Dannagal G. Young
Dannagal Goldthwaite Young
Director of Center for Political Communication
Office: 240 Pearson Hall
Education
- Ph.D. – Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania
- M.A. – Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania
- B.A. – University of New Hampshire
Biography
Dannagal Goldthwaite Young (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, 2007) is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include political media effects, public opinion, political satire and the psychology of political humor.
In addition to her books Irony and Outrage and Wrong, Young's research has been published in numerous journals including Media Psychology, Political Communication, International Journal of Press/Politics, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, and Mass Media and Society.
Young has appeared on CNN, NPR, and various national and international podcasts. Her 2020 TED talk explaining how our psychology shapes our politics has been viewed 2 million times.
Awards
Excellence in Teaching Award, 2014, University of Delaware
Distinguished Research Fellow of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, 2013, University of Pennsylvania
Courses Taught
COMM245: Mass Communication and Culture
COMM418/618: Special Topics: Entertainment and Politics
COMM452/652: Communication and Persuasion
COMM408: New Media Project Development
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5 takeaways from Philadelphia democracy summit
July 16, 2026 | Written by Carmen Russell-Sluchansky of WHYYUniversity of Delaware professor Dannagal Young argued that people often seek information that reinforces their existing beliefs. -
UD research examines how a ‘need for chaos’ is shaping Americans’ trust in Musk, Trump
April 25, 2025 | By Delaware Public MediaThis week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon spoke with UD Professor of Communication and Political Science Dannagal Young about how a “need for chaos” is fueling support for Musk and Trump, and what it reveals about the state of U.S. democracy. -
New Research from UD’s Center for Political Communication Shows Little Public Trust in Musk, DOGE
March 18, 2025 | Written by Dannagal YoungNew data from the Center for Political Communication (CPC) at the University of Delaware shows many Americans have little trust in either Elon Musk or the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
