CU Boulder experts are available to discuss holiday-related topics

CU Boulder experts are available for media interviews to discuss interfaith celebrations, holiday shopping and more.

Interfaith celebrations

Samira Mehta is a professor of women and Jewish studies and author of “Beyond Chrismukkah: The Christian-Jewish Interfaith Family in the United States.” She can discuss the ways in which some interfaith families have adapted and combined holiday traditions, as well as the rise in interfaith marriages and what that tells us about the nation's religious life. *Availability limited Dec. 16–20.

Holiday shopping and consumer behavior

Alixandra Barasch is a professor of marketing at the Leeds School of Business whose research focuses on consumer behavior and well-being. She can discuss how technologies—from photo taking to social media algorithms—influence consumer behavior, what charitable giving might look like this year and other consumer-related topics around the holiday season.

‘A Christmas Carol’

Elizabeth Anderman with the College of Arts andSciences is an expert in 19th century literature and contemporary reading and viewing habits, particularly when work seems dense or overly-complex. This includes Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”––which was published 180 years ago on December 19, 1843.

Handlingtough conversations, decisions at family gatherings

With the country still politically divided, psychology professor Leaf Van Boven can talk about how to or whether to discuss tricky subjects at the family gathering. Van Boven’s research has repeatedly shown that Democrats and Republicans have more in common than they think they do. Van Boven can also discuss new research showing that when people take a moment to reflect on the consequence of their actions, they err on the side of reducing others’ health risks.

For after the holidays: 50th anniversary of ‘The Exorcist’

The day after Christmas marks the 50th anniversary of the release of William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist.” Deborah Whitehead, an associate professor of religious studies, can discuss the impact of the film on popular culture and how it relates to broader themes in the U.S. religious landscape.

Contact: cunews@colorado.edu for media requests.