Her research and teaching explore the intersections of education, media literacy, gender, politics, democracy, and popular culture. The focus of her primary research is on rhetorical constructions of gender, violence, and dissent within the context of U.S. war culture and American politics. Related topics of interest include how dehumanizing and demonizing rhetoric extend beyond war to broader patterns of social violence based on intersectional discourses of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and other identity markers. Kelly's publications have appeared in multiple edited collections and top-tiered journals such as Rhetoric & Public Affairs and Global Media Journal. Her work has also appeared in The Huffington Post, Thought Catalog, Feministing, and other media outlets.