Dr. Laurena Bernabo

Ph.D., Communication Studies, University of Iowa
M.A., Communication Studies, University of Iowa

B.A., Gender & Women’s Studies and Economics, University of Illinois

Dr. Bernabo researches the Spanish-language translation of popular U.S. television programs for Hispanic audiences. Her approach to this research considers translation as both a process– a professional activity governed by industrial norms and constraints– and the text produced by that process. She has spent time at dubbing studios in Mexico City and Miami, FL in order to observe the translation process and interview Spanish-language script writers, directors, and dubbing actors. Her focus on translation as texts emphasizes the construction of gender, race, sexuality, and other forms of identity. When she is not traveling for research, Dr. Bernabo’s secondary area of scholarship considers the construction of these identities in U.S. programs.

Dr. Bernabo has presented her work at national and international conferences including Console-ing Passions, OSCLG, IAMCR, and ICA. Her research is published in peer-reviewed journals such as Critical Studies in Media Communication and Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media.