PBA Fulbright Recipient to Research Film and Television Industry’s Impact on Cultural Identity

For Dr. Thomas Parham, a film is more than a two-hour distraction.

As professor of communication and media studies and associate dean for assessment and operations for the College of the Arts, he knows what goes into writing, producing, and distributing a film or television show-and the impact it can have on culture.

But in an interconnected global market, filmmaking is getting more complex.

This fall, Parham will travel to Canada as a Fulbright Scholar-uncovering how streaming services and U.S. runaway production affect Canadian cultural identity. He will conduct research at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. His award marks a total of three Fulbright Scholar awards received by PBA faculty in two years.

"Pop culture studies are worthwhile," shares Parham, who taught at Azusa Pacific University for nearly two decades before joining the PBA faculty in 2020. "It's interesting to see so many locations outside Hollywood producing U.S. shows."

At PBA, he teaches a variety of classes: Writing for Film and Television, Cinema Lab, Screenwriting Fundamentals, and more-championing redemptive narratives and the power of story.

After serving on active duty in the United States Navy for 11 years, where he attained the rank of lieutenant (O-3) and qualified as a surface warfare officer, Parham completed graduate studies in performing arts and communication studies.

He has worked on over 100 episodes of broadcast television, including writing for the CBS drama "JAG," Family Channel sitcom "Big Brother Jake," and working as an on-location writers' assistant for "Touched by an Angel." He also served as supervisor of publishing for Paramount Pictures' licensing division and worked as a writers' assistant there before teaching at the collegiate level.

A seasoned professional, Parham has seen the screen industry evolve in many ways. While recently visiting colleagues working on productions in Vancouver, he began to wonder how Canada's film and TV crews and talent were navigating the ever-changing industry.

"People aren't going back to LA; they're working in New York, Georgia, Vancouver, and Toronto," he says. "And so many American shows shoot in Canada… so I started thinking: 'What about Canadian shows?'"

That curiosity began at a young age. In fact, Parham says his love of television and movies stemmed from reading. As a four-year-old, he learned to decipher the television schedule to thwart his older sisters who had hogged the tube to watch "Dark Shadows." His mother also encouraged him to read books well beyond his grade level.

Now as he begins work as a Fulbright Scholar, he's grateful to continue doing what he loves-crediting Dr. Carl Miller, PBA's dedicated Gilman and Fulbright Scholarship advisor, for supporting his decision to apply.

"I thought about applying for a Fulbright for years," he says. "This is the cherry on top of my academic career."

Learn more about PBA's cinema and media studies programs.