Sandra Borden

Photo of Sandra Borden
Sandra L. Borden
Professor of Communication and Director of the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society
Office: 
(269) 387-0362
Location: 
325 Sprau Tower, Mail Stop 5318
Mailing address: 
School of Communication
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5318 USA
Office hours: 

Virtual office hours are available by appointment via Bookings.

Education: 
  • Ph.D., Mass Communications, Indiana University, 1997
  • M.A., Journalism, The Ohio State University
  • B.J., Journalism, The University of Missouri
Teaching interests: 
  • Media criticism
  • Communication ethics
  • Freedom of expression
Research interests: 
  • Journalism ethics theory
  • Issues in entertainment ethics
  • Comparative media ethics
Bio: 

Dr. Sandra L. Borden is a professor in the School of Communication at Western Michigan University, where she also serves as Director of the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society. Her work has been published in several scholarly books and journals, including:

  • The Handbook of Mass Media Ethics
  • Journal of Mass Media Ethics
  • Journalism: Theory, Practice, and Criticism
  • Communication Monographs
  • Communication Theory

Borden's book, Journalism as Practice: MacIntyre, Virtue Ethics and the Press, won the 2008 Clifford G. Christians Ethics Research Award and the National Communication Association’s 2008 top book award in applied ethics. Her other books are:

  • Ethics and Entertainment: Essays on Media Culture and Media Morality (co-edited with Howard Good, 2010, McFarland).
  • Making Hard Choices in Journalism Ethics (with David Boeyink, 2010, Routledge).

Borden, who teaches ethics and media criticism, recently served as a member of the executive board of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics and as associate editor for the journal Teaching Ethics. She was also the recipient of the 2019 College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Achievement Award in Professional and Community Service.