As a student of rhetoric & composition I study the intersection of words, bodies & things. I draw on discourses of rhetoric, philosophy & education, & work in both textual & non-textual modes.
My doctoral dissertation sought to apply the thought of American philosopher William James (1842-1910) to the writing classroom. I argue that in an age of social fragmentation & populist revolt, James can provide valuable guidance as to how to live with one another.
I’m also interested in digital media literacy. With bots, filter bubbles & fake news it seems to me that we are in the midst of a new literacy crisis. How might digital media technologies be changing how we write & think? How might Facebook or Twitter work to bring us together or drive us apart? And how should writing teachers respond? Of late, I’ve been trying to answer these questions.
MATTHEW OVERSTREET 