Welcome to my academic website. If you're looking for the short version of my bio: I'm an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, where I teach rhetoric and writing in the English Department, and am also the co-director of the UNR Writing and Speaking in the Disciplines program. I earned my PhD in English Studies, with a specialization in Rhetoric and Composition, from Illinois State University.
A bit more specifically, my research focuses on the implications of complexity and systems theory in rhetoric and writing studies. I'm currently finishing up a book project that investigates complexity and systems theory--and in particular, the concept of emergence--in the context of writing studies and writing pedagogy. The result of this investigation shows us how to look for and trace what I call the "invisible effects" of writing, both in the classroom and in writing research. Other projects examine the diverse ramifications of looking at writing and rhetoric via systems and complexity theory (for example, this one looks at how complexity might shift our understanding of "facts," writing, and genre, and this one looks at arguments themselves as stable systems--a formulation that helps explain why some conversations appear to be pervaded by "stubbornness").
For more info on my research click here--that page also includes a brief description/excerpt from many of my projects, including a short excerpt from the book project, and from my co-edited collection, Kenneth Burke + The Posthuman.
I've also taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses on writing, rhetoric, pedagogy, posthumanism, and media theory, among other topics. For syllabi, assignments, and classroom exercises from some of these courses, click on the "Teaching" header at the top of the page.
Finally, you can email me at cmays@unr.edu.
A bit more specifically, my research focuses on the implications of complexity and systems theory in rhetoric and writing studies. I'm currently finishing up a book project that investigates complexity and systems theory--and in particular, the concept of emergence--in the context of writing studies and writing pedagogy. The result of this investigation shows us how to look for and trace what I call the "invisible effects" of writing, both in the classroom and in writing research. Other projects examine the diverse ramifications of looking at writing and rhetoric via systems and complexity theory (for example, this one looks at how complexity might shift our understanding of "facts," writing, and genre, and this one looks at arguments themselves as stable systems--a formulation that helps explain why some conversations appear to be pervaded by "stubbornness").
For more info on my research click here--that page also includes a brief description/excerpt from many of my projects, including a short excerpt from the book project, and from my co-edited collection, Kenneth Burke + The Posthuman.
I've also taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses on writing, rhetoric, pedagogy, posthumanism, and media theory, among other topics. For syllabi, assignments, and classroom exercises from some of these courses, click on the "Teaching" header at the top of the page.
Finally, you can email me at cmays@unr.edu.