC Durham, Ph.D.

Intercultural Specialist/Hip-Hop Scholar

Daejeon, South Korea
ph: 010-4440-2655
durhameric@yahoo.com

About Us

Currently, I teach an introductory course in Mass Communication within the Department of Communication at Loyola College of Maryland. During my tenure at Loyola College, I have experienced quality students and supportive colleagues. I enjoy environments where I feel as if learning and teaching can be shared by all participants in a classroom. In fact, the environment at Loyola was so conducive to intellectual growth, I was able to lay groundwork for RealTalk: A Dialogue on Race, Power, and Fear in America; a short documentary that I am currently working on. RealTalk proposes an engaging glimpse at contemporary American race relations among collegiate populations.

As a "urban erudite," I enjoying offer poignant insights into Hip-Hop culture with audiences that are somewhat removed from its reaches. One of my latest opportunities to share such insight was with the University of Maryland's (USAD) group:

http://media.www.campusconnectiononline.com/media/storage/paper1234/news/2008/03/15/News/Usad-Celebrates.First.Annual.HipHop.Discussion.Forum-3268141.shtml

Feel free to listen to Dr. Durham's commentary on CNN's Black in America on The Mark Steiner Show:

http://www.centerforemergingmedia.org/the-marc-steiner-show/podcasts/073008-black-america

You are sure to find interesting topics of discussion on his blogspot as well:

http://drericdurham.blogspot.com/

Other activities past and current include:

Published article (2007) entited "Bridging the Gap: African and African American Communication."
Numerous scholarly presentations at the Popular Culture Association (PCA) conferences, National Communication Association (NCA) conferences, and the Eastern Communication Association conferences.
Repeat Guest Host on WEAA's (88.9 FM) Farajii Muhammed's "Listen Up" Broadcast. (Baltimore, Maryland)
Resident Hip-Hop Expert invited to speak at the International Society of Appraisers Conference (Baltimore, Maryland)
Participated in panel with award-winning filmaker, Byron Hurt, on the subject of his film "Hip-Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes."
Book chapter "DeadPrez: Ghetto Hoodlums or ghettoGEEKS" due out later this year on Cambria Press.

eRiC Durham, Ph.D.

durhameric@yahoo.com

www.drericdurham.com

Education

Doctor of Philosophy [May 2006]

Dept. of Communication and Culture, Howard University

Major Emphases: Intercultural Communication & Rhetoric

Dissertation Topic: “Vigilante Speech—Bustin’ Gats Through Spittin’ Raps: The Rhetoric of Violence within the Lyrics of DeadPrez.”

Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Abhik Roy

Master of Arts [May 2003]

Dept. of Communication and Culture, Howard University

Thesis Topic: “The Manifestations of Afrocentricity within the Lyrical Component of Tupac Shakur.”

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Abhik Roy

Bachelor of Arts [December 1999]

Dept. of Communication, Texas A&M University

Teaching Experience

English Instructor, Daejeon Gyejong High School, Daejeon, South Korea (Present)

Adjunct Faculty Member, Fine Arts Department, Houston Community College (Spring/Summer 2009)

Affiliate Faculty Member, Communication Studies Department, Loyola College in Maryland (2008)

Lecturer, Communication Studies Department, Morgan State University (Fall 2006-Summer 2008)

Lecturer, Communication Studies Department, George Mason University (Fall 2006)

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Communication and Culture, Howard University (2002-2006)

Public Speaking Instructor, Pittsburgh Partnership Program, Shippensburg University (2004 & 2005)

Visiting Instructor, Communication Studies Department, University of Maryland, College Park (Spring 2004)

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

Intercultural Communication

Seminar in Intercultural Communication

Issues in African American Communication

Nonverbal Communication: Cultural Dimensions

Rhetoric

African-American Rhetoric

Seminar in Rhetorical Theory & Criticism

Seminar in Critical & Postmodern Rhetoric

Seminar in Sociolinguistics & Language

Rhetoric of Social Movements

History and Criticism of Public Address

Research Methods

Seminar in Quantitative Methods

Seminar in Qualitative Methods

Seminar in Interpretive Design & Analysis

Other Course Work

Seminar in Communication Theory

Seminar in Third World Political Theory

Seminar in Black Ideology

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Courses Taught (George Mason University)

COMM 101 Interpersonal Communication

Courses Taught (Howard University)

COMC 100 Principles of Speech (Basic Course)

COMC 202 Communication Theory

COMC 309 African- American Rhetoric

Courses Taught (Loyola College in Maryland)

CM 203 Introduction to Mass Communication

Courses Taught (Morgan State University)

SPCH 101 Principles of Speech (Basic Course)

SPCH 309 Rhetoric of the Black Diaspora

SPCH 413 Communication & Conflict

SPCH 414 Team and Leadership Development

Course Taught (University of Maryland, College Park)

African- American Rhetoric; Visiting Instructor

Teaching Interests

• Intercultural Communication

• Communication Theory

• Communication Research Methods

• Rhetorical Theory & Criticism

• African American Rhetoric

Scholarship

Publications

Durham, E. (2009). Before Barack, there was Tupac!: Manifestations of Afrocentricity within the Lyrical Component of Tupac Shakur. Sarrbruken, Germany: VDM-Verlag.

Durham, E. (2009). Bustin gats through spittin raps: The rhetorics of violence in the lyrical component of DeadPrez. Sarrbruken, Germany: VDM-Verlag.

Durham, E. (2008). DeadPrez: Ghetto Hoodlums or ghettoGEEKS? Edited book. Cambria Press: Youngstown, NY. (In Revision).

Langmia, K & Durham, E. (2007). Bridging the Gap: An Analysis of African and African American Communication at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Journal of Black Studies, 37, 805-826.

Paper Presentations

Durham, E. (2004, November). Tupac Amaru Shakur: A Communicator from the Margins. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Durham, E., Langmia, K. (2005, May). Bridging the Gap: An Analysis of African and African American Communication at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Conference, New York, NY.

Panel Presentations

Durham, E. (2007). Bustin’ Gats through Spittin’ Raps: The Rhetoric of Violence within the Lyrics of DeadPrez. Presented at the Popular Culture Association Conference, Boston, MA.

Durham, E. (2007). College Community Forum ITVS Community Cinema, WHUT Community Outreach, Guerilla Arts, and Revel Youth Shine, Inc. present: FILM: “HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.” Presented at Howard University, Washington, DC

Durham, E. (2005, November). A glimpse at an American First: The Rhetoric of Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Boston, MA.

Durham, E. (2004, April). Synopsis of Tupac Shakur. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association Conference, Boston, MA.

Durham, E. (2004, November). Effective Strategies for Teaching the Basic Course to Ethnically Marginalized Students at HBCU’s. Presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Durham, E. (2004, November.) The Black Body as a Visual Predicament: The Performance of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Media. Paper presented at the National Communication Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

Research Interests

Intercultural communication dynamics between Africans and African Americans

Intersections of race, politics, and culture within the rhetorical format of Hip-Hop culture and Rap music.

Honors and Awards

Teaching Fellowship. Dept. of Communication and Culture, (2002-Present)

Travel Grants (2004-Present)

Lectures/Panels/Guest Blogs

Teaching Assistants Making a Difference, Anacostia High School (Spring 2005)

“Rap, Violence, and Black Masculinity,” Howard University (Fall 2006)

Byron Hurt’s “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Film Panel Session, Howard University (Spring 2007)

International Society of Appraiser’s Conference, Tremont Plaza Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland (April 26, 2008)

Guest blogger for upcoming Democratic National Convention through Center for Emerging Media (August 24-August 28, 2008)

Guest Commentator on The Mark Steiner Show, commenting on CNN’s Black in America (Summer 2008)

Faraji’s Muhammad “Listen Up” Radio Show, WEAA, 88.9 FM, Morgan State University (3 Visits)

“Hill & Bill: The Clinton Factor” Center for Emerging Media Blog, (August 27, 2008)

“On What Obama Must Do to Win” Center for Emerging Media Blog, (August 28, 2008)

The Marc Steiner Radio Show (Multiple Visits)

“The Marc Steiner Show” – Marc Steiner, WEAA 88.9 FM, Baltimore, MD (September 4, 2008)

“We Got Next” Radio Show – Heber Brown & Farajii Muhammad (The Senator Larry Young Show), WOLB 1010 AM, Baltimore, MD (September 12, 2008)

Blog

The Good Doctor. www.drericdurham.blogspot.com

Other Teaching Activities

Teaching Assistants Making a Difference, Anacostia High School(Spring 2005)

Pittsburgh Partnership Program, Shippensburg University, (Summers 2003 & 2004)

Service

Departmental

Team Leader, Teaching Orientation for Graduate Teaching Assistants, Howard University (2004)

University

Assisted in reinstatement the Communication & Culture Graduate Student Association

Professional

Secretary, Black Caucus, National Communication Association (2003-2005)

Community

Knowledge is Power Program [KIPP] – Ujima Village Academy, 4701 Greenspring Ave. #115, Baltimore, MD 21209

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

National Communication Association

REFERENCES

References available upon request.

The GoodDoctor's Corner

Visit Dr. Durham's Astute Associates:

Christopher Brown, Rhetorical Scholar

http://www.unm.edu/~cjdept/student/Ph.D.profiles.html

Bivin Howell, Graphic Artist

www.bivhowdesign.com/

Theo Johnson, SuperBlogger

www.theotalks.net/

Dr. Kehbuma Langmia, Media Studies Scholar

www.bowiestate.edu/academics/departments/Communications/Faculty/langmia/

Dr. Marnel Niles, Organizational Communication Expert

http://www.csufresno.edu/communication/faculty_staff/faculty/niles.shtml

Marc Steiner, Public Radio Host

http://www.centerforemergingmedia.org

A Few Good Words

When I was younger, my mother constantly and consistently read literature to my siblings and me. So much so, that thoughts of my early childhood are flooded with visions of my mother's face behind a book while her voice carried eloquent words to our ears. It was magic!

...and then later in life I was introduced to Rap music and the Hip-Hop culture. As a child who was immersed in an environment of words and music, my affinity towards Hip-Hop culture was inevitable.

It is with the utmost amount of love and respect that I discuss Hip-Hop culture. That love and respect does not enable me to ignore the gross flaws of the culture. If anything, my love and respect lead me to tackle some of the most sensitive issues surrounding rap and Hip-Hop.