Amy Kristin Sanders

Amy Kristin Sanders is an award-winning American journalist and licensed attorney. Before joining the faculty of Northwestern University in Qatar as an associate professor in residence, she earned tenure at the University of Minnesota, where her research focused on the intersection of law and new technology. Specifically, she studies offensive speech on the Internet, social media, telecommunication regulation, media policy as well as other media law and ethics issues.

Sanders is a prolific researcher. She has authored more than a dozen scholarly articles in numerous law and mass communication journals. She is the co-author, along with T. Barton Carter, Marc A. Franklin and Jay B. Wright, of the widely recognized casebook First Amendment and the Fourth Estate: The Law of Mass Media, published by Foundation Press. Sanders is also the author of a chapter on obscenity, sexting and cyberbullying in Social Media and the Law: A Guidebook for Communication Students and Professionals.

In addition to her research, Sanders advises organizations on social media ethics and policy. She also serves as an expert witness and has consulted with Fortune 500 media companies and state government agencies regarding pending litigation and regulatory proceedings. Sanders regularly speaks to journalism, law and civic groups about topics including social media, the relationship between law and new technology and media ethics.

At NU-Q, Sanders has the privilege of teaching both first-year and upperclass students in media law and ethics as well as media and society. In addition, she continues to advise doctoral and dual-degree (MA/JD) students at the University of Minnesota.

Before joining the professoriate, Sanders worked as a copy editor and page designer for the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun, a New York Times Co. newspaper. She earned a PhD in mass communication law from the University of Florida. She completed her MA in professional journalism and her Juris Doctorate at the University of Iowa.