Marisa Smith, assistant professor in the department of advertising and public relations has published new research in the journal Politics, Groups, and Identities titled “From strategy to sentiment: examining the role of partisan news in fostering white racial consciousness and shaping attitudes toward critical race theory.”
This study builds upon Smith’s earlier publication in Political Communication, “Rooted in White Identity Politics: Tracing the Genealogy of Critical Race Theory Discourse in Identity-Based Disinformation.” In that work, Smith analyzed how right-leaning media outlets discussed Critical Race Theory (CRT) far more frequently than other sources, using language that appealed to white identity and racial resentment—terms such as white, racist, indoctrination, woke, and communist.
Her latest publication continues that analysis to explore how media framing shapes public attitudes and perceptions of racial discrimination.
Understanding how media shapes perceptions of race and Policy
Her research goes into detail on how CRT was originally developed by legal scholars to examine how racism continues to shape American laws and institutions. Once largely unknown outside of academic and legal circles, CRT has become a highly politicized term in recent years. Smith’s research explores how news coverage—especially from partisan, right-leaning outlets—has transformed “CRT” into a catch-all label for topics related to race, diversity, and inclusion.
Using survey data, Smith and her collaborators examined whether exposure to anti-CRT narratives affected white Americans’ perceptions of discrimination and their views on diversity education. The study found that white Americans who frequently watched Fox News during the height of its anti-CRT coverage were more likely to believe that white people face discrimination.
“This research shows how media narratives can influence how groups see themselves in relation to others,” Smith said. “When diversity efforts are framed as threats to white Americans, it becomes easier to justify and garner support for dismantling programs intended to promote inclusion.”
A broader look at identity-based disinformation
Smith emphasizes that her work is not just about CRT but about the broader phenomenon of identity-based disinformation—the strategic use of language and identity to distort perceptions of social issues.
“I believe this work is important because it helps contextualize our current political moment,” Smith explained. “It’s not just about CRT, but about how phrases can be used to discredit discussions and efforts related to diversity. Disinformation today isn’t limited to ‘fake news’ or AI-generated deepfakes—it also operates in more subtle ways, where identity is used to deceptively frame policies or ideas as inherently threatening.”
Her ongoing research explores how perceptions of “anti-white discrimination” influence political decision-making, including support for candidates, shifts in voting behavior, and, in some cases, support for authoritarian policies.
“This line of work is critical to understanding how media and disinformation intersect with democracy,” Smith added. “By understanding these dynamics, we can better identify how public opinion is shaped—and how to protect efforts toward equity and inclusion.”
By Claire Dippel