Juraj Kittler

Education History:

B.A. and M.S. - Slovak University of Technology

Ph.D. - The Pennsylvania State University

Professional and Research Interests:

I have a double appointment in the Performance and Communication Arts as well as in the English departments. My specialization in media studies is reflected mainly in classes I teach for the PCA Department. As a former radio reporter and newspaper editor I also offer journalism classes through the English Department. In order to pursue my research interests, my goal is to spend at least a portion of my summer breaks in the archives of Italy.

For over a decade I have been researching long-distance communications in the context of late medieval and Renaissance Italy. I am currently finishing the manuscript of a book addressing the development of the earliest public postal networks in Europe. Its provisional title is “The Postal Revolution: Late Medieval Couriers and Renaissance Postal Companies in Italy, 1260-1600.”

Recent Publications:

My most recent research on the late medieval and Renaissance development of long-distance communications, news networks, and the public sphere has been published in Capitalism: A Journal of History and Economics,  Journalism Studies, Mediterranean Historical Review,  Communication and the Public, The International Journal of Communication, New Media & Society, and Media History.

Together with John Nerone and Joad Raymond, I was a guest editor of a special issue of Media History dedicated to historical parallels between the spectrum scarcity debate and the impacts of the scarcity of paper manufacturing during the early print era (from the late medieval period up until the early 1900s).

Personal Interests:

As a scholar of public space, I like to be in the company of people talking about interesting things including politics, history, philosophy, religion and good food. I enjoy cooking for my friends and spending summers close to the water – the Mediterranean is my second home. I like historical books, movies, TV series and classical opera. The Adirondacks offer a wonderful array of opportunities for hiking, camping, kayaking and cross-country skiing and I explore them in the company of my wife.

Professional Association Membership:

European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA)

Classes Taught:

PCA 127 Introduction to Communication

PCA 239 Media Industries

PCA 310 Media & Culture

PCA 360 The Public Sphere of Renaissance Venice

ENG 201 Introduction to Journalism

ENG 309 Literary Journalism & Feature Writing

Curriculum Vitae

Contact Information

Griffiths Arts Center 215

315-229-5119

(717) 350-4804

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