Dr. Michael R. Finch

Biography

Dr. Michael R. Finch is an esteemed Associate Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication, Media, & Culture. Holding a Ph.D. in Communication and M.A. in Journalism from Regent University, along with a degree in Missiology from Elim Bible Institute, Dr. Finch’s academic foundation is diverse and profound.

Dr. Finch has made numerous contributions to his field through his comprehensive work in post-socialist societies. He has edited books such as “Media and Public Relations Research in Post-Socialist Societies” and “Communication Theory and Application in Post-Socialist Contexts,” shedding light on the evolving landscape of communication studies in these unique settings. Recently, Dr. Finch contributed to identity theory through his chapter “Rhetorical Analysis of the Ukrainian Film Julia Blue: A Picture of Dialectical Ontology.”

In addition to these significant written works, Dr. Finch has demonstrated his thought leadership at various conferences and workshops, delivering talks on topics ranging from journalism to international relations, digital realities, and cultural identity in Slavic nations. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Communication Association of Eurasian Researchers and is an editor for the Ukrainian scientific journal Social Communications: Theory and Practice.

Outside his academic pursuits, Dr. Finch cherishes family life with his wife, and his energetic nine-year-old son. He also enjoys rock climbing and guiding students to achieve their potential both occupationally and in life. Through his dedication to academia and his passionate exploration of life’s mysteries, Dr. Finch has been working on what he calls a “theology of brokenness” that has led him to more questions than answers, which he thinks is appropriate for a faith-based religion set in the dissonance of our metaphysical reality.

Publications, Research, & Editing

• Book Editor: Media and Public Relations Research in Post-Socialist Societies
• Chapter Author: Rhetorical Analysis of the Ukrainian Film Julia Blue: A Picture of Dialectical Ontology
• Book Editor: Communication Theory and Application in Post-Socialist Contexts
• Academic Article Author: “Reflection on passing of Maureen Minielli”

Conference & Workshop Presentations

• TEDx Talk: Starting with Sympathy Instead of Skepticism
• Keynote Speaker: Sympathetic Objectivity: Constructive acts of journalism
• Paper Presenter: Putin on the Meme: A discussion of neo-tribal appropriation of memes
• Panel Presenter: The State of Communication(s) Study in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
• Paper Presentation: Legacy and Relevance of International Relations’ Impact on Higher Education
• Panel Presenter: The Status of Russian Communication in the Age of Putin and Trump
• Panel Presenter: (Russo/Ukraino) phobia in Eurovision: The Case of Ukraine’s Ban on the Russian
• Executive Director: Report for Communication Association of Eurasian Researchers Business Meeting
• Panel Presenter: Clash (or Challenges) of Cultural Values in Intercultural Teaching or Scholarship
• Panel Chair: Challenges and Opportunities in the Study of Eurasian Civic and Social Communication
• Paper presentation: The Foreign Professors’ Academe: Issues and challenges confronting international
• Paper Presentation: New and Digital Realities in a Fragmented Brave New World III
• Paper Presentation: Putin and Russian Cultural Identity
• Panel Chair: Opportunities and Obstructions: Meaning and media in post-socialist Eurasia
• Paper Presentation: Technological Determinism in Ukraine
• Panel Respondent: Cultural Communities: Adaptive religious rhetorics
• Paper Presentation: Ethnographic Study of Baptist Christians of the Former Soviet Union from WWII to
• Paper Presentation: Ricoeurian Ontological Analysis of the Film X-Men 2