Dr. Tracy Tinga is an Assistant Professor in the Media & Communication Studies Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She earned her Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Temple University’s Lew Klein College of Media & Communication.
Dr. Tinga is the author of The Africa Rising Discourse: Tropes, Trophies and Social Actors (Routledge, 2025). Her scholarship examines how “rising” African countries are represented across various transnational institutions, including media, corporations, development organizations, and online platforms. Her work explores how the “Africa Rising” discourse is articulated within these institutions and how it intersects with the geopolitics of neoliberal policies, international development, postcolonial theory, and identity discourses. Her research also focuses on communication for development and social change (CDSC), examining how communities use local communication networks to mobilize and engage with social issues such as climate change and health. Additionally, her work explores environmental communication in Kenya, focusing on environmental discourse and how local communities engage environmental challenges through communication, media, and grassroots networks.
Through her scholarship, teaching, and public engagement, Dr. Tinga is committed to advancing critical conversations about media, power, development, and digital cultures in African contexts.