Brent Brossmann
Associate Professor/Chair
Background
Dr. Brent Brossmann is an Associate Professor of Communication and Chair of the Tim Russert Department of Communication at John Carroll University, where he has taught since 1993. His teaching and scholarship center on argumentation, rhetoric, media narratives, and public discourse, with an emphasis on how communication shapes public understanding, accountability, and decision-making.\\Dr. Brossmann’s research examines the rhetorical construction of meaning in moments of social and political consequence. His work has been published in leading journals such as Journalism and Media, Social Studies of Science, Energy Policy, Science as Culture, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, and Communication Monographs. Across this scholarship, he analyzes how media framing, argumentative structures, and imagined futures influence public perception and policy responses—ranging from coverage of public mass shootings to visions of energy and sustainability transitions.\\An award-winning educator, Dr. Brossmann has received numerous honors for excellence in teaching and service, including the Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence. He is deeply committed to applied learning and civic engagement, having developed original instructional materials and led service-learning initiatives that connect students with community partners.\\Dr. Brossmann is nationally recognized for his leadership in academic debate and public speaking. He served for three decades as Director of Speech and Debate at John Carroll University, coaching teams to more than 1,500 competitive awards, including multiple championships. He has also served as President of the American Debate Association and is a frequent media analyst on presidential debates for local, national, and international news outlets.
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Brossmann’s expertise lies in rhetoric, argumentation, and strategic communication, with particular emphasis on how messages are crafted, interpreted, and evaluated in professional, civic, and media contexts. His work bridges classical rhetorical theory with contemporary applications, including media narratives, public speaking, professional communication, ethics, communication law, and media literacy.
Drawing on extensive experience in debate, public discourse, and applied pedagogy, he specializes in audience-centered communication, message construction, and critical evaluation of arguments across platforms and institutional settings. His teaching and scholarship emphasize ethical reasoning, accountability, and the role of communication in shaping public understanding of complex social, political, and scientific issues.
Dr. Brossmann brings a strong applied orientation to his expertise, integrating theory, research methods, and professional practice to prepare students for effective communication in organizational, media, and public-facing careers.
Research Interests
My research examines how narratives and rhetorical images shape public understanding, accountability, and policy responses to complex socio-technical and societal crises. I look at how the power of mediated narratives—across journalism, policy discourse, and future-oriented imaginaries—structure the publics' interpretations of urgent problems and possible solutions. One line of inquiry examies how various media narratives frame conversations about mass shootings. The other focuses on how imagined futures about our energy world operate to legitimize, constrain or enable policy action.
Education
Ph.D. Kansas University - Communication Studies - 1995
M.A. California State University, Fullerton - Communication Studies - 1988
B.A. Texas A&M University - Speech Communication - 1985
