MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Michael Vicaro, associate professor of communications at Penn State Greater Allegheny, has recently contributed to two academic works exploring communication theory and the rhetoric of protest.
His latest research is featured in "Quiet Defiance: The Rhetoric of Silent Protest," published in February 2025 by Rowman & Littlefield. Vicaro’s chapter examines the “Blank Sign Protests” in China, a form of silent resistance that emerged during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The protests, in which demonstrators held up blank sheets of paper, symbolized opposition to censorship and government restrictions. The book explores various forms of silent protest and their rhetorical power in shaping public discourse.
In addition, Vicaro co-authored "Communication Theory at the Crossroads," alongside Stanley Deetz, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Gary P. Radford, Fairleigh Dickinson University. The book was published in January 2025 by Wiley. The book challenges traditional approaches to communication studies and proposes new frameworks for understanding human interaction.