The Communication Department is delighted to host the accomplished scholar Dr. Moran Yarchi as a visiting professor. Dr.Yarchi has been teaching in the UW Communication Department since Autumn 2021. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Sammy Ofer School of Communications at Reichman University in Israel.
Dr. Moran Yarchi is an award winning scholar who studies political communication, public diplomacy, media coverage of conflicts and terrorism, and new media. In addition to her teaching position at the Sammy Ofer School of Communications, she is the Head of the Public Diplomacy program at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel and a Senior fellow at the Abba Eban Institute for International Diplomacy.
Dr. Yarchi’s decision to study communication and the media is both practical and personal. She has long recognized the important role the media play in our day-to-day lives. “I felt that as a citizen, woman and a mother I should have a better understanding of the topic,” Dr. Yarchi said, “In the political environment following the 9/11 terror attacks, and after I finished my service in the Israeli military (IDF) spokesperson unit, I was fascinated by the interaction between media and conflicts. So, I decided to study political communication and the ability of political actors to promote their messages, focusing mostly on media and conflicts with an emphasis on terrorism.” Dr. Yarchi also observes that our current reality, including political campaigns on social media and misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, has reinforced her confidence that she made the right decision in becoming a political communication scholar.
During Dr. Yarchi’s time lecturing at the UW, she has enjoyed teaching at a larger university and has been pleased with the interaction and engagement of the students. “I’m a faculty member at the Reichman University, which is a small private and relatively new university in Israel. So, I was extremely happy to have the opportunity to teach as an Israel Institute visiting faculty, at the University of Washington with its history and tradition. Most of all I enjoy the interaction with the students and their engagement in my class” she said.
In Winter Quarter 2022, Dr. Yarchi is teaching COM 426: “International Media Images,” A topic she has studied while focusing on public diplomacy amidst international conflicts. “The course will help students get a better understanding of the tools and circumstances in which countries and other political actors can improve their international image.” In Spring, she will teach COM 483: “Communication Approaches to the Study of War”. She is excited to share her experience and knowledge on the subject with UW Communication students. The Communication Department thanks Dr.Yarchi for her excellent contributions thus far and we look forward to learning more from her this year.