James E. Katz is an American communication scholar known for his work on new media and technology use.
Katz previously led the social science research unit at Bell Communications Research and served as editor-in-chief of Human Communication Research.
He has held faculty positions at Rutgers University, where he chaired the Department of Communication and founded the Center for Mobile Communication Studies. He was later named Board of Governors Professor of Communication.
In 2012, Katz joined Boston University as the Feld Professor of Emerging Media and founded its Division of Emerging Media Studies.
Katz received his Ph.D. in sociology from Rutgers. His research explores the societal impacts of digital technologies. Along with Mark Aakhus, he co-developed the concept of Apparatgeist, a theory about human-technology interaction.
His co-authored book, The Social Media President (2013), analyzes the use of digital platforms by U.S. political figures, with a focus on the Obama administration.