Q: What classes are you currently teaching?
A: COMM 5345 -- Rhetorical Theory
Q: Are you currently working on any new projects or research?
A: In my ongoing research about representations of domestic violence and sexual assault, I'm currently working on analysis of cultural & political evolution of responding to domestic violence, especially as it alienates women of color specifically and communities of color more generally.
Q: Do you have anything exciting planned for this semester?
A: I've been invited to participate in the Southern Colloquium on Rhetoric and will be traveling to the University of Arkansas next weekend for that event. My talk will be titled: "Disentangling Gender Violence Activism from the Pernicious Legacies of Imperialist White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy."
Q: What do you like to do when you have free time?
A: I'm an avid board game player and also enjoy classic video games (I would take on anyone on a Galaga machine). I have two cats (Zeke & Kairos) and one dog (Millie), so a lot of my free time is spent wrangling animals. I also spend a lot of time lately calling my representatives to voice my concerns about the state of our world and urge them to be more conscientious in their policy-making.
Q: Did you do anything fun this past summer?
A: My partner and I went to San Fransisco for a few days after I finished teaching the 5W1 "Rhetorics of Popular Culture" course. We were good tourists, enjoying a day in wine country, taking a "bridge to bridge" boat tour, and dodging seagulls. I also spent a full week in Bloomington Indiana for a workshop with the Rhetoric Society of America where I participated in intensive research and discussions about human rights violations and violence (less fun than SF, but really invigorating work!)
Q: What is your favorite movie or Tv series?
A: Favorite all-time movie: The Big Chill. Favorite recent movie: The Big Sick. Maybe I just like the structure of the titles. I also love a wide range of shows including The Handmaid's Tale, Orange is the New Black, Call the Midwife, One Mississippi, Stranger Things, Scandal .... It's good to be a pop culture scholar!!