Dr. Jiangxue Ashley Han

Scholar Profile

She / Her / Hers

Assistant Professor, Public Relations

Department of Communication

Education:

Ph. D. The Pennsylvania State University
M.S. Ohio University
B.A. Renmin University of China

Research Interests:

Diversity in public relations, and narrative persuasion.

Biography:

Dr. Jiangxue (Ashley) Han is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations in the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University. Her research investigates narrative effects in strategic communications. Her studies examine the social and psychological effects of narrative persuasion on users’ perceptions, emotions, attitudes, and actions. Her recent research focuses on advocating for improved industry standards that allow women, especially women of color, to have more opportunities for leadership and professional development.

In 2017, Dr. Han got the Second Faculty Paper Award at the 100th AEJMC conference, ComSHER Division; and in 2018, she was awarded with the Faculty Fellowship of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE).

Highlighted Project

Overcoming Hurdles of Gender and Race: Seasoned U.S. Practitioners Reflect on Their Career Progressions in Communication Industries

This study gives voice to U.S. women who overcame the challenges of their gender or race and had to switch jobs or industries to achieve professional success. A feminist theoretical approach was adopted to conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with 18 professionally and racially diverse women. Regardless of organizational settings and industry, participants shared firsthand experiences of gender inequalities in pay and career progressions, double standards in physical appearance, and subtle sexism. Minority journalists and public relations practitioners reported instances of subtle racial inequalities and gendered racism. Women who switched from journalism to public relations found more flexibility in the workplace but did not necessarily improve their job security. Participants’ accounts underscored the need for diversity recruitment and employer-mandated training to address implicit sexism and implicit racism in all communication industries. This research also calls for improved industry standards that allow women, especially women of color, to have more opportunities for leadership and professional development.

More Information

Select Publications:

Han, J., & Zatepilina-Monacell, O. (In process). Overcoming hurdles of gender and race: Seasoned U.S. practitioners reflect on their career progressions in communication industries. Atlantic Journal of Communication.
Zatepilina-Monacell, O., & Han, J. (In process). Defying the expiration date: Women practitioners’ perspectives on aging and ageism in the workplace. Journal of Public Relations Research.
Li, R., Han, J., & Jiang, Y. (In process). Who tells the story matters: The effects of bandwagon cues and source credibility on storytelling. Mass Communication and Society.
Han, J., Lou, S. Edwards, H. H., & Shen, F. (In press). Effects of narrative-based corporate message and sponsorship disclosure in native CSR advertising. Narratives in public communication.
Chen, C., Han, J. A., & Ractham, P. (2022). Cultural influence on using mobile instant messaging applications to develop and maintain friendships. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1).
Kaewkitipong, L., Chen, C., Han, J., & Ractham, P. (2022). Human–Computer interaction (HCI) and trust factors for the continuance intention of mobile payment services. Sustainability, 14(21).
Han, J., & Lou, S. (2021). Exploring the effects of character and cued typicality in health narratives. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 29(2),106-120.
Vafeiadis, M., Han, J., & Shen, F. (2020). News storytelling through images: Examining the effects of narratives and visuals in news coverage of issues. International Journal of Communication, 14(21), 4362-4384.

Links:

App State Faculty Profile

University Libraries

Dr. Jiangxue Ashley Han