Rate My Professor Ryan Milner

Ryan M. Milner, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston. He earned his Ph.D. in Communication and M.A. in Communication from the University of Kansas, as well as a B.A. in Communication from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Milner has served on the faculty at the College of Charleston since 2012 and became department chair in July 2021. In this leadership role, he oversees the department's initiatives, including its recognition as one of the College's signature academic programs.

Milner's research specializes in internet culture, exploring the social, political, and cultural dimensions of online interactions, from humorous GIFs and memes to group chat debates and extensive propaganda campaigns. He emphasizes how these digital elements shape public discourse and societal dynamics. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as Media in the Digital Age, Digital Media Ethics, Podcasting, and Audio Investigations—a capstone course where students develop audio documentaries based on yearlong research projects. Milner is the author of several key publications, including The World Made Meme: Public Conversations and Participatory Media (MIT Press, 2016), The Ambivalent Internet: Mischief, Oddity, and Antagonism Online (Polity, 2017, co-authored), You Are Here: A Field Guide for Navigating Polarized Speech, Conspiracy Theories, and Our Polluted Media Landscape (MIT Press, 2021, co-authored with Whitney Phillips), and Share Better and Stress Less: A Guide to Thinking Ecologically about Social Media (MITeen Press). He has provided expert commentary on digital media and online culture for outlets including TIME, Slate, The Los Angeles Review of Books, NBC News, and The New York Times, contributing to broader academic and public understanding of participatory media and ethical digital practices.