Profile picture of Nahla Bendefaa

Nahla Bendefaa

Graduate Teaching Fellow
nahlab@uoregon.edu
Phone:
Office: 210 Allen Hall
City: Eugene
Research Interests: Political Economy of Media, Creator Studies, Food Media
Website: https://nahlabendefaa.com/
Curriculum Vitae

Biography

Nahla (she/her) is a scholar, communication practitioner, and multimedia storyteller. Originally from Kenitra, Morocco, Nahla has lived in the Atlas Mountains and in Northeast Ohio over the past decade. Nahla's work outside of academia spanned quasi-governmental organizations, public radio and non-profit journalism, and corporate communications. She also runs her own strategic communication and media project management consulting business. Within the academy, Nahla's research addresses interactions between state actions/actors and media workers, industries, and systems in North and West Africa. 

Nahla is one of the JCGSA co-presidents for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Education

Ph.D. in Communication and Media Studies, 2022 - Present

University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

School of Journalism and Communication

 

Master of Arts in Communication Studies, 2017 - 2019

Kent State University, Kent, OH

Emphasis: Global Communication

Advisor: Dr. Tewodros Workneh

Independent Research Project: “The biggest loser of them all:” The interplay of intersectionality and hybridity in season 4 of SKAM

 

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, 2012 - 2016

Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco

Concentration: Media Studies

Minor: Human Resource Development

Capstone: Framing analysis of the news coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis by the BBC, Euronews, and Al Jazeera English

Committee: Dr. Bouziane Zaid (supervisor), Pr. Timothy Pearson

 

Honors and Awards:

  • ​2023 Anderson Family Fellowship, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon ($10,000)
  • 2022-2026 Columbia Scholarship, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon ($1000/year)
  • 2022 Promising Scholar Award, Division of Graduate Studies, University of Oregon ($6000)
  • 2019 Presentation Award Winner, Graduate Research Symposium, Kent State University ($200)
  • 2018 Domestic Travel Award, Graduate Student Senate, Kent State University ($415)
  • 2018 Dr. Dominic A. Infante Communication Scholarship, Kent State University ($2,000)
  • 2018 The D. Ray and Susanne E. Heisey Endowed International Scholarship Fund, Kent State University ($2,000)