Bangladeshi journalist Kazi Mehedi Hasan has earned a PhD in Mass Communication and Media Arts from Southern Illinois University (SIU) in the United States.
He received the degree at the university's 150th commencement ceremony on May 9, where SIU Chancellor Dr Austin Lane formally conferred the doctoral certificate.
His dissertation examined how the evolving media landscape in the United States has contributed to political polarisation during presidential elections between 2012 and 2024.
Titled "Personalized Politics in the Digital Age: How Media Exposure and Social Media Microtargeting Impact Public Agenda Diversity and Widen Partisan Polarization in the US Presidential Election (2012–24)," the research explored the influence of media exposure and targeted messaging on social media on public opinion, agenda-setting and partisan divides.
The study focused on the growing role of personalised political communication in the digital era and its impact on public agenda diversity and political polarisation.
The research was conducted under the supervision of Prof Kavita Karan. Members of the dissertation committee included Lisa Brutten, Patrick Meyrick, Walter Metz, Dong Han and Yoshua Ryu.
Before pursuing his doctoral studies, Hasan earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Mississippi. He also completed his BSS and MSS degrees in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka.
Known in Bangladesh's media industry as Sujon Mehedi, he worked as a journalist for several leading television channels, including Independent Television, Channel One and NTV.
His achievement adds to the growing number of Bangladeshi media professionals pursuing advanced research and higher education abroad.
