Lauren Tokos

Lauren Tokos’ research focuses on the history and political economy of information and the naturalization of post-war political ideologies. Her work examines the history of radical reform efforts and the actors, institutions, and ideologies that hinder social progress.

Lauren Tokos is a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication, where she is a member of the Media, Inequality, and Change Center (MIC) and Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication (CARGC).  Tokos’ previous research has focused on the political economy of knowledge production, and intelligence agencies’ suppression of media reform efforts in the 1930s and 40s. She is particularly interested in the origins of anti-fascism in communication research, and the role of organized labor in facilitating change within media industries.

Prior to joining the Annenberg School, Tokos obtained her B.A. in Media Studies from the University of Oregon and Robert D. Clark Honors College. As an undergraduate, Tokos worked on several research projects related to media history, feminist pedagogy, and esports. Her undergraduate thesis explored the political economy of academic publishing through in-depth interviews with editors of media studies and communication journals.

When she’s not working, you can find Lauren running, reading fiction novels, and baking for her friends.