Sarah Oates

Sarah Oates, Merrill College professor, senior scholar, and PhD. program director, became associate dean for research in August 2023. She is a scholar in the field of political communication and democratization. A major theme in her work is how analysts can measure disinformation and propaganda as it travels through media systems. Sarah is a scholar in the field of political communication and democratization. A major theme in her work is the way in which analysts can measure disinformation and propaganda as it travels through media systems. She has studied how traditional media and the internet can support or subvert democracy in places as diverse as Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Oates was designated a UMD Distinguished Scholar-Teacher in 2021. She is an affiliate professor in the UMD Department of Communication and the College of Information Studies.

Complete Bio - Philip Merrill College of Journalism

Research Interests

• Media and democratization
• Propaganda and disinformation (predominantly Russian) 
• Elections and campaigns (particularly in the U.S., Russia, and United Kingdom)