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Courtney M. Cox

Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Black Studies, IRES
Phone: 541-346-8392
Office Hours: By Appointment
Research Interests: Sport Studies, Performance Studies, Feminist Theory, Black Studies, Critical Data Studies

Biography

Dr. Courtney M. Cox is an Associate Professor in the Department of Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies (IRES) at the University of Oregon. Her research examines issues related to identity, technology, and labor through sport and wine. She frequently teaches ES 310: Race, Gender, and Sport, ES 460/560: Race, Class, Empire: The Olympics, and ES 399: Oregon Sporting Cultures.

 

Her book, Double Crossover: Gender, Media, and Politics in Global Basketball(University of Illinois Press, 2025) considers how Black women and non-binary athletes maneuver through the global sports-media complex. She is also co-director (with Dr. Perry B. Johnson) of The Sound of Victory, a multi-platform digital humanities project located at the intersection of music, sound, and sport. With Johnson, she is the co-editor of the forthcoming collection The Sound of Victory: Music, Sport, and Society (2026 - NYU Press).

 

At the University of Oregon, she serves as the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies, supporting the doctoral program and graduate certificate. She is also an elected member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee, charged with advising the president on all policies and practices related to the academic performance and welfare of college athletes. She is also affiliated with the University of Oregon Olympic Studies Hub, the Center for the Study of Women in Society, and the Women of Color Project.

 

She previously worked for ESPN as a Sports Emmy-nominated production assistant (event production) and stage manager (studio directing), Longhorn Network as a stage manager and associate director (studio directing), in public radio for Pasadena’s KPCC as a freelance producer, and as an intern for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. 

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Education

  • PhD, Communication, University of Southern California, 2019
  • MA, Communication, University of Southern California, 2017
  • MA, Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, 2013
  • BJ, Broadcast Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, 2008

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Media Coverage

Interviews

Double Crossover x Hoopsology Podcast

“The Basketball Feelings Podcast, Episode 57: Courtney M. Cox” 

“On the Ball with Andrew Maraniss | Courtney M. Cox” 

“New Books in Communications”  Double Crossover:Gender, Media, and Politics in Global Basketball 

“Brittney Griner’s wrongful detention explained.” Interviewed by Jordan Ligons for Buckets. June 8, 2022. 

“What does the N.W.S.L. want to be?” Interviewed by Allison McCann for The New York Times. April 28, 2022. 

“Nobody has Beyoncé’s weavologist: Gabby Douglas.” Interviewed by Dr. Amira Rose Davis for American Prodigies. March 21, 2022. 

“Experts weigh in on Brittney Griner’s Detainment with William Butler and Courtney Cox.” Interviewed by Haley O’Shaughnessy and Jordan Ligons for Spinsters. March 11, 2022. 

“Brittney Griner’s impact is clear as W.N.B.A. fans await word from Russia” Interviewed by Jonathan Abrams for The New York Times. March 8, 2022. 

“Interview: Roundtable on the NBA and vaccines.” Interviewed by Dr. Amira Rose Davis for Burn It All Down. October 7, 2021. 

“Osaka back to defend U.S. Open title after year of protest, privacy.” Interviewed by Justin Maki for Kyodo News. September 2, 2021. 

“The Harmony (and Dissonance) of Sports and Music,” Interviewed by Mira Zimet for USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, August 31, 2021. 

“Dr. Courtney Cox discusses how sports, gender, and social science work together.” Interviewed by Sasha Spencer Atwood for Talkin’ Ducks. NBC Sports Northwest. August 5, 2021. 

“‘OK to not be OK’: Mental health takes top role at Olympics.” Interviewed by Shaye Ganam for 630 CHED. July 30, 2021. 

“Olympics Updates!” Interviewed by Liz DiNovella for A Public Affair. WORT-FM. July 28, 2021. 

“Why Olympians like Simone Biles and Breanna Stewart have bolted from Nike.” Interviewed by Cassandra Negley for Yahoo! Sports. July 20, 2021.

“Interview: Dr. Courtney Cox on the exhaustion of Black women in sport, media, and academia.” Interviewed by Dr. Amira Rose Davis for Burn It All Down. July 15, 2021. 

“Oregon bill would allow college athletes to be compensated.” Interviewed by Sage Van Wing for OPB. June 11, 2021. 

“Breaking the Grass Ceiling.” Interviewed by Erika Page for The Christian Science Monitor Weekly. April 12, 2021. 

‘“Why is the new NBA season starting so soon after the last one?” Interviewed by Erika Beras for NPR’s Marketplace. November 27, 2020. 

“Will Cam Newton’s race become an issue in Boston if the Patriots don’t win?” Interviewed by Mike Freeman for USA Today. November 24, 2020. 

“NFL diversity hiring plan draws warning of unintended consequences.” Interviewed by Eben Novy-Williams for Yahoo! Sports. November 12, 2020. 

“After pressure from players, some Black-owned businesses profit from NBA ‘bubble’.” Interviewed by Erika Beras for NPR’s Marketplace. July 30, 2020. 

“Will calls for change improve diversity in sport front offices?” Interviewed by Charles Hallman for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. July 1, 2020. 

“Racial report cards: How the NFL, NBA, MLB and MLS stack up.” Interviewed by Eben Novy-Williams for Variety/Sportico. June 29, 2020.

“More Black athletes join the fight for justice.” Interviewed by Charles Hallman for Minnesota Spokesman Recorder. June 20, 2020. 

“In #MeToo era, Kobe and other athletes often get a pass.” Interviewed by Eddie Pells for AP News. January 28, 2020. 

“Arike Ogunbowale strives for greater fame. But first, another title.” Interviewed by Marc Tracy for The New York Times. April 4, 2019. 

“Sure, he’s good at basketball, but how are his Twitter skills?” Interviewed by Marc Tracy for The New York Times. June 6, 2017. 

“Crying Jordan: The meme that just won’t die.” Interviewed by Amanda Hess for The New York Times. June 3, 2016. 

“‘Ballers’ on HBO aims to be rare sports-themed series with winning game plan.” Interviewed by Greg Braxton for the Los Angeles Times. June 17, 2015. 

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