Andrew Wirzburger, Ph.D.

Andrew Wirzburger studies discourses of institutions and power through the mapping of material-social assemblages. His current research focuses on material and discursive “bombs” as catalysts for institutional discourse and strategic communication.

Andrew Wirzburger studies discourses of institutions and power through the mapping of material-social assemblages. He seeks to expose how these discourses struggle to survive and thrive within digital culture and the ways in which these struggles reframe strategic communication, propaganda, censorship, and other discursive technologies.

His recent research topics have included Alphabet/Jigsaw’s Perspective API as a technology for automated comment moderation toward productive censorship, as well as the Steam gaming platform’s user reviews as a technology for exploiting user labor while depoliticizing gaming.

His current research explores bombs as media, messages, and catalysts for institutional discourse and strategic communication, in particular the so-called “review bombs” related to video games, movies, restaurants, and other industries.

Wirzburger received his B.A. in English Language and Literature from Stonehill College and his M.A. in Media Studies from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.