University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Bio

Brenda J. Allen is Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, and a Professor in the Department of Communication. Her research and teaching areas are organizational communication, diversity, group communication, and computer-mediated communication. Among her numerous publications is a groundbreaking book entitled Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity (2nd Ed., 2011, Waveland Press). She serves as Master Mentor of the Tenure Track Faculty Mentoring Program at UCD. In addition, she presents keynote speeches and conducts workshops for various groups on a range of topics, including diversity, teamwork, self-empowerment, and presentational speaking.

Select Publications

Allen, B. J. (2011) Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press (2nd Ed.).

Allen, B. J. (2010) Critical communication Pedagogy as a Framework for Teaching Difference. In: D. Mumby (Ed.) "Organizing Difference: Pedagogy, Research, and Practice" (pp. 103-126). Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.

Allen, B.J. (2009). Racial Harassment in the Workplace. In: P. Lutgen-Sandvik and Beverly Davenport Sypher (Eds.). "The Destructive Side of Organizational Communication: Processes, Consequences and constructive ways of organizing" (pp. 164-183). London and New York: Routledge.

Allen, B.J. (2007). "Theorizing Communication and Race." Communication Monographs 74, 259-264.

Allen, B.J. Social Constructionism. (2005). In: S. May and D. Mumby (Eds.). "Engaging Organizational Communication Theory and Research: Multiple Perspectives" (pp. 35-53). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Allen, B.J. (2002). Goals for Emancipatory Communication Research on Black
Women. In M. Houston & O. Davis (Eds.) "Centering Ourselves: African American Feminist and Womanist Studies of Discourse" (pp. 21-34). Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Allen, B.J. (2000). Learning the Ropes: A Black Feminist Critique. In: P. Buzzanell (Ed.) "Rethinking Organizational & Managerial Communication from Feminist Perspectives" (pp. 177-208). Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage.

Allen, B.J. (1996) Feminism and Organizational Communication: A Black Woman’s
(Re)view of Organizational Socialization," Communication Studies, 47, 257-271.

Ashcraft, K.L., & Allen, B.J. (2009). "Politics Closer to Home: The Disciplined Subtexts of Critical Management Education." Management Learning, 40, 11-30.

Orbe, M., & Allen, B. J. (2008). "Race Matters in Applied Communication Research." Howard Journal of Communications, 19, 1-20.

Courses Taught

COMM 5221 Qualitative Communication Research Methods
COMM 5250 Difference Matters and Organizational Communication