She earned a double BA in Economics and Media Studies from Mount Holyoke College in 1995, an MA in Communication Studies from to Kent State University in 1997, and a Ph.D. in New Media and Political Communication from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000.

[5] She further develops this thesis in her book Affective Publics: Sentiment, Technology and Politics (Oxford University 2014),[6] arguing that social movements sustained by digital media should not be defined by their political efficacy but rather by their affective intensities or how they help publics "feel their way into" an event or issue.

[7] Lilie Chouliaraki wrote that Affective Publics is "a significant statement in its own right about the ontology of digital communication...introduced in the field by this groundbreaking work.

[12] She is frequently quoted in the media, including outlets such as the New York Times,[13] the Chicago Tribune,[14] and the Washington Post.

[15] Papacharissi received several honors and awards in recognition of her contributions to the study of technology, politics, society, and culture.