What is Javie's Story?

Javie Ssozi is a Ph.D. student and Research Assistant in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Javie's research focuses on the interaction of politics, participation, and power within contemporary media. Specifically, he investigates how individuals engage with and navigate differing opinions and ideologies in digital conversations.

He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Makerere University and an M.S. in Media and Communication Studies from Lund University. During his master's program, he conducted a thesis that analyzed the Twitter discourses of three African Presidents: Kagame of Rwanda, Museveni of Uganda, and Kenyatta of Kenya. This study provides valuable insights into how the increased Twitter activity of these Presidents influences public engagement and democracy in their respective countries.

Prior to joining the University of Iowa, Javie gained significant experience working as a strategic communications consultant and researcher in Uganda.

Recent Publications:

Scott, A., & Ssozi, J. (2025). Colonial legacies and local visions: Analyzing visual news in Uganda. Journalism, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849251353502 

Javie Ssozi, David O Dowling, Defying Uganda’s morality police: the grammar of social media protest images, Communication, Culture and Critique, Volume 18, Issue 1, March 2025, Pages 49–57, https://doi.org/10.1093/ccc/tcae049 

Maragh-Lloyd, R., Stoldt, R., Ssozi, J., Biddle, K., Ekdale, B., & Havens, T. (2025). “They’re trying to influence me to gain the more acceptable viewpoint”: The algorithmic imaginaries of politically activated social media users. New Media & Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251338502