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 & multimedia modes.
My doctoral dissertation–and current book project–seeks 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.