On the debut episode of Season VIII: Polarity, IU Edition Carolyn Hadlock and IU Students Selena, Hannah, and Natalie, welcome Doctoral Candidate and Assistant Professor Jamie Theophilos to discuss what led them to become an educator at Indiana while studying their PhD, mental health, and social justice through media.

“Conflict is just inevitable and it's just a part of society and I feel like I've seen more harm and more detriment done to the idea of avoiding conflict, avoiding even the possibility that you may have been in the wrong.” - Jamie Theophilos

Carolyn Hadlok :

Today we are talking with Jamie Theophilus, who is a doctoral student and associate instructor at the Media School at Indiana University in Bloomington. Welcome to the show, Jamie.

Jamie Theophilos:

Hi!

Carolyn Hadlok :

You are Hannah, Selena and Natalie's immediate first choice to talk with when we landed on our season theme of Polarity. Your work and research about how media technologies impact social movements is of deep interest to all of us.

Selena Ayub :

Hi, Jamie. We're so excited to talk to you today, especially having been in your class before and having you as an instructor. I wanted to start off hearing a little bit about how you got here as an artist and as an educator.

Jamie Theophilos:

I would say that what truly inspired me to pursue a PhD and become an educator was the profound influence my teachers had on me—they were genuinely life-changing. I feel like my teachers transformed who I was as a person and served as incredible sources of inspiration. Their impact showed me just how powerful and positive a force a teacher can be in someone’s life, and that became my primary motivation. The support, intellect, and challenges I received—not just from professors, but also from high school teachers—pushed me to grow into a better person. I found that incredibly compelling and deeply valuable, and I still hold that value today. In fact, there are professors at Indiana University, especially within the Media School, who continue to inspire me. My advisors and other faculty members I’ve worked with have had a significant impact on me, and I remain in awe of their guidance and dedication.

Selena Ayub:

I know you went to school in Chicago for a while and IU and then you worked at UNC, right. I'm curious about the difference in not only environments, but the polarity that varies from school to school and the differences in opinions. Did that at all impact your own perspectives on things?

Jamie Theophilos:

That's a good question. I would say not as much, and honestly, I believe Indiana University has impacted my experience more than any other place. I think there are a variety of reasons for that. One is the cultural climate—when I was teaching at other institutions, the environment was quite different from what it is now. Additionally, certain developments in Indiana legislation, such as Senate Bill 202, have sparked fear and distrust among faculty and educators regarding how we engage with students and colleagues.

What feels different now is the growing rhetoric in education that frames professors as individuals who are forcing ideas onto students. That shift has made me more fearful than I’ve ever been. Because of my identity as someone who is not a cisgender man, my very presence is often politicized. That alone can lead others to perceive me as someone with an agenda, as if I'm trying to push beliefs simply because of who I am. That perception is unsettling and has added a layer of concern to how I navigate my role as an educator.

Jamie Theophilos:

Pronouns are so politicized right now that even coming on the show, I have moments where I don’t want people to call me they/them—even though I’ve been using those pronouns since I was 17. I start to wonder: are the people in this room judging me? Are they already rolling their eyes, thinking it’s ridiculous? I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way, especially at IU. This pressure feels pervasive, but I think it’s particularly intense at IU because of the SEA 202 bill.

Carolyn Hadlock:

Do you mind explaining what the 2 0 2 bill is?

Jamie Theophilos:

Yes and please also add on to that, but the SA 2 0 2 bill is a bill that got passed in Spring that is based around pushing that you need to teach both sides of an argument, but not only that, you also cannot speak about political topics that are not relevant to your course.

Carolyn Hadlock:

Which is hard because everything is political.

Jamie Theophilos:

Yes, exactly. But what does that really mean—what are the exact ins and outs of it? What I find interesting is that I do believe there are many scenarios where teaching a variety of perspectives is incredibly valuable. I don’t take an extreme, black-and-white stance on this. However, I think the way it's being implemented at the state level is quite dangerous, in my opinion—especially considering that academic institutions already offer many avenues to ensure a diversity of perspectives. Those polarities—between openness and restriction—felt more pronounced here than anywhere else I’ve been.

Selena Ayub:

Yeah, I think especially with that law, not everything is so black and white, specifically when we're talking about science, you aren't going to explain the point of view of people that don't believe in science because you're teaching science. So it's like how are you supposed to teach both sides to certain subjects?

Jamie Theophilos:

Yeah, absolutely.

Hannah Whipple:

I think a lot of it comes down to intentionality, which you often speak about. It's not necessarily about convincing someone to believe a certain way—it's more about offering a new perspective. It’s about trying to open your eyes to something different. You also talk about the illusion of choice, and that resonates with me. It’s hard to fully know what we truly believe in. Our beliefs can shift over time, and sometimes we claim to believe in something we don’t genuinely stand behind. There’s a lot of inner conflict and polarity in that, and I think that’s worth acknowledging.

Carolyn Hadlock:

And that's the inner polarity that we've been talking about too. I mean, it's easy to sort of accept society and everything. One thing though, I think that's really interesting, Jamie, I'm so glad you are in the state of Indiana right now because one of the things as we were looking through your work that we were all attracted to was the idea that you will jump into conflict and you can't avoid it. And a lot of people who maybe are in your shoes would say, I want to teach at a different institution that sees things more eye to eye versus you jumping into that. Is there anything in your background that sort of took you to that space of attention?

Jamie Theophilos:

I think a lot of it comes from how strongly I believe in the importance of conflict resolution and the idea that conflict is inevitable—it's simply a part of society. In my experience, I’ve seen more harm come from avoiding conflict or refusing to consider the possibility that you might be in the wrong. That kind of avoidance often leads to worse outcomes. Instead, I believe it’s healthier to lean into conflict and approach it with acceptance, as it can lead to growth and understanding.

Carolyn Hadlock:

Finding common ground is something we've talked about a lot, how do we do that as the antidote to polarity?

Jamie Theophilos:

Or maybe it's about accepting that there isn’t always common ground. I think another interesting point—though feel free to disagree—is that there are varying degrees to which I’m willing to engage with different opinions and perspectives, and that’s very subjective for me. This isn't true for everyone, of course. For example, I’m not interested in finding common ground with a neo-Nazi. While I can recognize the humanity in people and understand that there are often complex reasons why someone ends up holding such beliefs, that doesn’t mean I’m willing to engage in nuanced dialogue or share a platform that legitimizes those views. However, that doesn’t mean I’m closed off entirely—I am very open to being around a diversity of perspectives and ways of engaging with the world.

One thing I really appreciate—and would even boast about—is the Media School. It fosters not just a diversity of perspectives, but also a diversity of methodologies and ways of approaching the study of media. This includes engaging with opposing or even polar perspectives. The Media School functions as a space where people approach media as both a vessel and a theme, coming from a range of professions and intellectual backgrounds, which I find incredibly enriching.

Jamie Theophilos:

Whether it's journalism, video production, or a more social science-based, quantitative approach to qualitative research, I’ve always been drawn to the variety. And while I recognize that some people may have had issues with that kind of structure, it was actually one of the things I found most appealing about coming here. I was genuinely interested in being surrounded by a diverse group of people who were approaching media from different angles and for a wide range of reasons.