As algorithms increasingly shape how news is distributed, how brands connect with audiences and how individuals experience digital life, understanding their influence has never been more important.

Kristin Walker, faculty member in the College of Information and Communications, is contributing to this critical conversation through her recent book review published in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, one of the field’s leading peer-reviewed journals.

In her review of The Feel of Algorithms by Minna Ruckenstein, Walker explores how algorithmic systems do more than organize information — they shape emotions, perceptions of fairness, trust in institutions and participation in public life. The book challenges scholars and practitioners to consider how people experience automated systems, not just how those systems function.

For students preparing to enter fields such as journalism, public relations and strategic communication, these questions are especially urgent. Algorithms now influence everything from news visibility to audience engagement and reputation management. Walker’s scholarship helps ensure that CIC graduates are equipped not only to navigate these systems, but to critically examine their broader societal impact.

Through research, teaching and thought leadership, CIC faculty continue to shape conversations that matter — preparing the next generation of communicators to lead responsibly in an increasingly automated world.