This month's URP featured researcher is Mariah Dozé, an undergraduate student whose research in the discipline of rhetorical studies was published in a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal, Young Scholars in Writing.
Mariah Dozé is a Missouri native and a third-year in the College of Arts and Sciences at Emory University. She is double majoring in sociology and African American studies. Her plans after graduation include attending law school. Upon graduating from law school, Dozé plans to pursue her passion for social justice by practicing human and civil rights law. On campus, Dozé is involved in many activities. She works with Dean Elliot as a dean's racial and social justice intern, is a member of the Emory Scholars Program, is the vice president of VOIS gospel choir, is a writing tutor in the Emory Writing Center, is the managing print editor (VP) of Black Star Magazine, is a member of the University Senate, is a member of the Center for Ethics Ethics and Servant Leadership (EASL) forum, is a member of the Social Justice Education advisory committee, and is a member of the EmoryUP student advisory committee.
Dozé began her research in the second semester of her first year at Emory in a class titled Rhetorical Studies taught by Dr. Joonna Trapp. Students in the class were asked to conduct a rhetorical analysis in which they were tasked with engaging with a current event. The topic of Dozé's rhetoric analysis concerned the controversial Pepsi© commercial that, at the time, had recently aired starring supermodel and television personality Kendall Jenner. Dozé researched, cataloged, and analyzed numerous primary sources—such as the actual advertisement, social media commentary from viewers, and statements from the company that produced it—and secondary sources—such as news articles—to inform her claims. In the process of doing so, Dozé had to determine what was a credible source, unpack the rhetorical situation in which the commercial aired, as well as learn how to handle new-fangled types of sources such as social media commentary. Using the tools discussed in her class—such as Kairos, ethos, and pathos—Dozé was able to come up with a robust theory as to why the commercial was so unsuccessful.
In her rhetorical analysis, Dozé theorized the following: "Firstly, the commercial was unsuccessful because its creators failed to comprehend the rhetorical situation; in other words, the commercial was a product of failed kairos. Kairos is a rhetorical term referencing appropriateness and timeliness. Skilled rhetors know how capitalize on their surroundings, things like current events and general public opinion, to appeal to their audience. It refers to the opportune time to perform an action. During the time the commercial aired, Black Lives Matter protests were prominent. News of Black men, women, and children losing their lives at the hands of police officers flooded American media. Certainly, especially while the shock and pain caused by these tragedies remained fresh, trivializing these traumatic events was a severe misstep. Secondly, this commercial failed due to the inadequate ethos of both PepsiCo and its chosen lead Kendall Jenner to represent the topic of protests of this sort. Ethos is a rhetorical term used to describe a speaker's perceived credibility and trustworthiness. PepsiCo, as a snack and beverage company, is not an appropriate representative for complex political matters such as Black Lives Matter protests. Kendall Jenner, as a wealthy, white woman who is uninvolved with the Black Lives Matter movement, does not have the social position to portray an authority figure in a protest that mimics a Black Lives Matter protest. This paper argues that, due to weak ethos and failed kairos, PepsiCo’s commercial was unsuccessful" (Dozé, Mariah. "Kendall Jenner and Pepsi." Young Scholars in Writing, vol. 15, 2018, pp. TBD).
Her professor Dr. Joonna Trapp nominated Dozé's research to be considered for publication in the Young Scholars in Writing journal. In her nomination letter Trapp expressed that she was "especially impressed" with the way Dozé was able to utilize "the rhetorical analysis tools from the class."
Further, Trapp wrote that the piece "is educating the reader in the nature of justice
and civic values. That's the heart of rhetoric. It's more than just arguing well. Rhetoric shapes the public weal. This essay does that gently and effectively." After a year-long process of extensive revision and rewriting, Doze's research was accepted for publication by the journal. About this Dozé states, "I am so glad that all of this hard work, both on my part and on the part of my mentors, has paid off! You know, I never intended for my research to be published. I just picked a topic that I was passionate about, one that aligned with my affinity for social justice, and wrote about it. I am so thankful for Prof. Trapp for nominating me for this opportunity and for being my mentor and cheerleader during this year-long journey."
Mariah Dozé
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Sociology & African American Studies Major, May 2020
Emory University
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