FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 12, 2013 Contact: Dr. Mark D. Johns, Executive Director Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research c/o Department of Communication Studies Luther College Decorah, Iowa 52101 USA Tel: (563) 387-1347 email: mjohns@luther.edu Wallis is winner of 2013 James Carey Award IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Dr. Cara Wallis of Texas A & M University is the winner of the 2013 James W. Carey Media Research Award competition sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research (www.cccsir.com). Wallis is author of the book, Technomobility in China: Young Migrant Women and Mobile Phones, published in January by New York University Press. The Carey Award, established in 2004, is presented annually from among nominated or submitted books or journal articles published in the previous year. The award honors the late Dr. James W. Carey (1934-2006). Dr. Carey was recognized as one of the North American pioneers in applying cultural approaches to the study of mass media. To be worthy of the award, the work must be of highest quality and employ Carey's theories to focus on communication and public life, journalism, or popular culture. The winning entry this year was chosen from an exceptionally strong field of works submitted by a long list of outstanding scholars. "Wallis explores the way in which the cell phone has been integrated into the transforming social structures and practices of contemporary China, and the ways in which mobile technology enables rural young women -- a population that has been traditionally marginalized and deemed as 'backward' and 'other' -- to participate in and create culture." A member of the review committee commented, "I appreciated Wallis's demonstration that technology, social relations, and personal identity must always be considered together. This is a way of thinking about technology that I think would resonate with Carey." The Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research is a non-profit organization established to promote the scholarship of the late Carl J. Couch and his academic associates. Couch is recognized as the founder of The New Iowa School in sociological and communication inquiry, and was a pioneer in the qualitative research of information technologies. The Center provides networking opportunities for students and scholars who conduct social and Internet research, inspired by Couch's work. - 30 - -- Mark D. Johns, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Communication Studies Luther College, Decorah, Iowa USA ----------------------------------------------- "Get the facts first. You can distort them later." ---Mark Twain